INDIANAPOLIS—NFL teams are notorious for not being fully forthcoming with the media, being obtuse, obfuscating the obvious. Team representatives are known to put a positive spin on negative performances or engage in coach-speak, peppered with clichés.

Even Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, however, acknowledged at the NFL Combine that the Packers need help at inside linebacker, not unlike safety last season.

"I think the inside linebacker position could probably be compared to where we were last year at the safety position," said McCarthy. "Obviously we had a number of moving parts there. So we’ll see what this process that we go through as far as player acquisition, how that affects it."

Inside linebacker was one of the team's most glaring weak spots in 2014, a point punctuated on Friday when the Packers released Brad Jones, a preferred starter in 2012 and 2013 that saw his playing time drop off this past season. Cutting back the role of A.J. Hawk and moving Clay Matthews to inside linebacker were also telltale signs Green Bay needs a playmaker. Badly.

The easiest and most cost-efficient fix is by acquiring help through the NFL Draft, a method the Packers are sure to employ. It's just a matter of who and when.

If general manager Ted Thompson addresses the position in the first round, two players he'll be considering are Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney and Miami's Denzel Perryman, perhaps not coincidentally the two players finishing No. 1 and No. 2 in Cheesehead TV's survey of internet mock drafts as most likely to land in Green Bay.

Both players are talented, a check of their highlight reels and post-season accolades is testament to that.

What separates McKinney and Perryman, however, is about a half a foot. At opposite ends of the height spectrum, McKinney is about as tall as they come at the inside linebacker position, and conversely, there aren't many shorter than Perryman.

Listed as 6' 5" on his official NFL.com draft profile, word from the Combine is that McKinney measured in at 6' 4", still taller than most of his peers.

"It helped me quite a bit, just looking over the line of scrimmage, being long with a long wing span, getting off of tall, big offensive linemen, using my hands, it helped me get a big advantage," said McKinney.

Modern-day football is becoming more and more pass oriented, not less, so it's important for linebackers to be able to defend multi-threat tight ends, slot receivers and running backs in the passing game. According to McKinney, he has an upper hand.

"I have an advantage of my height and making the quarterback make difficult throws over the top of me, so I definitely have an advantage," said McKinney.

The question, however, is whether a linebacker can be too tall. With longer limbs and longer strides, can McKinney get up to speed as quickly in short spaces? It's the zero to 60 test of sports cars.

McKinney's moment of truth will come Sunday when linebackers take to the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. Not only will his 40-yard dash be of particular importance, but so will be the 10- and 20-yard splits.

More than anything, the Packers need an inside linebacker that can play all three downs, not just a run stuffer that plays on early downs or a coverage specialist able to stick with receivers on third-and-long.

Even McKinney admits his relative weakness is being that full-time linebacker, keeping up with quicker and faster receivers.

"Just covering and staying on the field on third down," said McKinney. "I’m going to get better at that. So that’s the only thing."

Perryman, meanwhile, has to overcome a perceived lack of height.

While he might be listed at 5' 11" Perryman actually checked in a few fractions shorter at the Senior Bowl weigh-in. It's a little-known fact that the NFL actually rounds up and down from the nearest half inch on their league-sponsored websites, rosters and the like once players enter the league.

“I’ve been pretty much getting knocked for my height since I got to high school, getting recruited," said Perryman. "My play makes up for my height. I don’t play like I’m 5-11.”

Perryman isn't embellishing. He was most definitely productive in college, racking up 343 career tackles and being named a first-team All-ACC selection the last two years. He thinks comparisons to San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland are accurate, because of the lack of height.

For the Packers, however, it's about finding the best inside linebacker possible when they're on the clock with the 30th overall selection in the first round.

Do they want to go with the shorter Perryman, the taller McKinney, or do they want to go with a more prototypical Eric Kendricks or Paul Dawson? Or in other words, does Perryman's other qualities and traits make up for his stature?

“Just look at the tape," said Perryman. "Say my name and you’re going to get a physical, hard-nosed downhill dog.”

It all comes back to the Packers fining that true, three-down linebacker. Having a "hard-nosed downhilll dog" is nice, but can Perryman hold his own in coverage downfield?

"Whether it’s the Packers or another team, I feel like I can come in and make an impact," said Perryman.

Perryman's self-confidence is inspiring, but whether he or McKinney are able to make an impact won't be known at the Combine, and it won't be known on draft day.

Not until they step onto an NFL field surrounded by elite talents will we find out if they have what it takes.

Brian Carriveau is the author of the book "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor at Cheesehead TV and its "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].