We are just days away from the 2026 NFL Draft, which means, pretty soon, all of these mocks will fall by the wayside. Yet, they've been the one thing we can hold on to as we wait in angst for the real thing.
This year, the Green Bay Packers will have to wait until Day 2 to make their first selection, barring a trade, of course. But Day 2 is also where things could get real interesting. This is a draft class that's fairly even across the board when you get into picks 25-75, so the Packers will have plenty of options in terms of adding talent.
Speaking of Day 2, that happens to be the spot where ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has a former Packers fan favorite being put on the hot seat. In his latest mock draft, Kiper has the Minnesota Vikings selecting Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. at pick No. 49 in the second round, which of course means former Packers running back Aaron Jones is almost immediately uncomfortable.
Former Packers running back Aaron Jones might be close to the end if Mel Kiper's feeling comes true
Now, the pick of Washington isn't as important as the Vikings taking a running back, in general. If the Vikings go running back in the first three rounds, that could spell the beginning of the end for Jones, who turns 32 in December.
The former fifth-round pick back in 2017 spent his first seven seasons with the Packers and quickly became an integral part of the offense, earning the trust of Aaron Rodgers even as a Day 3 selection.
In 2019, Jones rose to stardom and led the NFL with an impressive 16 rushing touchdowns to go with his 1,084 rushing yards. That season, he also caught three touchdowns, giving him a total of 19 scores on the year.
After signing with the Vikings, Jones turned back the clock and put up a career-high in rushing yards when he tallied 1,138. He did this after his final year in Green Bay saw Jones only rush for 656 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games.
Fast forward to the present day, and Jones is on an expiring contract. If Minnesota goes running back, Jones is in danger not only of losing playing time but a job altogether.
One couldn't help but wonder if Jones would entertain a return to Green Bay in order to play alongside Josh Jacobs and finish his career as a Packer. If the Vikings opted to roll with a rookie and Jordan Mason, don't rule it out.
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