Just because there are still "football games" on the Green Bay Packers' schedule, that doesn't mean we should lose sight of what's really important this time of year: mock draft content. There are only four months left before the actual draft, so you understand why time feels of the essence for the Mock Draft community.
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With the regular season winding down, we're slowly starting to see drafts quietly appear here and there. It's never to early to hit publish on that Mock Draft that you'll only change 11 times before next April.
Sometimes they're a fun read, though – like, for instance, The Draft Network's latest attempt to have the Packers replace Jaire Alexander. (We'll ignore the fact that DN has the Packers picking 27th, meaning they lose in the NFC Divisional round.)
Packers replace Jaire Alexander with Texas CB Jahdae Barron in latest mock draft
"Jaire Alexander is a shell of his former self due to recurring injuries. The Packers are also unlikely to bring back Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine at CB next season. Jahdae Barron is a versatile chess piece that would thrive in Jeff Hafley's system."
The Packers absolutely need as much cornerback help as they can get, so in that sense, this is a great pick. Barron is one of, if not the, best cornerback prospects in this year's draft class, and he just recently won the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the best defensive back in the country. And even if he profiles more as a nickel corner at the pro level, it's not like the Packers can be picky about their corners at this point.
More than the Barron pick, though, DN's latest points to a grim reality that's starting to set in for Packers fans: this is probably the end of the Jaire Alexander era in Green Bay. He just hasn't been able to stay healthy, having missed seven of the last eight games and nine overall this season.
When he's been on the field, he's still been productive – and he's still only 27 – but it's just starting to feel like this is the end for him in Green Bay. Thanks, Draft Network! Just the good news Packers fans wanted to think about heading into the playoffs.