With the NFL season finally coming to a close it is time to turn the page and onto 2017. Which, of course, means to start looking at this year's draft.
The draft is still a couple of months away (April 27-29) but with the college football all-star games (i.e. East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl) now behind us, a little more evaluation has been done on players.
Yes, there is still the combine. And players will be salary-cap casualties. Free agency is still a month away as well (albeit we know the recent history of the Green Bay Packers).
But this felt as good a time as any to start looking at who the prognosticators think Green Bay will select in the NFL Draft. For this purpose, we used only mocks which came out after the Senior Bowl.
There certainly is on consensus on who people think the Packers will take in the first round. Cornerback? Outside linebacker? Wide receiver? Running back? All could be fits for Green Bay.
We'll continue to provide mock draft roundup updates sporadically leading up to the draft.
Here's the first roundup of mock drafts from around the web:
Nate Davis of USAToday.com (Feb. 7): Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford. "Imagine the damage he could do as a runner and receiver given the spacing QB Aaron Rodgers and this offense create naturally. McCaffrey and former Cardinal teammate Ty Montgomery could form a lethal combo."
Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball.com (Feb. 7): Round 1-- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington; Round 2 -- Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State; Round 3 -- Ryan Anderson, DE/OLB, Alabama; Round 4 -- Isaac Asiata, G, Utah.
Erick Galko of The Sporting News (Feb. 7): Mike Williams, WR, Clemson.
Dan Kadar of SB Nation/Mocking the Draft (Feb. 6): Round 1 -- Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA. "With Nick Perry entering free agency, the Packers could find an upgrade over him with McKinley, a high-effort edge rusher."; Round 2 -- Kevin King, CB, Washington; Round 3 -- Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Feb. 6): Round 1 -- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington. "Did you watch the playoffs? The Green Bay Packers badly need an outside cornerback who can match up against the bigger, faster wide receivers in the NFL."; Round 2 -- Dewaune Smoot, OLB, Illinois; Round 3 -- Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State; Round 4 -- Noble Nwachukwu, LB, West Virginia; Round 5a -- Zach Banner, G, USC; Round 5b (expected compensatory pick) -- Nico Siragusa, G, SDSU; Round 6 -- Joe Williams, RB, Utah; Round 7 -- Riley Bullough, LB, Michigan State.
Jon Ledyard of Inside the Pylon (Feb. 6): John Ross, WR, Washington. "The Packers receivers stepped up over the second half of the season and in the playoffs, but Jordy Nelson will be 32 this spring and you have to imagine they’ll at least explore a way to get out of Randall Cobb’s contract in the coming months. Ross is the field stretcher this team desperately needs: A receiver that is able to create consistent separation down the field will be a welcome sight for Aaron Rodgers. Ross could have his struggles against more physical corners, but moving him all over an offense littered with weapons will make it much tougher for opponents to defend his vertical abilities next season."
Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com (Feb. 6): Round 1 -- Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri; Round 2 -- Shelton Gibson, WR, West Virginia; Round 3 -- Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State.
Rob DiRe of FanRagSports: Sidney Jones, CB, Washington. "Watching the NFC Championship game made it clearly obvious that the Packers need to strengthen the defensive backfield. They had been getting good safety play and losing Sam Shields was a big hit, but Green Bay hasn’t been shy about adding to the secondary in years past. Jones is a strong technician with solid height and good athleticism. Marlon Humphrey might look better against a Julio Jones in terms of athleticism, but Sidney Jones fits the mold of the corners the Packers have invested in recently."
Josh Norris of Rotoworld.com (Feb. 5): Sidney Jones, CB, Washington. "The Packers care about size, so possible targets at corner will be more clear after the Combine. Jones has ball skills, which this team has coveted in the past."
Connor Riley of SECCountry.com (Feb. 5): Round 1 -- Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU; Round 2 -- Gaereon Conley, CB, Ohio State.
Max Himelstein of NFL Draft Blitz (Feb. 4): Round 1 -- Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama; Round 2 -- Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee.
Drafttek (Feb. 2): Round 1 -- Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA; Round 2 -- Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech; Round 3 -- Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado; Round 4 -- Daeshon Hall, DT, Texas A&M; Round 5 -- Lorenzo Jerome, S, St. Francis (PA); Round 6 -- Paul Magloire, OLB, Arizona; Round 7 -- Josh Toupu, DLT, Colorado.
Eddie Brown of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Feb. 1): Round 1 -- Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford. "The Packers rush attack has been beyond mediocre this season. McCaffery is fast, while running with tremendous vision and balance. His pass-catching and kick-return ability will allow him to contribute right away."; Round 2 -- Dorian Johnson, OG, Pittsburgh; Round 3 -- Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia.
Scott Bischoff of Draft Breakdown (Feb. 1): Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com (Jan. 31): Teez Tabor, CB, Florida. "The Packers have paid attention to cornerback in recent drafts, but we saw how much they lacked quality depth and consistency at that position in 2016."
Will Carroll of All-22 (Jan. 31): T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin. "There’s not much separation between the pass rushers at the end of the first, so could the Packers pick up a DB or even a wide receiver? Watt’s raw talent and work ethic, plus his hometown nature, give him the edge."
Chris Burke of SI.com (Jan. 30): Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA: "Julius Peppers is an impending free agent (and 37 years old). Nick Perry is an impending free agent, ditto Datone Jones. Clay Matthews is still around, but he’ll be 31 this May and is coming off his least productive NFL season. The Packers have to find help off the edge. McKinley is a high-motor athlete who could be dominant once he’s coached up."
Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com (Jan. 30): Sidney Jones, CB, Washington. "The Packers need help on the cornerback depth chart and Jones is well-versed in multiple coverages with the athleticism and ballskills to make plays."
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report (Jan. 30): Forrest Lamp, OT, Kentucky.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com (Jan. 29): Teez Tabor, CB, Florida.
Dieter Kurtenbach of FOXSports.com (Jan. 28): Round 1 -- Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford. "McCaffrey is ready to impact a game now and would be a perfect fit in the Packers’ offense."; Round 2 -- Kevin King, CB, Washington.
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com (Jan. 28): Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA. "With edge rushers Julius Peppers, Nick Perry and Datone Jones all looking at free agency, the Packers will once again be in the market for pass-rushing help. McKinley is not as well known nationally as the top edge rushers but he has the explosive upfield speed and flexibility to wreak havoc off the edge."
Nick Klopsis of Newsday (Jan. 26): O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama. "The Packers haven't had a game-breaking tight end since Jermichael Finley, and Howard -- who impressed throughout Senior Bowl week -- could add a new dimension to that passing attack."
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com (Jan. 26): Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford.
DJ Boyer of DraftSite.com (Jan. 26): Round 1 -- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington; Round 2 -- Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington; Round 3 -- Carroll Phillips, OLB, Illinois; Round 4 -- Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma; Round 5a -- Fish Smithson, S, Kansas; Round 5b (projected compensation pick) -- Avery Gennesy, OT, Texas A&M; Round 6 -- Jessaman Dunker, OG, Tennessee State; Round 7 -- Karter Schult, DE, Northern Iowa.
MyNFLDraft.com (Jan. 26): Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan.
Dave Heller is the author of the new book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as Facing Ted Williams Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
