Packers: Offense dominates in three-round mock draft
Fixing the offense is the focus of this three-round mock draft.
The Green Bay Packers need to address the offense. Are their needs on defense? Of course. Fixing the run defense is important.
But after years of waiting until the later rounds to add players on offense, the Packers need to be looking to strengthen this side of the ball much earlier on.
To put together this three-round mock draft, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft machine, which is a great tool. I made each pick depending on which players were still on the board. It was a balance of addressing needs while also trying to find the best available players.
As a note, you might notice I didn’t select a linebacker in the top three rounds. This wasn’t a choice made prior to the draft, but rather a reaction to the board as it played out. In all three rounds, there wasn’t a great choice at inside linebacker and picking one would’ve required either trading the pick or reaching.
This perhaps shows the Packers could need to be active in free agency to address the problems at linebacker before making the most of the great depth at some of the offensive positions in the draft.
Round 1 (30): Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Offensive tackle might not be the number one priority in the draft, but I couldn’t pass up a player as talented as Mekhi Becton in the first round. And let’s not forget that Bryan Bulaga is a free agent. If he departs, tackle will fly up the to-do list for the Packers this offseason. And even if Bulaga returns, bringing in his future replacement would make sense here. Especially given his age and injury history.
Becton could be a star in the NFL. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranked the top 50 players in the entire draft class, and Becton is 10th. Jeremiah wrote that he is a “rare athlete at this size and his upside is through the roof”.
If he is still there at No. 30, the Packers might not be able to pass up the opportunity to draft him.
Round 2 (62): Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
The Packers take advantage of the deep wide receiver class here with Brandon Aiyuk out of Arizona State.
Aiyuk could make an immediate impact in Matt LaFleur’s offense. He is outstanding at picking up yards after the catch, which is exactly what the Packers need. Aiyuk averaged 18.3 yards per reception in 2019, finishing with 65 catches for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns.
Not only could Aiyuk make an impact on offense, but also on special teams. He averaged 31.9 yards on kickoff returns and 16.1 yards on punt returns in 2019, and he returned a punt for a touchdown.
Aiyuk could enter first-round consideration between now and April but he was still on the board in this mock draft simulation, which would be perfect for the Packers.
Round 3 (94): Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State
It’s offense again in the third round, with the Packers selecting Aiyuk’s teammate Eno Benjamin.
Again, it was simply a case of looking at the board and picking one of the best players available. Green Bay needs to strengthen the offense in any way possible, and that includes bolstering the running back depth.
Benjamin had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Arizona State, and finished with a combined 30 touchdowns from scrimmage in the past two years. He is a talented pass catcher with 610 receiving yards and four touchdowns to his name since the start of 2018. His receiving ability would make him a good addition to LaFleur’s offense.
Benjamin was named to the 2019 Pro Football Focus All-Pac-12 Team. PFF noted that Benjamin forced 63 missed tackles.
While the Packers have needs to address on defense, it’s entirely possible they go all-in on offense in the early rounds of the draft. If the draft plays out like this mock, the offense would get upgrades at three different positions on offense.
Becton could be a starter in Year 1 or a backup if Bulaga re-signs. Aiyuk could make a difference at wide receiver immediately, while Benjamin would be a great complement to Aaron Jones in the backfield.