Let’s be realistic, it is highly unlikely the Green Bay Packers will use one of their first four selections in the 2022 NFL Draft at the inside linebacker position.
They haven’t used a first-round selection for an off-ball linebacker since AJ Hawk in 2006, and since then, they have only used one Day 2 selection, which was Oren Burks in 2018. The Packers have more pressing needs, like wide receiver, edge rusher, and offensive line to address in the first two rounds.
Maybe, a linebacker prospect, like Chad Muma or Leo Chenal, excite them enough to spend one of their two second picks on the selection. However, with the re-signing of De’Vondre Campbell this offseason it seems less likely Green Bay spends the early draft capital to address the position.
While the Packers already have an impact player and defensive leader in Campbell—making inside linebacker less of a need—they could use a complementary piece to go with the all-pro linebacker.
Granted, Krys Barnes is a solid run defender and is a serviceable starter alongside Campbell. He certainly has value on the roster, but it would be a stretch to call him an impact player or a dynamic athlete.
Joe Barry’s defense could also use more speed and depth in the middle of the field. It is also nerve-wracking to think about what inside linebacker looks like if Campbell or Barnes go down with an injury this upcoming season. The Packers could find themselves in a tough spot. Ty Summers and Isaiah McDuffie don’t exactly move the confidence needle.
It would make a lot of sense for Green Bay to use one of their middle round picks to help bolster the position, especially after they have already addressed more pressing needs in the first couple of rounds. With this in mind, here are three intriguing options for the Packers that could be available between the third and fifth rounds of the draft.
1. Channing Tindall, Georgia
It would be an understatement to say Tindall is a superb athlete. His blazing 4.47 forty time and 42-inch vertical were both near the top of the linebacker class at the NFL Combine. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker possesses very rare physical traits. However, the explosive defender may fall in the middle rounds of the draft because his game lacks experience and remains raw.
Tindall is an electric, hair-on-fire run defender, who will chase down ball carriers across the field and play with a nonstop motor. His ceiling is high as a pro prospect, and he could be a real find in the third or fourth round. However, he does need to make progress in play recognition and pass coverage.
And despite possessing all of the physical tools to play linebacker in the NFL, Tindall never fully emerged as a starter in college, splitting series with Quay Walker at the other inside linebacker position alongside Nakobe Dean in the Bulldogs defense. Granted, even with limited reps, Tindall still recorded 67 tackles and 5.5 sacks as a senior.
Immediately, Tindall would give the Packers a dynamic special teams ace, while also giving them another active run defender with sideline-to-sideline speed to play alongside Campbell.
2. D’Marco Jackson, Appalachian State
Jackson was a highly productive linebacker at Appalachian State, earning the 2021 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. Recording 120 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, six sacks, 12 hurries, and five pass breakups, the redshirt senior linebacker made his impact felt in various ways on defense.
At 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, Jackson has the size and speed (4.55) to play linebacker in the modern NFL. He was a standout special teams player, active run stopper, and reliable pass defender in college. Jackson offers a lot as a pro prospect.
While he could improve in getting off blocks and being more consistent with his play reads, Jackson is a highly active defender with the speed and athleticism to play well in space at the next level. He would be a great fit in their nickel defense that could stay on the field in passing situations.
Jackson could be available early on Day 3 of the draft, and he could balance out well what the defense already has in Barnes as Campbell’s running mate.
3. Troy Andersen, Montana State
Andersen has impressive size (6-4, 243), speed (4.42), and explosive burst for the position. These rare athletic traits could push the Montana State product up draft boards this April. However, considering he’s a FCS prospect, some concerns about level of competition may keep him from rising above the third or fourth rounds of the draft.
As the Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Andersen certainly had plenty of production at linebacker. As a senior he averaged 10 tackles per game, while also recording 14 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups.
Andersen’s athleticism allows him to hold up well in space when dropping in coverage or chasing down ball carriers on the perimeter. The stout linebacker also has the size and strength to hold his own between the tackles and not get washed out of the trash.
On film, Andersen shows great instincts and mental processing. However, there is some guess work involved in predicting if he can make a big jump to the next level and play that fast against NFL offenses. If Andersen is still on the board in the fourth or fifth rounds, his upside makes him well worth the investment.
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