So we danced around what type of player we want or who we should pick, but let's go. Pick who the first player picked will be even if you think we are trading it up or down. Added bonus add your first pick "realistic" hopeful and first pick interesting where they go someplace you wouldn't expect...

1st Pick Caleb Farley

1st Pick Hope Zaven Collins

1st Pick Interesting Travis Etienne

Why do you hope that pick? You see, I'm kind of nervous of what I hope for in fear we might get it, lol. 2006 I was miffed the Packers traded with the Patriots because I was hoping for Chad Jackson. Instead, they traded back and got some Greg Jennings guy. I was not happy at all. ESPN duped me into thinking Jackson was the guy and Jennings was just-a-guy. Packers used the extra pick on Jason Spitz.

I'm going to hope that first round pick is someone who can earn a starting position on the defense by the half-way point of the season because he's a stellar player. I have no names because I don't think I watched a single college snap in 2020.

Cruising around the world wide web I found some information on some of the top defensive prospects.

CB Caleb Farley has had some surgeries that might push him towards late round one.
LB Micah Parsons is ranked as the best ILB prospect and has some off-field issues that might push him towards the Packers pick.
EDGE Kwity Paye is considered the most elite pass-rusher in the draft.

Of the three, Paye is probably the one we'd want and will be gone top 20. The other two, I am not sure if their talent outweighs the "baggage".

WR class has some prospects that I have read some folks getting all climaxed about. Youngsters like Ja'Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Rondale Moore
and Rashod Bateman. As I touched on earlier -- I won't be hoping for any WR over another. Of those five though, I think Bateman has the best chance of the Packers using a pick on because he's got the height that the Packers GM seems to go for.

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I am hoping for strength in the middle of the field. You must get tired Kevin of going in the chat on game day and us bitching about being burned in the middle of the field all the time. I want the middle better. Zaven Collins ILB and Trevon Moehrig S and potential slot CB are guys I would love to sure up the passing middle.

I feel I have Stockholm Syndrome type thing with the Packers getting walked over through the middle of the field. I feel it's been an issue since Wayne Simmons departed the Packers. The worst of it I recall is the '09 Cardinals playoff game. It was seemingly wide the entire game from opening snap to final snap. It was so frustrating. It has not got better. I am hoping Kamal Martin and Krys Barnes continue to excel and make a good year one to year two jump.

I will tell you this. If history tells us anything with the Packers is he likes WR to be an inch or two over six feet and he really likes elite athletes.

Zaven Collins looks like an intriguing player based on this.
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Zaven is freakish althletic and smart. One could only hope he could be Urlacher, but you can see the talent and smarts as a college player.

Can we add some negative options as well, like fear it will be, and non-intersecting?


So far Gute has only selected the most valuable positions in round one, those being QB, CB, Edge, OT, S and TE. It's probably not going to be QB this year... and there aren't many TEs thought nto have first round grades. So that leaves us with CB, Edge, OT and S.

Unless they're playing to get rid of Preston Smith (some want to get rid of that contract), or run with three Safeties (if Savage can play nickel and dime, which Gute has said he can, that wouldn't be the worst idea, but unlikely, you can take them out.

Which leaves you with just CB and OT. Also, I think you need to add WR, simply because late 1st round seem to have where a lot of WRs are landing talent wise in mocks and because basically all the Packers WRs are in contract years. Then again, basically so are the CBs, with Alexander having a 5th year option though.



1st Pick Guess: I'm thinking CB Greg Newsome II, Northwestern or WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU.... if I just get one than Newsome, though he hasn't been able.to.stay on the field, he's got amazing feet and change of direction ability, usually you have to find a smaller CB for that but he's average size and has longer than average wing span. Marshall as a receiver has all the receiving skills you look for, and seems the most like a WR has been trying to get, though he needs a lot more working on his blocking for this scheme and he seemed distracted in 2020 once the team was out of post season contention and I think left the team before the season was completed, which got head coaches approval, but there is more to that story.

1st Pick Hope: Caleb Farley, his injury history is a bit scary but he has the raw potential to be the best CB that's come out of a draft since Alexander (heck if you want to just talk pure raw potential, maybe even best since Marshon Lattimore and Tre'Davious White. I can't promise you he'll reach that elite potential, but he physically has shown that it was possible for him to be absolutely elite.

1st Pick Fear: A non-coverage ILB, as if they can't give you elite coverage, then is an ILB really worth a 1st round pick these days? Plus when asked about the new scheme, the defensive coordinator mentioned pass rushers and coverage guys.... media had to ask him about LBers and.it.seemed to.be the least important fort he scheme. Zaven Collins showed good coverage at a small level, but he was more about going forward than dropping into coverage.

1st Pick Interesting WR Kadarius Toney, Florida... really any WR would be interesting, as there is no one perfect for what they're looking for and see which direction they go would be interesting. But Toney is especially interesting because he has that joystick punt returner with speed burners factor, where he's more of a straight up amazing athlete, than developed WR at this point.... but also, why isn't he more developed? Also what's going on with his rap music career which could potentially be taking off... on one hand,. it'll be exciting whenever he touches the ball, on the other, will he develop? But some other very interesting WRs as well.

1st Pick Non-Interesting Any OL... not a bad pick, but OL are just less Interesting. If I have to name one guess. OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State



A couple more interesting players:

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
First off what position is he? He's not a LB, S or CB, but sorta played a mixture of all three, playing the slot role a lot and graded out as PFF second best slot coverage guy, at 6'1.5" 220 lbs. They label him a LB, but he's not the best at traditional pure LB reads... because he's played the slot role more on the outside the line so much. But he's a dime coverage box Safety S/LB tweener type. If a team.wants a coverage LB, a guy perfect for Tampa 2 (which the Packers defense sometimes runs, then he could be a great fit), though you need to protect him from.the OL, but he can cover and adjust in zone schemes with the best of them. Basically like having a 220 lb Safety that's used to playing the slot CB role. Against teams with a lot of TE play, it might come in handy too.

Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Like Adams, it's his down right amazing releases at the lines and route running which makes him almost unstoppable at times and he had a great 40 time, but I might argue he didn't seem to run that fast on the field.

Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
He's tiny but fast and great change of direction and makes a ton of tough catches. Great slot guy that might be able to do much more than just the slot.

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Some more has reportedly come out about his injuries (if true, and not some team just releasing negative news hoping he slides to them), sounds like CB Caleb Farley injury could of been a hell lot worse than thought, including two back surgery and might not have full feelings in a row still.

If the Packers deem this to be true, I wouldn't doubt if he's completely off their draft board. And literally his career could be anything from barely plays to elite all-star and anywhere in between.


But Gute likes positional value high in the draft and likes great athletes (unless it's offensive blocking position (OL/TE), then he's taken less less athletic guys).


I'm having trouble narrowing down on a single position, much less a single player... also this draft is loaded with WRs... there should be will still be very interesting options in the 3rd round where there few but not too many CBs and especially OTs.

So I'm thinking Gute's tie breaking position order will be CB, OT, WR, Edge. But yes, an edge player potentially could be the most talented play left on the board.

The elite CBs without injury history will be taken... Farley and Newsome might fall, but they haven't stayed on the field either despite having great potential. Farley has elite potential, think Sam Shields but more developed and larger and bigger wing span, but even if you do trick him, he's got that elite catch up speed where you ain't gonna be open long. Newsome just has amazing slot CB like extremely quick footwork, best and smoothest footwork of any CB in this draft, with average size, and plays smart.

There is also Asante Samuel Jr., whom is generally ranked lower and less athletic, but some feel would just be an absolute perfect fit for this system. His smarts in reading the offense is elite, and sometimes he'll break for where the ball will be before the WR.


It's impossible to say how the OTs will go, as some of them are more RTs/OGs but the group is deeper and there is certainly a need. Also how Gute values them. If someone like USC's OL Alijah Vera-Tucker is left, wouldn't surprise me in the slightest for Gute to select him, though he played LT least year, he was an OG before that and fits the mold more of an OG or RT, but Back, Vera-Tucker, Jenkins, RG and Turner could make one hell of an OL and give us two interior guys that could swing to OT if needed. But in most mocks, I haven't been overly excited, but all depends do teams go for the OTs or edge rushers more? I'm going with the theory the OTs will be gone, because the NFL has been lacking OTs and while this group lacks elite guys, it's probably got the most top 50 OT draft guys in a while.


Which leaves me to WR, where I'm thinking
~ Rashod Bateman, GREAT release footwork, could be the next Adams, but he's less exciting as he doesn't play with great pure speed, even though testing says he's got it.
~ Terrace Marshall Jr., height, speed, route running, seems like a Gute guy all the way, but he's generally rated later and he was the #3 WR for most of his career behind to elite WRs. And he finally got to be a full time starter in 2020, and seemed like he was frustrated all season and opted out before the season was over.
~ Kadarius Toney, no one has his elite movement skills, but he's shockingly undeveloped and a one year hit wonder after dealing with injuries. On one hand, just get him the ball and he's electric. On the other hand, he might never fully develop... and just realize on his natural athletic gifts and doesn't truely study the game.
~ Elijah Moore, he's small, Gute doesn't like small, but great speed and quickness, great routes and for a small guy he surprisingly wins most of his contested catches, he does a great job fighting for the ball.
~ Rondale Moore, also small, Gute doesn't like small, but he's strong as hell, I've seen him run over runs in ways RB Eddie Lacy never did... never seen a tiny guy be so strong and physically as him, he's a weight room freak, led college in broken tackles as a freshman, then has dealt with some injuries, he's route running isn't as good as Elijah Moore, nor I he as good with contested catches, but Rondale makes it extremely hard to tackle him, because he's so tiny, so powerful and he's going to fight for more yards. Using him as a speed sweeps might be extremely interesting.

I haven't looked at the edge rushers as much, as I don't think it's going that way, but there are some good ones there.

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I'm wishing for a cornerback in the first round but I have doubts that it will happen.
Farley??

What if 5 CB's are picked in the top 20? You really think the 6th CB is worthy of the Packers first rounder? I think not! Save your wishes for important things, like lottery numbers! 🤣🤩

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I didn’t think or say any such thing and I don’t play the lottery.