Packers mock draft roundup: Quarterback in first round? 
by Freddie Boston

Could the Green Bay Packers draft a quarterback in the first round?

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine  is currently taking place in Indianapolis with the on-field workouts kicking off on Thursday afternoon.

The combine results will have an impact on mock drafts with many prospects rising up big boards in the coming days.

Who will the Packers take at No. 30 overall? Based on many mock drafts by top draft analysts, it’s anybody’s guess.

FanSided, Brad Weiss
Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

LSU’s Patrick Queen is a player to watch during the combine workouts on Saturday. Where will Queen go in the draft? Will he still be available at No. 30?

Brad Weiss of FanSided  believes so and has Brian Gutekunst saying thank you very much in the first round, adding a starting linebacker at No. 30. Weiss wrote that Queen is “NFL-ready right now”, and I agree. He would immediately upgrade a position of need in Mike Pettine’s defense.

NFL.com, Bucky Brooks
Jacob Eason, QB, Washington

Now, this is interesting.

Brian Gutekunst made it clear ahead of the combine  that he wouldn’t hesitate to draft a quarterback early if there’s a prospect he loves. That’s the correct way to approach the final years of Aaron Rodgers‘ prime. The Packers don’t need to force the issue and they can afford to have some patience. But if a QB they believe can succeed Rodgers is there, take him. Just like Ted Thompson did in 2005.

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com  has the Packers doing that by selecting Jacob Eason out of Washington.

“With Aaron Rodgers entering the twilight of his career, the Packers could snag their quarterback of the future and let him spend a few years as an apprentice before taking over the franchise,” Brooks wrote.

It would be a pick met with mixed reactions from Packers Nation. But if he went onto become the future starter, this would be a great move.

The Draft Network, Joe Marino
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

Joe Marino of The Draft Network  focused on the present with the Packers’ first-round pick. The days of hoping Brandon Aiyuk falls to the bottom of the second round could be well and truly over.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com  wrote that Aiyuk “is at his best after the catch, breaking tackles and making people miss without gearing down”. That’s exactly what the Packers need, and Aiyuk could be a Day 1 starter in Matt LaFleur’s offense.

Sports Illustrated, Kevin Hanson
Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin

Kevin Hanson of Sports Illustrated  has the Packers going with a hometown favorite. Hanson believes Zach Baun out of Wisconsin will transition well to inside linebacker in the NFL:

“With sideline-to-sideline range to go along with his ability as a blitzer, Baun is fluid when dropping into coverage,” Hanson wrote.

Both Queen and Kenneth Murray were off the board by the time the Packers picked first, but they still found a linebacker who could potentially start immediately.

Freddie Boston wrote:

I checked someone's Big Board. It is a composite of 10 or so Big Boards.

Patrick Queen. Average rank 55. High 16 low 212. Moved up 225. (I am not sure how that is possible.)

I talked about OK ILB Kenneth Murray a few posts back. He may be a 1st round option and maybe a 2nd rounder. The composite has him with an average of 28. High 9 Low 70. He moved up 3 places. He's a pretty solid tackler which I love. Of your choices he may be the best option. Especially if you consider there really isn't anyone else close to his caliber.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

[Edited wpr quote to focus on certain things]

First off, in the last 15 years, this draft is the least I've followed... I used to follow super closely but each of the last three years are been going further and further down as work load has increased.

That being said, that's partly why I don't follow many big boards, as I disagree with many of them... I rather find a few good ones and work off those.

I could be wrong (especially since I haven't studied as much this year) but I think Queen is the better of the two ILB. Queen jump in ranking is because he's a one year starter, which is kind of normal for LSU's coverage LBs because they're playing in the SEC run first conference, so their skill set strength doesn't match the conference strength, but that has seemingly made them better at their weakness and they turn out as being better in the pros than college as the pros passing game does match their strength.

Where Murray is already playing to his strength in the pass first Big 12.

Also I should have said there are other interesting OT other than Josh Jones, I'm just looking at Jones because he's upside looks huge even if he's not fully developed yet, as Gute seems to be going to huge upside guys more than how they are right now.

Originally Posted by: beast 

I feel so violated. 🤣

Originally Posted by: wpr 

That being said it will be interesting to see what Gute's plans are. Does he want an ILB that is stronger vs the run or an ILB who is better in coverage. Typically LBs do not excel in both categories.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

Queen may be the better fit for GB. I didn't think I was advocating him over Murray.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

I am not convinced GB will use a high draft pick on their OL. If they bring Bulala back they won't need an OT for a couple of years. (Barring injury.) It's possible Cole Madison will become a long term option at C or OG. We will have to see.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

I knew I shouldn't of said anything 😋


That's VERY EASY! ... BETTER IN COVERAGE!

ILBers that excel in the passing game are a lot harder to find.

They used a 3rd round pick on a former college Safety, whom is very mobile and they (maybe wrongly) thought could play... and work great in coverage.

And ILBers that are stronger vs the run are easy to find, heck Gute got one last year in ILB Goodson for a "7th round option trade" (w/ the Packers using the Ravens 7th they got for RB Ty Monty), which gave the Giants the option to take the higher 7th round pick and the lower to the Packers, so basically the Packers got ILB Goodson's contract for free. Packers made a similar option trade with the Browns for OG McCray, and so the Packers 7th is expected to be swapped with whichever 7th the Browns tied to the deal (Browns had their 7th and the Bills 7th)


Sorry, I guess I mistaken this Murray quote of your; " Of your choices he may be the best option. Especially if you consider there really isn't anyone else close to his caliber.", as advocating for him, as I assuming you'd want to take his caliber, one which you say no one else, is close to (which is what I'm disagreeing with, as I'd say Queen is pretty darn close, and some teams might like him better). Though Murray has been doing it for multiple years, as the conference fit their styles better and he didn't have as many to play behind, plus he's said to be a great and amazing leader, so teams might like Murray locker room stuff the best.

I don't care how they get it, they need some good quality starters and at least one good OT depth guy... right now, they just have Bak signed for next year, and next is Alex Light (should not be in top 3 OTs, maybe shouldn't be at OT at all, at least in 2019)... and Billy Turner, whom I haven't seen at RT, but he struggled more at OG than I expected early on, but improved as the season went, but still, that struggle considered me how he'd be at the harder OT position (also wonder why they moved Alex Light there over him... instead of Turner to RT and someone else to RG, if Turner would be the better OT, as Light was simply over matched as starting reps OT).

Originally Posted by: beast 

I don't know anything about the players.

I was going by the consolidated big board a guy put together along with Walter football assessment.
On the board Murray is rated quire a bit higher. Walter's evaluation leans a lot more to Murray as well.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

Are you like Aaron Rodgers? You keep not throwing [the ball] to me.

Crispin wrote: