Packers: 3 surprising options in the first round of the draft
The Green Bay Packers have fewer immediate positional needs than almost every other team in the NFL. Therefore, their draft-day targets are relatively straightforward in comparison to teams like the Houston Texans or the Carolina Panthers.
Everyone and their grandmother expects the Packers to draft a wide receiver with one of their two first-round picks. Other less pressing needs include offensive tackle and defensive line.
However, if Brian Gutekunst has taught us anything since he took over as general manager, it’s that the Packers don’t necessarily always draft for need — see Rashan Gary and Jordan Love.
So, what surprises could the Packers spin for us on draft day? Here are three surprise prospects out of left field who I don’t think we can totally disregard.
1. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
The first round of the draft has been uncharted territory for off-ball linebackers during the Brian Gutekunst era, and after signing De’Vondre Campbell to a five-year deal this offseason, the position is no longer the pressing need it once was.
However, if the Packers grab a receiver at pick 22 and Nakobe Dean is still on the board at pick 28, the value may be too hard to pass up.
It’s easy to fall in love with Dean’s tape from his final year at Georgia. He was the unequivocal leader of one of the most dominant defenses to ever grace college football. Dean plays with tremendous instincts, a relentless motor and has a knack for piercing through offensive lines and getting to the quarterback.
The only major knock on Dean is his lack of size, which wasn’t really an issue on tape. If drafted to Green Bay, he would be a significant upgrade over Krys Barnes and would inject the Packers defense with an unbridled level of intensity.
2. Travon Walker, DL, Georgia
Continuing on the theme of players going from the college ‘G’ to the professional ‘G’, Travon Walker is a name that has recently emerged as a candidate to be drafted within the first five picks after blowing everyone away with his combine testing.
This hype has been met with great skepticism from draft analysts, since Walker’s college production was nowhere near the standard of a typical blue-chip prospect. If a GM selects Walker near the top of the draft and he doesn’t fulfill his true potential, it could end up costing that GM his job.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Walker’s lack of on-field production scares teams away, causing him to plummet into the 20’s and into the waiting arms of… Brian Gutekunst.
Why? Because Gutekunst did the exact same thing with Rashan Gary two years ago. Gary was a remarkable athlete who lacked desirable pass-rushing production at Michigan. The Packers bet on his upside and now they’re reaping the rewards.
Chances are they fully believe they can achieve the exact same thing with Travon Walker — he just needs to fall.
3. Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
Let’s get weird. I can already hear you screaming that the Packers’ cornerback room is perfect and that the idea of drafting Derek Stingley is idiotic. It may well be, but if he’s still waiting on a phone call when the Packers are on the clock, it’ll be tough to look past the SEC star.
Stingley was arguably the best player in college football in 2019 as a freshman! Had Stingley been allowed to declare for the draft back then as an 18-year-old, he’d probably have gone inside the top three picks.
Stingley isn’t garnering that same hype now because he has barely played since. Injuries, opting out, and overall just taking his foot off the gas has led to Stingley falling down draft boards.
Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner has taken over as the consensus top cornerback in this class and we have no idea how high Stingley will go on draft day. If the rest of the league decides to inexplicably allow him to fall, teams selecting in the 20’s will be licking their chops and the Packers could have the first say.
It doesn’t matter that Rasul Douglas re-signed. Stingley has the upside to become twice the player Douglas is right now. He could become the best player in this entire class, and the Packers will be obsessed with his potential.