Official 2017 NFL draft thread

[BZnDallas]

Early first round prediction is Charles Harris DE Missouri. I'm guessing the three headed trio of MM/TT/Dom still think Randall and Rollins are capable and blame their funk this year on injuries. Which I can understand as it sure seems like that is what happened to Adams. And with the need at CB with the loss of Sam, I think they address it in FA (hopefully) or later in the draft. So that makes me think they go OLB and I think Harris has the body type and speed to play that edge rusher. So he's my way to early draft prediction.

[Zool]

Emory Hunt @FBallGameplan 8h8 hours ago
.@NovaFootball's Tanoh Kpassagnon found multiple ways to win in 1-on-1s; he has that Maliek Collins upside IMO

1. Where the hell is Towson? I've never heard of half the schools in the video.
2. Did he go to Villanova to play basketball but couldn't make it?
3. Can he possibly get low enough to hit a QB below the helmet? Guy is like 6"9.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I'd be pleased to get Joe Mixon - despite the baggage. He's damn good for a 5th rounder - damn good for anything below 1st round. Other than that, this sounds pretty good position-wise. But what the hell is an "EDGE"?

It's the thing on the sharp side of a knife blade that will cut you. Maybe you should start a thread on it. hahahaha

[pbmax]

1. Where the hell is Towson? I've never heard of half the schools in the video.
2. Did he go to Villanova to play basketball but couldn't make it?
3. Can he possibly get low enough to hit a QB below the helmet? Guy is like 6"9.

All I know is that Howie Long went to Villanova and this means he must be great since I have now heard of him.

But at 6' 9", he either has great leverage or he gets shoved around in the pros. Sorta like KGB.

Towson is either in Maryland or its a Community College in the Susquehanna Valley.

[RashanGary]

Wish we would have been drafting higher. Zach Cunningham is the kind of super fast, smart, explosive player we need in the middle. Then we could take one of these corners and our defense might start looking respectable!

[RashanGary]

Sign Zack Brown from Buffalo
1st pick Draft edge rusher in deep draft
2nd pick Draft corner in deep corner draft

Kenny Clark, Randall, Lowry, Martinez and others improve


Could be a good defense in 2017 with help like this!

[pbmax]

Senior Bowl Practice Scouting by MATT WALDMAN

https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2017/01/26/2017-senior-bowl-practice-wrap-offense/?utm_content=buffer20431&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

CAUGHT MY EYE - POSITIVE
WR Isaiah Jones, East Carolina: The thing I appreciated about Jones all week was the smoothness of his routes and his ability to get on top of a defender early in his pattern. He did this twice on go routes during Day Three’s practice and it echoed what I’ve seen from him on tape.

WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington: Kupp made his job look easy this week. The worst rep I saw from him in three days was a quick breaking hitch that was poorly timed with the pass and the target bounced off Kupp’s chest well before he even thought to look for the ball, much less raise his arms to greet it. Kupp routinely earned separation against all types of coverage and he could win the ball in the air. If I had to pick one receiver for my team from this event, I’d take Kupp.

TE Jonnu Smith, FIU: I have more to see because I haven’t studied Smith yet, but his overall play caught my eye repeatedly this week. He’s quick, he tracks the ball well into his hands, he earns position well against tight coverage, he shows promise as a pass protector. Smith got beat with one inside move early on in Day Three drills but didn’t lose to another defender for the final four reps. He dropped multiple passes, but based on his tracking, hand position, and the defender’s efforts on these drops, I wouldn’t be surprised if Smith is more reliable than what my observations suggest.

RB Matt Dayes, NC State: The Wolfpack runner was smooth and explosive.

TE Evan Engram, Ole Miss: The most consistent route runner and pass catcher at the position all week.

WR Fred Ross, Mississippi St: Getting to see Ross improve his route running before our eyes added value to his projection because he arrived to Mobile a reasonably sure-handed and athletic option.

WR Chad Williams, Grambling: His consistent performances against top college talent was a validation of the athletic ability I saw from him on tape. It will be easier to project his development potential after seeing him make small improvements throughout this week while winning mostly on his physical ability.

RB Jamaal Williams, BYU: There wasn’t a lot to see, but he had a few moments to give a brief demonstration of the burst, decisiveness, and agility that I’ve seen on tape.

CAUGHT MY EYE - NEGATIVE
WR Jalen Robinette, Air Force: His routes aren’t smooth, they lack burst, and his size and I have doubts that his catch radius will compensate for his difficulty getting separation at the next level.

TE Jeremy Sprinkle, Arkansas: Sprinkle has upside as a blocker and short area receiver, but he’s a lumbering athlete compared to those at this game. He also lacks coordination with his arm movement. Because of his size and strength, it’s sometimes a happy accident that he clubs a defender with a forearm or fist when the intent was to avoid the opponent with a release move.

TE O.J. Howard, Alabama: A false start penalty, multiple dropped passes, poor effort on a catch able target, and lining up with a stance that you’d think would have been addressed at Alabama were among the things that confirmed my concerns about Howard on tape. Howard is the most impressive athlete at the position in Mobile, but his approach to the game is a detriment to his ability.

RB Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego St: I hate it, but his weight is an issue. If you’ve read my work in the past, you know that I have a wider range than most when it comes to physical dimensions. Running back is one of the widest for me in this respect. But Pumphrey’s 169-pound frame that’s also far skinnier than Darren Sproles’ thick-legged build at Kansas State concerns me. I have no doubt about Pumphrey’s skills. If he was 185-pounds, I’d consider him a viable committee option. Unless he can add and keep 10-15 pounds, I’m skeptical that he’ll earn a roster spot.

WR Ryan Switzer, UNC: He had a strong week as a route runner and reliable receiver, but with one exception—targets requiring a wide, but convertible catch radius. This also confirmed one of my concerns about Switzer’s upside.

MORE TO SEE
RB Corey Clement, Wisconsin: I liked that he was the aggressive with his punch during pass protection drills. I also liked his receiving ability. But I didn’t see good decisions between the tackles and I only saw enough tape on Clement prior to this week that his vision in Mobile differs from my early studies.

All the Quarterbacks: This is not the place to seriously study the position unless you’re getting to review tape and whiteboard with the player. Even Nate Peterman, who I thought displayed the best decision-making, pinpoint accuracy, and polish at the position (things I didn’t remotely have the opportunity to see with anyone else playing quarterback in Mobile this week), didn’t have a rep where I could gauge his arm talent to its fullest.

WR Amba Etta-Tawo, Syracuse: Although a finger dislocation mitigates some of his issues catching targets over his head, I thought stems, breaks, and position on the ball had a lot of inconsistencies this week.

WR Amara Darboh: I liked what he did against coverage a lot more than the routes he ran during drills. That can be interpreted as a positive, but Darboh wasn’t facing NFL defenders and the drills and instruction were based on what will be needed in the pros.

RB Kareem Hunt: I didn’t see much that was negative, but there weren’t enough reps to take away positives. I think any observations about his burst are rife with projection based on how observers liked Hunt on film before seeing him in Mobile. I’m sidestepping that potential trap.

RB De’Veon Smith: There’s little doubt he can catch the football and there’s enough burst in his legs that he be a tough tackle with momentum behind his 220-pound frame. I still need to examine where I should separate the Michigan offensive line from Smith’s performances.

WR Jamari Staples, Louisville: The tall, lanky receiver is fluid at the catch point and not fazed by tight coverage or contact. This was also evident on tape. What I didn’t see in Mobile is refined route running, strong releases at the line of scrimmage, and skill after the catch. I’m hoping additional film study will provide better answers.

WR Artavis Scott, Clemson: Can Scott be a quality outside receiver? This week offered signs with his route running and catch radius. I need more film evidence to support this idea.

TE Gerald Everett, South Alabama: This is the first time I’ve seen Everett and I liked the quickness and skill to track the ball. I only saw one dropped pass, but I want to determine how much his smaller than average hands will actually matter at the next level. I also didn’t see enough of him as a blocker.

RE-EVALUATE
WR Trent Taylor, Louisiana Tech: If you asked me before the Senior Bowl how I thought Taylor would fare, my answer was positive. I was excited to see him show a little more than his projected slot role and I thought he’d out-perform Ryan Switzer. Instead, Taylor failed to earn separation against press coverage and he made too many moves as a route runner, often faking himself out and missing the target. Eliminate some of the extra moves and there is enough talent for Taylor to become a slot option in the NFL. But he struggled mightily against press coverage and I need a few more games of study to project his upside.

[pbmax]

SENIOR BOWL PRACTICE SCOUTING DEFENSE: JENE BRAMEL

https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2017/01/26/senior-bowl-practice-wrap-defense/

Of note: I planned to focus on the defensive backs for both rosters on Day 3. Poor quarterback accuracy, inconsistent wide receiver routes, and generally poor cornerback play on few repetitions made evaluation difficult. I did not feel any one cornerback stood out in individual drills. In fact, I liked multiple safeties better than the cornerbacks in one-on-one coverage drills. Two safeties in particular—Obi Melifonwu and John Johnson—arguably had better footwork and change of direction skills than any cornerbacks in Day 3 drills. Earlier in the week, evaluators I trust had good things to say about Miami’s Corn Elder, San Diego State’s Damontae Kazee, LSU’s Tre’Davious White, and Lamar’s Brendan Langley. White did not participate in Day 3 drills due to injury.


POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE MAKERS

Obi Melifonwu | DB | Connecticut

Melifonwu was one of many defenders with striking weigh-in measurables. Of that group, the Connecticut defensive back was the only one to be equally impressive on the field. Long, tall defensive backs often have difficulty opening their hips and changing directions. Melifonwu did so effortlessly in individual drills. The North coaches routinely asked him to match up one-on-one against wide receivers in individual drills and Melifonwu more than held his own. Though a little grabby at times, Melifonwu was comfortable in his stance, never guessed on a route, and showed easy recovery speed when needed. He often looked like he was gliding next to a receiver or tight end who looked to be running at full speed. Melifonwu was never matched up against the week’s most refined wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the slot but his consistent coverage reps will have scouts drooling over his combination of size (6-4, 219) and potential versatility.

Haason Reddick | LB | Temple

Reddick was arguably the best defensive prospect on either roster this week. Reddick held his own in coverage against running backs in individual drills, showed an improved understanding of reading defensive keys in team drills as the week progressed, and was more effective off the edge than most of this week’s edge prospects. Though he saw very few snaps as an inside linebacker at Temple, that’s where NFL teams are likely to see Reddick. While there’s still a learning curve to navigate, this week’s practices strongly suggest Reddick can be successful there.

Justin Evans | DB | Texas A&M

Evans didn’t practice on Day 3 due to injury. He wasn’t as striking on the field as Melifonwu but his coverage skills were impressive earlier in the week. Evans showed no difficulty getting to the sideline from a centerfield position. NFL defenses must have players in the secondary with range and ball skills and Evans’ playing style will fit with any scheme.


PLEASANT SURPRISES WARRANTING FURTHER STUDY

Tyus Bowser | EDGE | Houston

I quickly reviewed two cutups on Bowser early this week and didn’t see an explosive linebacker talent. But Bowser looked as comfortable changing direction as any linebacker in drills this week and had a very high success rate in one-on-one pass rush drills. He struggled when asked to cover downfield routes but held his own on routes developing in front of him. Lance Zierlein tweeted that Bowser could be a top 100 pick and others I spoke with were equally impressed with his week of practice. I’m looking forward to watching his college tape with a more critical eye.

Tarell Basham | EDGE | Ohio

I felt Basham had the most consistent week of practice among the edge rushers. Others (D.J. Smoot, Daeshon Hall, Tyus Bowser) may have flashed brighter at times but Basham showed success setting the edge and demonstrated a variety of pass rush moves. His pass rush will have to mature over time but it’s always good to see a prospect execute a plan in drills and then carry his good play into 11-on-11 reps which are always less conducive to success than the one-on-one pit drills.

John Johnson | DB | Boston College

Johnson looked like gravity didn’t apply to him when high-pointing balls downfield during defensive back drills. Like Melifonwu, Johnson stayed with the cornerbacks in one-on-ones against the wide receiver and tight end groups rather than working with the other safeties against running backs. Johnson wasn’t as fluid as Melifonwu but was comfortable in coverage. It’s a deep safety group this year but Johnson has a chance to play every down on Sundays as a rookie.

Duke Riley | LB | LSU

As I wrote yesterday, I wasn’t as impressed with Riley on Day 1 as others but I began coming around on Day 2. Last year, Riley’s teammate, Deion Jones, attracted my attention after a strong Senior Bowl week. Jones’ film reinforced many of the things he did in Mobile. Should Riley’s practice attributes be supported by game film, Jones may get some attention in the early rounds.


ATHLETES WITH UPSIDE

Tanoh Kpassagnon | EDGE | Villanova

There were moments for Kpassagnon this week but not enough to generate the same buzz his weigh-in result did. A work in progress, Kpassagnon’s size and athleticism has drawn comparisons to Carlos Dunlap. While that comparison is not yet warranted, Kpassagnon has measurables that cannot be taught. If he improves his pad level, footwork, and learns a more mature array of pass rush moves, he could blossom into an elite edge player. That rarely happens quickly. Thankfully, NFL teams know it takes time for pass rushers to mature and Kpassagnon’s physical attributes will give him time to develop.

Daeshon Hall | EDGE | Texas A&M
D.J. Smoot | EDGE | Illinois

Both Hall and Smoot flashed strong edge rush capability in the pit and in team drills this week. They also, unfortunately, disappeared for stretches of practice. Smoot sometimes seemed to rely on guessing the snap count to get a jump against more talented opponents. Hall didn’t show a viable counter moves in one-on-one drills. Both have upside. Like Kpassagnon, both will require time to develop.


PLAYERS WHO NEED CONSISTENCY at COMBINE and PRO DAY WORKOUTS

Ryan Anderson | EDGE | Alabama

Anderson showed a quick first step on film against his best competition this year. That step wasn’t evident during practices and he did not win any of his limited one-on-one matchups against the offensive line. He also looked slow in his transitions and didn’t move in coverage nearly as well as Bowser. That may have been due to injury as Anderson didn’t participate in practice on Day 3. He’ll need to test well at the Combine and show better movement skills or risk falling behind in a deep edge class.

Alex Anzalone | LB | Florida

I thought Anzalone did well this week in drills and he frequently drew praise from his position coaches here. But I’m not convinced his foot speed is sufficient and there were enough question marks in his coverage against Senior Bowl level running back competition to wonder whether he’ll ever be capable of an every-down role in the NFL. He’s another player who will need to test well – especially in lateral movement and change of direction drills – to convince teams he has starting upside.

Damonte Kazee | CB | San Diego State

I spoke with Turron Davenport – who helped turn me on to Deone Bucannon in 2014 when I had my eye on Jimmie Ward and Terrence Brooks – earlier this week about cornerbacks to watch. He made a point of mentioning Kazee, who he sees as a physical talent with above-average ball skills. Kazee struggled at times this week to effectively jam receivers and not use his hands too much downfield, but the physical play Davenport noted was evident. He’ll need to clean up his technique to be successful in the NFL, but Kazee might fit as a slot corner or better as a rookie.

[Deputy Nutz]

The Packers have needs for this draft and a lot of that is dependent on what they do with their own players during free agency. They should cut Clay Matthews and use his 28 million dollars he is due over the next two years, but I don't think they will. If Clay Matthews was such a good inside linebacker they would have kept him there, he has very little instinct as an inside linebacker. He played the entire 2015 season at inside linebacker and racked up barely 70 total tackles from that position. Oh, he made the Pro Bowl you say? Who cares, watch some film with the volume turned off of his last two seasons and I guarantee you will not see a player worth damn near 30 million dollars. Because of free agency at the OLB position I fear that Clay Matthews will return and sucker the rest of you into believing the magic has returned when he makes one or two impact plays in the first two weeks of the season. He will start guessing on gaps and leave holes in the defense when he misses the tackle in the back field and then he will eventually tear up his hamstrings. At the end of the year he will have 4 sacks and force maybe one turn over.

So long story short, pass rush is a need
Edge Rushers
1st Round Possibilities
Derek Barnett Tennessee
Taco Charlton Michigan
Takkarist McKinley UCLA
Tim Williams Alabama
Charles Harris Missouri
Demarcus Walker FSU
Carl Lawson Auburn
Other Rounds
Haasan Reddick Temple
Ryan Anderson Alabama
Tanoh Kpassagnon Villanova
Daeshon Hall Texas A&M
Devonte Fields Louisville
Vince Biegel Wisconsin


Secondary, loss of Sam Shields and injuries were a drain on the secondary. Without a constant pass rush their inexperience, and lack of athleticism was magnified. The Packers have Randall, Rollins, and Gunter. I think out of the three you 3 guys that could potentially make up 3/4 of your starting, nickle, and dime packages, but what they lack is a true cover corner or #1 corner that they lost in Sam Shields. The Packers can also look to build their secondary drafting another safety.
1st Round Possibilities
Marlon Humphrey Alabama
Sidney Jones Washington
Desmond King Iowa
Cordrea Tankersley Clemson
Jourdan Lewis Michigan
Jamal Adams LSU
Jabrill Peppers Michigan
Other Rounds
Obi Melifonwu UConn
Justin Evans Texas A&M
Gareon Conley Ohio St.
Cameron Sutton Tennessee
Quincy Wilson Florida

Defensive line, the Packers simply don't have enough bodies to keep an even rotation. They have some talent but not a enough to make a difference late in the season. Primarily the Packers look for their line to take up blocks in the run game and hold gaps during passing down to open up rushing lanes for their blitzers. Its not good enough with a young secondary, linemen have to have the ability to harass the QB. The Packers should look to acquire depth and potential in the mid rounds of the draft.
1st Round Possibilities
Malik McDowell Michigan St
Caleb Brantley Florida
Carlos Watkins Clemson
Other Rounds
Elijah Qualls Washington
Jaleel Johnson Iowa
Larry Ogunjobi Charlotte
Dalvin Tomlinson Alabama
Steve Tu'ikolovatu USC

Inside Linebacker, Packers have young linebackers in the middle. Ryan and Martinez will be in their third and second years respectively. They both started the season strong but injuries took their toll at the midway point of the season. It is hard to tell what the Packers have in the middle and if they need to draft a true run stuffing thumper, or look to draft a legitimate nickle/dime inside linebacker that can potentially match up with tight ends and running backs.
1st Round Possibilities
Raekwon McMillan Ohio St
Zach Cunningham Vanderbilt
Other Rounds
Alex Anzalone Florida
Jarrad Davis Florida
Connor Harris Lindenwood
Harvey Langi BYU

[Deputy Nutz]

Running Back, If the Packers rely on Montgomery for the bulk of the work load he will break down and be ineffective come December. The Packers could chose to sign Lacy and have an above average combination at the position as long as Lacy remains healthy and stays in shape. If Lacy is no longer an option for the Packers they could look to the draft.
1st round possibilities
Christian McCaffrey Standford
Other Rounds
D'Onta Foreman Texas
Joe Mixon Oklahoma
Samaje Perine Oklahoma
Kareem Hunt Toledo
James Connor Pitt


Wide Receiver, not the healthiest bunch at the end of the 2016 season. Packers should look to add a receiver in the draft with hopes that he can contribute in 2017. They could potentially look in the 1st round if the right player was there.
1st Round Possibilities
Corey Davis W. Michigan
Curtis Samuel Ohio St
JuJu Smith-Schuster USC
Other Rounds
Cooper Kupp E. Washington
Dede Westbrook Oklahoma
Malachi Dupre LSU
Fred Ross Mississippi



Tight End, Packers need to find the right combination and maybe that is still Cook and Rodgers, but Cook has to demonstrate that he can consistently contribute for an entire season, and I am not quite sure what value Rodgers brings. He is slow, struggles to hold the edge in the running game, and struggles to beat one on one coverage. If Cook leaves the Packers have to address this position in the draft.
1st Round Possibilities
O.J. Howard Alabama
David Njoku Miam
Other Rounds
Bucky Hodges Virginia Tech
Jordan Leggett Clemson
Jake Butte Michigan
Cole Hikutini Louisville

Offensive line, Thompson will look to add especially if Lang and Tretter are lost to free agency.
1st Round Possibilities
Forest Lamp W. Kentucky
Dion Dawkins Temple
Ryan Ramcyzk Wisconsin
Other Rounds
Dorian Johnson Pitt
Nico Siragusa San Diego St.

[pbmax]

CollegeFootball @NFL_CFB

"Haason Reddick had the best week of anybody here." - @MikeMayock

#Seniorbowl @Temple_FB

[pbmax]

JS Comments @JSComments 13m13 minutes ago
Just draft a real RB 3rd -4th round. Somebody from the Big Ten.

FIXED IN ONE STEP!

[vince]

Mark me down as a Sidney Jones fan. He's been mocked to GB by some, gone by then by others.

Forget about scheme, Sidney Jones is the top CB prospect in NFL draft

Jones IV, a true junior, is a three-year starter and two-time captain for the Huskies defense. What’s most impressive about Jones is the looseness he shows in spite of his length. He has the ability to rapidly drop feet in a backpedal and then transition into a break to challenge the football. Want him playing up on the line of scrimmage?

No problem.

Jones’ physicality at the line of scrimmage makes him a handful to beat at release. That physicality carries over into run support as well, as Jones is assertive and aggressive playing forward and forcing runs either back inside to help or into the boundary.

His ball skills are accentuated by wonderful click and close ability. From playing off of route stems, Jones has the short areas quickness to attack and cross the face of receivers, putting himself in prime position to challenge the football.

Walter Football's 5th Ranked CB
CBSSports 4th Ranked CB, 23rd Overall

[Joemailman]

CBS has Jones going 29th and 30th in their 2 mock drafts. TT does like those Pac 12 guys.

[Joemailman]

http://walterfootball.com/mocks/nfl/...en-Bay-Packers

Walt's Green Bay Packers Mock Selections

Rd. 1, Pk. 29 Sidney Jones, CB, Washington

The Packers' problems at cornerback are pretty well documented. Sam Shields may never play again, and reports have indicated that he'll be released this offseason. Fortunately for Green Bay, there are a number of talented corners expected to be available at the end of the first round.

Pick change; previously O.J. Howard, TE

Rd. 2, Pk. 29 Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State

Ty Montgomery looked awesome at running back against the Bears, but how sustainable is that? And will Eddie Lacy continue to gain weight? There are lots of questions at running back for the Packers, who can solve them by selecting a talented player like Jeremy McNichols.

Rd. 3, Pk. 29 Ryan Anderson, 3-4OLB/OLB, Alabama

The Packers place great pressure on opposing quarterbacks with Julius Peppers and Nick Perry, but both happen to be impending free agents. Peppers turns 37 in January, while Perry could prove to be too expensive to retain.

Pick change; previously Haason Reddick, DE/OLB

Rd. 4, Pk. 28 Isaac Asiata, G/C, Utah

If the Packers have a weakness on the offensive line, it's at left guard with Lane Taylor. Josh Sitton has been missed, so here's some help.

Charlie's Green Bay Packers Mock Selections

Rd. 1, Pk. 29 Charles Harris, DE/3-4OLB/OLB, Missouri

The Packers could lose Nick Perry in free agency, and Julius Peppers is aging. Here's a young edge defender for Green Bay.

Harris started off the 2016 season with underwhelming performances against West Virginia and Eastern Michigan, totaling five tackles in those games. However, he exploded versus Georgia with three sacks and seven tackles. In November, Harris grew red hot, racking up 4.5 sacks over two games. He totaled 61 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, nine sacks, two passes batted and two forced fumbles on the year.

Harris is a speedy edge rusher who broke out in 2015 with 56 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles. He was a backup as a redshirt freshman in 2014 and notched two sacks. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Harris is a fast edge rusher who puts a lot of heat on the quarterback. He is very similar to Vic Beasley and Shane Ray.

Rd. 2, Pk. 29 Shelton Gibson, WR, West Virginia

The Packers could target receiving depth for Aaron Rodgers, especially with Davante Adams entering the last year of his contract and Jordy Nelson aging with durability concerns.

Gibson notched 43 receptions for 951 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016. Sources say that Gibson has some real speed to him, but isn't the biggest of receivers and needs to improve his route-running. That latter point was an issue for the Bears' 2015 first-round pick, Kevin White, coming out West Virginia because of the Mountaineers' spread offense. Some sources think Gibson should've returned for his senior year to improve on that before going pro, but given the 2017 NFL Draft's weak receiver class, Gibson is being projected into the early rounds.

Pick change; previously Gerald Everett, TE

Rd. 3, Pk. 29 Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech

The Packers grab a receiving tight end.

In 2016, Hodges totaled 48 catches for 691 yards with seven touchdowns. He improved as a junior and could be one of the real value picks in a deep 2017 tight end class. In 2015, Hodges recorded 40 receptions for 530 yards and six scores. He was a redshirt freshman sensation for the Hokies in 2014 and produced the best year ever in terms of receiving production by a freshman tight end at Virginia Tech. The 2014 season saw him haul in 45 catches for 526 yards and six touchdowns.

Hodges (6-6, 249) needs to improve his blocking for the NFL, but he could be a taller version of a Jordan Reed-type tight end.

Pick change; previously Noah Brown, WR