Analyzing Packers' top selections in Dane Brugler's seven-round mock draft (2024)

You know the NFL Draft is right around the corner when Dane Brugler drops hisseven-round mock.

The Athletic’s draft expert did just that Wednesday, so let’s dive in. Below is my analysis of each Green Bay Packers pick and Brugler’s scouting report of each player they took.

Round 1, Pick 25: Jackson Powers-Johnson, OG/C, Oregon

Schneidman: You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who likes versatile offensive linemen more than Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. It’s almost a requirement to be on the team that you can play multiple positions up front. Powers-Johnson won the 2023 Rimington Award, given to the country’s top center, after serving as a reserve guard the prior two seasons. He even played defensive tackle for a game in 2021. The Packers might need a new starting right guard and, at the very least, someone to compete with Sean Rhyan for the job. Starting center Josh Myers also has one season left on his rookie deal. And the Packers need more interior offensive line depth in general, which Powers-Johnson would provide. Green Bay hasn’t drafted an offensive lineman in the first round since 2011, when it selected tackle Derek Sherrod with the last pick of the first round after winning the Super Bowl.

Brugler: Powers-Johnson plays light on his feet in pass protection and as a run blocker, with the natural movement skills and stability at contact to torque and fend off defenders. With his contact balance and composure, he rarely appears overwhelmed on tape, although the defensive line play in the NFL is a giant leap ahead of what he saw in the Pac-12. Overall, Powers-Johnson’s inexperience is reflected in his technique, but he offers a fantastic combination of size, athleticism and toughness, with the skill set that translates to center and guard. His game reminds me of Ryan Kelly, who won the Rimington Award at Alabama before becoming a first-round pick in 2016.

Round 2, Pick 41: Darius Robinson, edge, Missouri

Schneidman: Someone asked me in a mailbag recently for a position not being talked about much that Green Bay could target early. My answer was edge rusher and here’s why: 1, the Packers might have a hole to fill there, depending on their evaluation of 2023 undrafted signee and recurring healthy scratch Brenton Cox Jr. since Kingsley Enagbare tore his ACL in the playoffs against the Cowboys and will miss a chunk of the 2024 season; 2, even if someone they draft starts No. 4 on the depth chart behind Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness, Gutekunst has shown twice with Gary and Van Ness that he likes drafting edge rushers early even if they start deep on the depth chart and develop; and 3, Smith may have only one year left in Green Bay and the Packers will need to fill a bigger role at the position next year than they do entering this year’s draft, so they might as well get a head start at a position where the reserves play a significant amount. The run defense part of Brugler’s scouting report of Robinson stands out to me given what we’ve seen in Green Bay in recent years.

Brugler:After playing primarily inside as an underclassman, he moved to an edge role as a super senior and had a breakout season while battling injuries, leading the Tigers in tackles for loss (14.0) and sacks (8.5). A power-based rusher, Robinson wears down blockers with his upper-body strength and aggressive hand usage, deploying his anaconda arms to swallow ball carriers in the run game. Though athletic for his size, he lacks ideal get-off and lateral burst and needs more of a plan to cut down on wasted movement. Overall, Robinson is straight out of central casting with his frame, length and power at contact, but he needs to introduce better skill and efficiency to his game for quicker sheds versus NFL blocking. He projects as a base end in an odd or even front who can shift inside in subpackages.

Round 2, Pick 58: Edgerrin Cooper, ILB, Texas A&M

Schneidman:Gutekunst said at the combine in late February that the Packers were “pretty thin” at inside linebacker and then released their most experienced one, De’Vondre Campbell. Green Bay re-signed special teamers Eric Wilson and Kristian Welch at the position and may be fine with a top two of Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie, but depth here is still a need, especially given the schematic switch under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Though there are technically three inside linebackers in Hafley’s base defense, nickel will be Green Bay’s primary base. Even so, having three starting-caliber inside linebackers is important, not only when the Packers have three on the field but also in case one of the top two gets hurt, which happened multiple times last season.

Brugler: The Aggies defense ranked top 10 nationally and Cooper was the catalyst, leading the team in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles (only prospect in this class who can say that). An above-average athlete for his size, Cooper beelines to the football with outstanding closing burst and aggressive tackling. Though he has elite arm length, he can be better at shooting his hands to escape blocks. Overall, Cooper has some undisciplined tendencies and will run himself out of plays, but he is a fast-flowing linebacker who can run and cover. He has the explosive traits to be a regular on special teams as a rookie and grow into a three-down linebacker role in the NFL.

Round 3, Pick 88: Calen Bullock, S, USC

Schneidman:Waiting this long to take a safety is a slight risk since that is arguably the Packers’ biggest need. Gutekunst said at the annual league meeting last month that he’d prefer pairing Xavier McKinney with a young safety with his best football ahead of him as opposed to a veteran, so that second starter likely will be either 2023 seventh-round pick Anthony Johnson Jr. (played 303 defensive snaps last season) or someone selected early in the draft. This isn’t exactly the most top-heavy safety class, though, with Brugler’s top-rated one slotting only No. 39 among his top 100 prospects. There are, however, six safeties ranked Nos. 53-96, so maybe that range is when Gutekunst targets one. Bullock is Brugler’s eighth-best safety. It appears he can offer positional versatility in the secondary, too.

Brugler: Bullock is a fast, twitchy athlete with split-field range to overlap verticals or spin to the post, but he needs to play with improved discipline and control to cut down on the mistakes, specifically in the run game. Reminiscent of a leaner Trevon Moehrig, he has NFL starting potential as his game continues to develop. He is a cornerback on some NFL draft boards.

Round 3, Pick 91: Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State

Schneidman:From listening to Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur this offseason, it sounds like they’re satisfied with Rasheed Walker being the team’s starting left tackle in 2024 after what he showed in substantial snaps last year filling in for the injured David Bakhtiari. What’s better than one former Penn State offensive tackle, though? Two! The Packers lost swing tackle Yosh Nijman in free agency to the Panthers, so they have a void to fill there. Wallace, a right tackle at Penn State, could join Caleb Jones, a regular healthy scratch, and Luke Tenuta, who missed last season with injury, in competing for that third tackle job. It would be neat for backup quarterback Sean Clifford to have his college left tackle and right tackle on the same NFL team. Also, keep an eye on the last couple of words of Brugler’s scouting report below as it pertains to the Packers’ right guard competition.

Brugler: Although his kick-slide isn’t always explosive, Wallace stays controlled/squared as a pass blocker to close space and cut off rushers with his strike timing. When his technique is on point, he has the functional movements and strength behind his hands to be a presence in the run game. Overall, Wallace needs to continue developing his consistency, but he is a smooth athlete with a wide base, punch-ready hands and improved physicality to finish. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him starting as an NFL rookie at right tackle or potentially inside at guard.

Round 4, Pick 126: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky

Schneidman:Even if the Packers are set with Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon as their top two running backs, Dillon signed only a one-year deal this offseason and the Packers may need to start developing his replacement, just as the Packers did after drafting Dillon in 2020 with Jamaal Williams entering the final year of his rookie deal. Davis would compete with 2023 undrafted signing Emanuel Wilson for the No. 3 job and, heck, maybe even push Dillon for the backup role since his contract hardly guarantees a roster spot. Davis has perhaps the most fascinating personal story of anyone in the draft, which you can read here fromThe Athletic’s Zak Keefer.

Brugler:With his quick reads and lateral agility, Davis will juke defenders out of their cleats using dynamic plant-and-go cuts. Though he needs to remedy his issues in pass protection, he is a dependable pass catcher and recorded at least one reception in all 25 games he played the past two seasons. Overall, Davis has racked up a lot of miles and lacks explosive long speed, but his vision, cutting skills and competitive toughness are translatable traits. Although he doesn’t offer much on special teams, he can be a productive rotational back for an NFL offense.

Round 5, Pick 169: Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College

Round 6, Pick 202: Ty’Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri

Round 6, Pick 219: Ryan Watts, CB/S, Texas

Round 7, Pick 245: Tulu Griffin, WR, Mississippi State

Round 7, Pick 255: Nick Gargiulo, OT/C, South Carolina

Day 3 of the draft in Green Bay is special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia’s day. If a player can’t contribute on special teams and hasn’t been drafted yet, the Packers probably won’t take him. In the first four rounds of Brugler’s mock, they essentially tell 2023 seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine that they trust him starting opposite Jaire Alexander. In the last three rounds, they add depth behind them to join Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine, and add someone in Watts who can add insurance behind McKinney and whoever starts alongside him at safety. Gutekunst said the Packers would carry more inside linebackers than normal this year, and Hopper backs up that claim, while Griffin will compete with his college teammate Malik Heath for the last wide receiver spot on the 53-man roster. Gargiulo provides more needed depth at multiple positions across the offensive line.

(Top photo of Jackson Powers-Johnson: Steven Bisig / USA Today)