Official 2021 NFL Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

If King is gone, CB is the Packers biggest need. I mean, who would you put in there?

[RashanGary]

If King is gone, CB is the Packers biggest need. I mean, who would you put in there?

I agree. OT sucks too with bakh not being back to start the season. But longer term that ones ok. Sullivan just isn't fast enough and Jackson and hollman look like they don't belong. We need a starting corner. Bad. King just never figured it out and we can't afford to keep an expensive liability.

[Joemailman]

Depends on what the Chiefs do. 30 if Chiefs win. 29 if they lose.

I was wrong. Packers pick 29th. Bills pick 30th.

Last time the Packers picked 29th was 2003. Pick was Nick Barnett.

[Joemailman]

This guy might be an interesting 2nd or 3rd round pick possibility.

D'WAYNE ESKRIDGE
WR, Western Michigan
RS Senior

5'9"
190 lbs

D'Wayne Eskridge is a former defensive back that transitioned back and forth between the two positions due to injuries on the roster and other players transferring from the program. He had high-end production despite not being able to settle into a position until his final season. Eskridge is a well-developed wideout that has the mentality of a defensive player. With strong hands and a seasoned route tree, he’s capable of playing on the inside or outside. Also a mainstay on special teams, he’s a prospect that will be on every special teams unit—not only as a returner, but as a hustle man on both kickoff and punt groups. A vicious and high effort run blocker, he has bone-crushing blocks on the perimeter and doesn’t take plays off if the ball isn’t in his hands.

Ideal Role: Developmental No. 3 wide receiver.

Scheme Fit: No. 3 wide receiver with the potential to turn into a consistent No. 2 or slot option. Eskridge can be a Day 1 starter as a returner on kickoffs or punts.

[GB-Brandon]

I just wouldn’t consider corner a “Huge Need.” We’ve been chasing corners for years and it hasn’t really helped overall. The Chiefs are getting away with Bashaud Breeland at corner. We need a new D coordinator and stop gap boundary corner. It’s not that big a deal!!

[GB-Brandon]

The main needs remain the same as last year. We have to put someone next to Kenny Clark to finish off the front to make it dominate creating better pass rush and shutting down run game!!

We need the “Missing Piece” in the LaFluer offense so the playbook can be expanded and we can match up better against certain defenses.

Probably a RB and depth at corner and OL. We will have to see what happens in free agency and what even happens with Rodgers!

[GB-Brandon]

You could probably give Jalen Ramsey to Mike Pettine and it still wouldn’t matter!!!

Pettine would still find a way to Fuck It Up!!

He is worse then Capers so if the plan is to keep Pettine then don’t even waste your time drafting anybody on defense!

[Joemailman]

There will not be a Combine as we've known it.

On January 18th, the NFL released the latest news regarding the 2021 NFL Combine. They announced that there will be no in-person workouts. Instead, any workouts will take place on college campuses on individual pro days.

The NFL is still finalizing the plans surrounding medicals. In the recent update, the NFL indicated it will likely involve virtual interviews by the medical staff of teams and testing being performed at facilities near the invited prospect’s residence. However, for a certain number of prospects, there will be regional sites. Each club is permitted to send one physician and one athletic trainer to conduct the medical examinations.

Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft, prospects will be scheduled for media interviews with NFL and club media, and NFL-affiliated broadcast partners. Additionally, the NFL will be asking colleges to conduct virtual media availability with Combine invitees.

Teams have also been asked to ensure that head coaches and/or general managers are made available to the media, as they would have been at the combine.

[GB-Brandon]

Wow. I was wondering how they would do this. This really hurts a guy like Gute who relies so much on the “Underwear Olympics” to put together his picks.

Not sure what he is gonna do now that he has to actually watch tape!!!!!

[Deputy Nutz]

So I got no Idea who should be drafted or when they should be drafted. I haven't even started to look at big boards or began to think about putting one together myself. This post will be more pointed at what and where the Packers should look to spend draft capital in 2021.

QB - Packers might be regretting their move last year in drafting Jordan Love. Sure, he could have benefited more than any one from a full off season and the pre season. He is raw and simply far behind the curve of being ready to play any time soon. I don't see the Packers spending draft picks on this position in 2021

RB - Packers are going to lose pieces of their "3 head monster" running attack, but thoughtful thinking in 2020 taking Dillion in the second round my prevent a drop off in 2021. I don't see a situation where Jones returns, and Williams may hit the tracks with him. The Packers could look to the draft especially if there is value at RB at just about any round. I can also see them signing a veteran to a 1 year contract or extending a short term offer to a back like Melvin Gordon.

TE - The last two draft have seen the Packers take a TE in the 3rd round with very little production and a lot of injuries to show for it. Robert Tonyan is an All Pro quality TE and looks to be a focal point of this offense. The Packers ask a lot of their TE group when it comes to blocking and that is why Lewis has stayed around for so many years. I can see the Packers hanging on to Lewis for another year. I just don't see this as a position of need unless value pops up in the middle to late rounds.

OL- The Packers looked good in pass pro without Bakhtiari until they didn't. I don't think depth is an issue for them unless they don't resign Lindsey. Then they might have to look at a replacement on the interior sooner rather than later. They have pieces which is nice and it shouldn't be a massive concern if they don't address this position until later in the draft.

WR - This position was a bit of a concern heading into 2020, especially since the Packers went through two strong receiver drafts in a row without taking a receiver. They need to be done with St. Brown, and continue to add talent to this group. I think they have a strong top three as long as Lazard stays healthy, and MVS continues to hold on to the football. They lack a solid 4th and 5th receiver in this group but the Packers rarely rely on 4 or 5 receiver sets, they manage empty sets with Tonyan and one of their backs as the 4th and 5th receivers. The Packers have high expectations when it comes to blocking and size for this position. They don't need to do anything drastic with this position but they may need to address it at some point in the draft.

DB - Yikes was King bad on Sunday and fighting through a back injury isn't an excuse at this level. His technique has always been below average, his tackling has been no better than poor, and his ball skills would rate as poor as well. The Packers need to find a replacement and it should be their top priority. Sullivan is not a inside cover guy and should be a back up on the outside, I don't think he has the talent to be the starter but he was exposed often as the nickel. Amos just doesn't cover well enough for me and isn't fast enough on his reads, I think the Packers could look to upgrade. Free agent corners cost too much money so I would expect them to look long and hard during the draft process for a corner with the ability to come in and possibly start right away. I don't see the Packers replacing King with anyone currently on the roster

ILB - This position has been an issue with this front office. A good defense has to be strong up the middle and the Packers just don't have the right combination of talent and skill any where on their roster. They have made some bone headed decision in the past two drafts to fill this position of need and it has exposed the defense in the run and defending the intermediate passing game. I don't see this front office doing anything special to fill the large hole in the middle of this defense and its a bit frightening that they seem not to really care.

OLB - Preston Smith is a nice player and all, but the Packers could move on and save some cap dollars this off season. If they do move on they would have to spend some draft capital to groom an young player, they Packers need to be three deep at this position. Gary looked good this season and Z. Smith looks like an All-Pro at times and then disappears at times. Gary is better against the run then either of the two Smiths.

DT - I thought the Dline was a bit thin this year but Lancaster and Lowry both played decent and Kingsley played well in his second year. Kenny Clark is at times unblockable in both the pass set and run set. resigning him was a good move. The Packers could afford to add one more piece to this group. It would make the job of the pass rushers and inside linebackers much easier if they invested a big piece of the draft into the interior defensive line.

[Joemailman]

I think you're exactly right on DB. Of the 3 starters they might lose in FA (King, Jones, Linsley), King is the one they're least equipped to replace with the current roster. I'm not too worried about Linsley. They could move Jenkins there and not miss a thing, or move Patrick there and be pretty solid. With their extra picks in Rounds 4-6, they should be able to find a RB worth drafting.

[call_me_ishmael]

I really think 37 and Kevin King are the same person. No functional difference. Both kinda stink. I'd like to see what 37 could do.

It's too early for me to get into the draft, but I think they will likely do something like this:

2 OT
2 CB
1 WR
1 RB
1 OLB

[Joemailman]

I really think 37 and Kevin King are the same person. No functional difference. Both kinda stink. I'd like to see what 37 could do.

It's too early for me to get into the draft, but I think they will likely do something like this:

2 OT
2 CB
1 WR
1 RB
1 OLB

They're also expected to have 3 comp picks, either 4, 5 and 6 round, or 2 4's and a 6.

[Upnorth]

Does snacks factor into our draft at all? How cheap can we get him?

[RashanGary]

I really think 37 and Kevin King are the same person. No functional difference. Both kinda stink. I'd like to see what 37 could do.

It's too early for me to get into the draft, but I think they will likely do something like this:

2 OT
2 CB
1 WR
1 RB
1 OLB

Weirdly, Jackson might not be much of a drop off. I always hoped king would put it together because he flashed but he never did. I expect the packers to drop off a little next year. 11-5 maybe. Shake up with the covid cap the packers have a chance to stay strong with less change than most teams and a decent contingency with the change that does come. But being elite, unless some real lucky growth happens, I just don't know. Another year of being in it but not winning it most likely.