Leisher's 2022 Packers Mock draft, post Davanta Adams trade. 3/18/22

[jleisher]

Rod Marinelli Senior Defensive Consultant

 

Cap space as of this mock:  $22,052,167 (Sportrac.com)

Extension:  Jaire Alexander 5yrs $20m with 75% guaranteed which would be $12m per year, contract is structed that 2022 cap is $10m.  That would add another $3m to the cap space.

Cap space:  $25m

Resigned:

Rasul Douglas CB  4yrs $6m 50% guaranteed.  Cap hit $4.2m

MVS WR 4yrs $7m 65% guaranteed.  Cap hit $4.9m

Cap space after resigned:  $15.9

FA's

JuJu Smith-Schuster WR  2yrs $9m 65% guaranteed.  Cap hit $7.2m

Austin Hooper TE  2yrs $7m 65% guaranteed.  Cap hit $5.6m

Cap Space:  $3.1m

 

NFL Draft:

#22.

Jermaine Johnson Edge Florida St.  6'5" 254lbs.

Football IQ: Johnson is an extremely smart processor with a natural feel for diagnosing blocks, responding, and filling his role. He takes good angles to the ball and is committed to playing with sound technique and low pads. Even in limited snaps at Georgia, it was obvious that Johnson is a smart football player that executes what he is coached to do. 

Versatility: Johnson has appeal as a hand-in-the-dirt 4-3 defensive end and as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He’s a balanced defender that makes an impact as a pass rusher and run defender. Overall, he doesn’t offer much in the way of limitations. 

Effort (Motor): Johnson is a relentless football player that is urgent in everything he does. Johnson is a smart defender that is never passive. He keeps working hand counters throughout every snap and is never content being blocked. His motor constantly runs hot. His workload increased dramatically in 2021 at Florida State compared to what it was at Georgia and he embraced the opportunity. Even with playing a large percentage of the snaps for the Seminoles, I love how he consistently made an impact late in games when his team needed it most. 

 

#28.

Zion Johnson OL 6'3" 312lbs.

Competitive Toughness: Brings an aggressive and physical mentality to the table and is always looking to finish blocks and set the tone up front. His play demeanor and temperament are exactly what the NFL is looking for. He continually looks for work and competes through the whistle. 

Football IQ: How quickly Johnson made the transition from Davidson to Boston College and forced his way into the lineup speaks to his football intelligence and ability to acclimate. There is a natural sense of timing in how Johnson executes his assignments. Johnson understands his technique, trusts it, and is rarely guilty of penalties. 

Versatility: Johnson has two seasons of experience at Boston College playing left guard and one at left tackle. His best position is on the interior but he can play tackle in a pinch if necessary. Johnson is a natural fit in a zone rushing scheme but also holds his own with gap concepts. While he’s best in pass protection, Johnson is a balanced blocker that finds success in the run game and operating in space. 

 

#53.

Jalen Pitre S/ST Baylor 5'11" 198lbs.

Football IQ: At Baylor, Pitre plays multiple positions through the game. This shows his high level of football intelligence. Pitre plays multiple positions and has the positional awareness and instincts at every position to make plays. 

Tackling: Pire is a really good tackler. He has good closing speed to the ball-carrier and can deliver the powerful knock-back blow. He also showed the ability to break down in the open field and bring the ball-carrier to the ground

Versatility: Pitre’s skill set, instincts, and functional athleticism allow him to be a versatile player. On any given snap, Pitre can be aligned at the rush end or be aligned 15 yards off the ball covering the slot. Pitre can be used as a defensive weapon and utilized where the defensive coordinator sees fit. 

Completive Toughness: Pitre competes at a high level. In the run game, he is willing to battle with tackles and tight ends to set the edge. He is also willing to chase down the ball sideline to sideline and is a full-field pursuit player. 

Special Teams Ability: Pitre should serve as a good special teams player. He plays the game with the tenacity necessary to be a special teams player and he has the athleticism to play on all core four special teams units.

 

#59.

Alec Pierce WR Cincinnati 6'3" 213lbs.

Route Running: Pierce is a deceptive route-runner that generates strong vertical push in his stem and his ability to win down the field opens opportunities for him to sell and snap off routes. He is crisp through his breaks and I love how he bends both his stem and breaks to move defenders and create space. He makes terrific adjustments against zone coverage and knows how to make himself available.

Hands: Pierce has outstanding hands and he rarely drops the football. He routinely makes catches in traffic and squeezes the football tightly away from his frame. He is extremely natural catching the football, routinely hauling in the ball in stride, and displaying comfort in traffic. 

Ball Skills: Pierce makes silly catches every time you pop on the tape. He has supreme body control and does a wonderful job of putting himself in position to make a play on the ball in the air. The game truly slows down for him at the catch point. He locates, tracks, and adjusts to the football at a high level. 

Football IQ: Pierce’s commitment to sound technique as a route-runner and ability to read coverage and adjust on the fly speaks to his football intelligence. He runs his routes with good pace and deception. He is decisive after the catch and was flagged for just one penalty through the entirety of his college career. 

Competitive Toughness: Pierce’s competitive spirit shines on tape. He is physical as a route-runner, at the catch point and with the ball in his hands. He brings the fight as a blocker and can be trusted to hit key blocks on the perimeter. His alpha mentality is apparent. 

Big Play Ability: Pierce’s speed, ball skills, hands, and body control make him a dynamic threat down the field. He averaged more than 17 yards per catch for his college career and he was clearly the “shot play” guy for the Cincinnati offense. 

 

#92.

David Bell WR Purdue 6'1" 212lbs.

Route Running: Bell is a route technician who affords no shortage of variety in his routes. There are ample head fakes, double moves, stutter steps, and adjusted stems in his game. Bell has been a killer against both man and zone coverage and wins to all levels of the field at the college game. I’d expect his release to afford him wins against press in the NFL as well and his savvy with hands, head, and feet at the top of routes to allow him success in the quick game. I like his resume best as an intermediate target. 

Hands: He’s very “plucky” in this area and shows very good strength in his hands to squeeze the football. There were only a few throws that ate him up and most of them were perimeter routes that had the ball hot and behind him. He’s made some eye-popping grabs and I really appreciate his skill to win at the catch point and not allow defenders to break his grasp. 

Ball Skills: Go ahead and watch his acrobatic catches downfield against Indiana (2019) and Notre Dame (2021) if you want a sampling of what he can do. He’s tremendous here and his late adjustments do well to deter defensive backs in man coverage for IDing the ball quickly, too. His catch radius is already high with strong hands but his ability to contort himself provides his quarterback with a lot of wiggle room. 

Football IQ: I’m impressed with his polish as a route-runner. Bell showcases awareness to attack leverage ahead of the top of the route, boosting his passer’s throwing windows to make himself available. He does a lot of the little things: he extends and works back to the football. He navigates the sideline at a very high level. He’s effective in locating the ball vertically. He’s a natural and a technician, which is a great blend. 

Competitive Toughness: It is hard not to appreciate the fearlessness that Bell plays with. He’s got his clock cleaned several times at the catch point, including by Kyle Hamilton this past season against Notre Dame, but contact at the catch point rarely bothers him and he showcases very good focus. His effort in the run game and in the screen game for manufactured touches for teammates is notable as well—he put forth great effort in front of Rondale Moore in 2020 upon his return late in the year and busted his tail to get inside leverage as a blocker. 

Big-Play Ability: Bell has had a knack for making some spectacular plays throughout the course of his career. He’s capable of winning contested catches and down the field as well. His RAC resume isn’t dominant, but he is physical and capable of bumping free for a big catch and run when working isolated in a one-on-one scenario. Concentration grabs and tough receptions in traffic with a big hit have energized and juiced his team on a number of occasions. 

 

#132.

Sterling Weatherford S/LB/ST Miami OH 6'4" 212lbs.

Football IQ: He’s a redshirt senior defender who has played a LOT of football and it shows. He’s been given a lot of roles as someone playing high post, someone manning a traditional WILL alignment on the second level, and even someone with opportunities to be walked up on the end of the line of scrimmage. He’s a vocal leader and clearly helps run point on defensive calls, too. There are some technical lapses in his game that lead to missed opportunities, but part of me feels those are him trying to anticipate and lean into the play development and make plays that may challenge his range as both a tackler and deep-coverage defender. 

Tackling: Brother… this dude will light you up if you’re not careful. Big-time hitting power in a big-time frame. There has been some variance in his challenges and I saw him let a few big hits get away due to late gear down and effort in coming to balance. But missed tackles here are not on account of a lack of “want to” or enthusiasm for hitting. I’m super impressed by how much of an imposer he is and he times up his challenges well in coverage too in order to avoid penalties. 

Versatility: I think Weatherford will be asked to do less in the pros than what he’s been asked to do in college but I see ample opportunities for him to make an impact as an NFL player. The special teams upside is strong, as is the sub-package reps on the second level and inside of 15 yards. Don’t put him in a box as just a safety, though—I fear you may miss his overlap between traditional roles. 

Ball Skills: His ability to attack the football pops on his opportunities in coverage and he also has queued up several big-time collisions at the catch point to dislodge the football when he hasn’t been able to undercut it. He’s nailed down interceptions in three of his four seasons of playing time and has 19 career passes defensed as well. If he gets his hands on it, it is usually his. 

Competitive Toughness: Just about spit out my drink a few times watching him drive on routes cutting across his face. He’s capable of generating a ton of force and is a big-time enforcer when his range isn’t tested. His pursuit is excellent and you’ll see him press to fill out of deep alignments. I appreciate the energy he plays with as well—he’s hard to miss when he’s between the lines. 

Special Teams Ability: I think Weatherford has the potential to be an absolute stud in this regard. I’d like to see him take on roles in all four components of the kicking game and I think he can be a good upback on the punt team. His linear speed will help him get downfield and cover kicks and his physicality will make him a threat as a special teams backer to square up returners. 

 

#140.

Matt Hankins CB/ST Iowa 6'1" 175lbs.

Ball Skills: If you want a taste of his ball skills, check out his leaping interception against ISU WR Xavier Hutchinson down the field, where he had to elevate and high point the football on an underthrown ball. He showed good reactive quickness on a tipped ball that he intercepted against Indiana in the season opener, too—although that play was negated due to roughing the passer. He doesn’t have the natural hands of his teammate, Riley Moss, but I’d still consider this to be a quality trait. 

Tackling: This dude plays mean as a hitter. He’s not going to be able to bully ball-carriers frequently at the NFL level, but he closes with intent and urgency and carries that pace through his hits. He laid out TE Peyton Hendershot on the sideline on an impressive form tackle—that one stuck with me. He gets square effectively and showcases firm striking ability. 

Versatility: I think he has enough reactive movement skills to move inside if you wanted to play him on a specific matchup and needed to reduce him inside, but his bread and butter is playing deep-third coverage and I appreciate his footspeed to pedal here and stay leveraged. He’s got ample special teams appeal with his movement skills and physical approach. I think you could make an argument for him to play all four special teams kick units. 

Competitive Toughness: His demeanor is easy to appreciate and he definitely shows he’s got “the dog” in him as a defender. His functional strength is sufficient but he really stands out with his ability to negotiate blocks and traffic on the edge in the run game. 

Football IQ: Hankins has served as a starter for the Hawkeyes going all the way back to 2017, so he’s a well-seasoned player and it shows. He trusts his fundamentals, illustrates good field vision and anticipation for route combinations, and has handled passing off routes and banjoing coverage sufficiently when faced with stacks and switch releases. 

 

#171.

Dane Bolton S/ST Iowa 6'1" 205lbs.

Football IQ: Belton took some big steps forward in anticipation and ability to make impact plays. I like the decisiveness he fits the box with when needing to step down. I don’t think he’s overly diverse as a coverage option but as a hook/curl defender and someone who can green-dog when backs or TEs add onto protections meshes really well with his traits. 

Tackling: Belton isn’t the biggest defender but he appears to be a largely efficient tackler. He missed a handful of opportunities against Michigan against players that challenged his size. I don’t consider him to have a huge wingspan and surefire wrap-up ability, but he takes good angles and effectively brings force through contact to help finish tackles. 

Versatility: As far as ways to get him on the field, I like his projection as a special teams player and working on the kick coverage units. I don’t necessarily see a full-time defensive role but teams that implement big nickel should find his potential enticing as the third safety. Keep him in zones and attached to the box in order to play within his means as an athlete. 

Ball Skills: Five interceptions this past season is hardly something to turn your nose up to—he did well when afforded opportunities to finish plays and convert. He logged two turnovers against Northwestern this year but his total ball production seemed to be evenly distributed across games—this wasn’t a fluke performance. That said, I don’t think his NFL standards of ball production will shine unless he’s combating the catch point. 

Competitive Toughness: I did think there were a handful of opportunities (like a long run to the far sideline vs. Michigan) where his rally skills could have popped a little more on tape. But he plays aggressive, he doesn’t back down from physical contact, and he is undeterred by bigger bodies in the frame. He does well to collision at the catch point in his efforts to dislodge the football. 

Special Teams Ability: I think this is the easy pathway for Belton to make an impact as a rookie. He’s got good enough speed, enough physicality, and his ability to fit the run will complement his skills in negotiating and attacking blocks on the coverage units. 

 

#228

Marquan McCall NT Kentucky 6'3" 379lbs.

Run Defending: McCall wins best as a gap-control nose tackle. His block disengagement skills aren’t particularly refined and as a result he projects best as a true space eater in the middle who isn’t going to be asked to finish plays for himself and instead keep the pathway for his linebackers clear inside to scrape and fill. 

Effort (Motor): The image of McCall busting into the backfield or spinning back into the pocket on over-pursuit is quite the sight to see. He’s certainly a hard-nosed player and you get his absolute best regardless of if the odds are in his favor to find his way back into the play or not. 

Versatility: I don’t foresee a lot of positional versatility in McCall’s future. He was rotated off the field on passing downs and with his stature it is difficult to envision him growing into a rush role without a complete body transformation.

 

#249.

Micah McFadden LB/ST 6'2" 232lbs.

Tackling: McFadden is a good tackler overall. He is best in the box where he is quick to trigger and make plays. He is a sound tackler for the most part but there are times he comes in too aggressive, failing to break down and misses. He is always around the football and always hustles to the whistle. 

Football I.Q/Instincts: McFadden displays very good instincts and awareness. In the run game, he is quick to read the run and flow to the football, reading the guards and following them to the ball. He takes good angles for the most part and understands how to use leverage to steer the runner inside for help. In the passing game, he displays good instincts in zone and always reaches his landmark. 

Competitive Toughness: An active and urgent player, McFadden plays with excellent competitive toughness. He is a heat-seeking missile when he blitzes and he gets home at times purely because of sheer will. He plays the game with passion and energy and it is infectious with his teammates. 

Leadership: A two-year team captain, McFadden’s leadership ability is off the charts. He gets guys aligned and is the spark plug for this Indiana defense. He is the type of player that projects to a special teams captain at the next level.

Versatility: His lack of size, length, and athleticism limits his ability to fill multiple roles at the next level. He is best used playing inside where he won’t be asked to cover ground and be in space as often. That being said, his lack of size and strength will be an issue inside as well as a full-time player. 

 

#258.

Max Borghi RB/RS Washington St. 5'9" 195lbs.

Max is a strong and compact back with good lower body strength. He is a good athlete with good short area agility. His 5-10 yard speed is very explosive and he gets to top speed rather quickly. In the run game he is sufficient. He’s best suited on the perimeter in the zone read game but has some production while running inside. In the passing game he is very good. He has good hands to catch the ball out of the backfield on check downs, screens and other passes. He is a sufficient route runner who will likely beat LBS with speed in the passing game. He is sufficient in pass pro and demonstrates a willingness to block blitzing linebackers. He projects as a very good core special teams player and has added value as a kick returner. 

 

UDFA's:

Antonio Ortiz LS TCU

Blaise Andries OL Minnesota

Justin Rice ILB Utah St.

Isaiah Weston WR N. Iowa

EJ Perry QB Brown

Anders Carlson K Auburn

Joshua Williams CB Fayetteville St.

Derrick Deese Jr. TE San Jose St.

[TheEagle]

This would be a pretty good offseason IMHO. I wasn't high on David Bell before the combine though, so I'm completely off his bandwagon.

[vegas492]

I didn't like spending money on MVS, Juju and especially Hooper.

Don't know much about the prospects, but that pass rusher and I do know and I like him.

But after that, man, we need WR's drafted higher.

I'm not a Deguara fan, but does Hooper offer much that we can't expect out of Deguara this coming year?  I thought Hooper was a high volume kind of TE and he flamed out in Cleveland.  

[Dubz41]

What's with the Marinelli obsession? 

On board with:  MVS, Douglas, #1A pick, #2B pick

Not on board with: JJSS, Hooper,  #1B not an IOL in the first round, too many Hawkeyes and DL who are too fat.

Do another one because it will be better.

[Brit Pack]

What's people problem with Hooper? He would be a no brainer for us

[Leader]

Just now, Brit Pack said:

What's people problem with Hooper? He would be a no brainer for us

I liked him.....but who knows what the teams up to.

[Old Guy]

This didn't age well with Hooper and JuJu already off the market to other teams. 

Love the effort you put into it. One other point, Marinelli doesn't fit in with Barry's system. 

[hitnhope]

Woof

[Isherwood]

You are the Maestro Antonio Salieri of the mock draft, my guy