Pack-A-Day Podcast - Episode 2450 - Predicting the Packers First Round Pick!!!
Join Andy Herman as he narrows down the list of potential first round picks for the Packers and gives his prediction for which prospects are most likely to be the selection at 23. Don't miss it!
By AndyHerman
Join Andy Herman as he narrows down the list of potential first round picks for the Packers and gives his prediction for which prospects are most likely to be the selection at 23. Don't miss it!
Timber Rattlers Link: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/2025draft2
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Andy is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh and owns & operates the Pack-A-Day Podcast. Andy has taken multiple courses in NFL scouting and is an Editor for Packer Report. Andy grew up in Green Bay and is a lifelong season ticket holder - follow him on Twitter @AndyHermanNFL!
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Comments (29)
TKWorldWide
April 10, 2025 at 07:08 am
Would You Rather:
A. GB picks your draft crush and he turns out to be “just a guy”
B. GB picks a guy you never even heard of who does NOT play a position of need, but turns out to be Pro Bowl caliber
?
I’ll stop with those two but we all know there are tons more possible scenarios
GregC
April 10, 2025 at 07:54 am
Or.......They pick a guy you never heard of who turns out to be nothing special.
BuckyBadger
April 10, 2025 at 08:14 am
Not much a of choice now is it.
TKWorldWide
April 10, 2025 at 08:38 am
My two examples are HaHa and Jordy.
They needed a safety and I’d read up about the Alabama guy.
Before that they did NOT need a receiver and I’d never heard of Jordy.
Yes, of course, tons of other possibilities. But for me I TRY to just be patient and trust the process, while reserving a spot for myself as an armchair GM. Without that, what’s the fun?
BuckyBadger
April 10, 2025 at 08:59 am
I have a record going back to about when Jordy was drafted and write down the person I would have taken. I do this for the 1st 3 rounds and then I can go back to see if I would have done better or if they I feel they could have gotten more value.
Bitternotsour
April 10, 2025 at 09:05 am
is second guessing fun? seems not to me. i get joy out of how the team is put together, how the parts mesh to make the whole. not so much joy in lamenting hindsight misses or predicting a lottery.
my fandom is predicated on the jersey. it was my Wisconsin birthright.
TKWorldWide
April 10, 2025 at 10:18 pm
Beats a birthwrong!
Leatherhead
April 10, 2025 at 09:55 am
We scored 10 points, so it'll be a defensive guy. We lost one of our best WRs, so we'll replace him with a defensive guy.
Coldworld
April 10, 2025 at 10:05 am
The talent in the first round of this draft leans heavily towards defense in terms of numbers and fit.
In terms of offensive need, ours is pretty narrow: WR, at X and for the future at Z. There are only a couple of valid options there and it’s not impossible both may be gone. In contrast there is a fairly good group of apparent fits at WR in the rounds following. Indeed the best fits to help in the Watson role are not expected to be first rounders by anyone.
So unless we force the draft or get very lucky, the probability is that our first round is a defensive pick. Do not force drafts, let them come to you rather than trying to fight the class.
Leatherhead
April 10, 2025 at 11:31 am
I understand your reasoning, but as OJ Simpson famously said, "This is the NFL. Sometimes, you can't just take what's available....you have to take what you need."
You define 'need' pretty narrowly, IMO. Yes, we have a Watson hole. We also have a thin offensive line and three of them are in their contract year. We also don't really have anybody behind Kraft who had proven he can help us.
Need on defense? None. We have a starting 11 of McKinney, Williams, Bullard, Nixon, Hobbs, Cooper, Walker, Gary, VanNess, Wyatt, and Clark. In reserve, we have Valentine, McDuffie, Hopper, Enagbare, Brooks, Cox and Wooden.
It'd be nice to have a DT to replace Slaton. But it's imperative that we find ways to score more than 10 freakin' points.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
If Enagbare is gone at #24....and that is possible....then go ahead and get the DT or trade down.. Forget all about these undersized DEs/edge guys. We play a 4-3 and we need DEs who can hold their ground against the run.
I don't think we have to force the draft or get very lucky. I think there is a very good chance....80%....that we can get Enagbare at #24. On many internet boards, he's fallen to the #4 WR (McMillian and Golden ahead of him on most boards) In some cases, he's fallen out of the first round, which I don't believe.
Improving the offense has to be the priority. It's not good enough. It has demonstrated that, repeatedly. The defense has been surprisingly effective in our playoff losses and doesn't need major upgrades. The offense needs upgrades.
TKWorldWide
April 10, 2025 at 03:52 pm
Wait…we already have Enagbare…are you suggesting a radical conversion to WR? 😉
I know, I know, Egbuka…but it’s National Yank a Chain Day.
LeotisHarris
April 10, 2025 at 04:42 pm
Go easy on the elderly, would ya? He's been consistently getting his Lamar references correct as of late. No more US Senators playing QB for the Ravens, so I think we need to celebrate little victories.
Bitternotsour
April 10, 2025 at 04:44 pm
Lamar!
TKWorldWide
April 10, 2025 at 10:17 pm
Ouch!
Consider it redacted. Toby and Dwight will have it put in the file…er, I mean…box.
Alberta_Packer
April 10, 2025 at 11:31 am
Only Tet McMillan exhibits Rd. 1 worthiness to me. All other WRs are Rd.2+. Alternatively - the Packers can go blue chip RB - like Omarion Hampton - but at a high opportunity cost. Likewise for TE Colston Loveland.
WD
April 10, 2025 at 01:33 pm
First round pick should be best available defensive lineman (Edge or DL)
Coldworld
April 10, 2025 at 11:25 am
Well, I don’t think one of my regular picks was even mentioned. In fact quite a few who a regularly seen in the declared zone for consideration weren’t mentioned, while other were. Indicative of a fairly large group of prospects that aren’t easily distinguishable in isolation perhaps.
So for what it’s worth, here’s a run through with a few minor trades down that I think gives a profile I’d be happy with. I could have gone blocking TE with my last pick, but I decided Felton and Prather added complimentary types at positions other than X.
26. Walter Nolen. DT Ole Miss
54. Donovan Ezeiruaku. EDGE Boston College
90. Tai Felton. WR Maryland
124. Dont'e Thornton. WR Tennessee
127. Ajani Cornelius. OT Oregon
159. Zah Frazier. CB UTSA
198. Cam Jackson. DT Florida
202. Kaden Prather. WR Maryland
Leatherhead
April 10, 2025 at 11:48 am
Tai Felton and Donte Thornton are going to be an improvement over Watson and Melton, and that's going to be enough so that we score more than 10 points in the playoffs?
I'm skeptical. Felton is a tiny 181 pound receiver. Thornton seems to have more of what Watson brought to the table, but he only caught 65 passes his entire college career. Both of these guys may be fine NFL players, but I don't think they're going to take this offense to the next level as rookies.
Coldworld
April 10, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Felton and Prather are developmental non X receivers. They have nothing to do with Watson. They add depth away from his role with upside. Felton and Prather project to Y, though Felton could play some slot. Prather is the more physical piece and Felton more the speed and explosion type. Versatile but complementary pieces that can contribute now if needed and give options for next year as contracts mature.
The replacement for Watson is Thornton who is a true size/speed threat. He may never be a lot more than that, but he’s physical player who can block as well and contrasts nicely with Wicks situationally. He’s ready to play that role now. He may still be playing that role in 4 years, but he might be the best plug and play physical size/speed threat in this draft.
LLCHESTY
April 11, 2025 at 08:30 am
I think you mean z receiver. Y is usually the inline TE.
Coldworld
April 11, 2025 at 08:45 am
I do. A mental block i can’t seem to dodge but normally catch. Not this time.
Alberta_Packer
April 10, 2025 at 11:48 am
I'm not as high on Golden as some others. For the majority of his college career he has been less than impressive - save the last few weeks. I wonder if that brief time of strong performances was a "jump" or a "bounce." Thinking there are safer and better alternatives at 23.
Coldworld
April 10, 2025 at 12:15 pm
There is no way I’d take him at 23. He’s a small slot who might be a Y in some schemes, but not lafleur’s. He can’t block and he can be disrupted at the line very easily. A good player but a bad fit.
He’s also a type that rarely look as good in the pros. For every Tyreek Hill, there are dozens of small fast receivers that don’t make an impact. Speed gets them picked far too high.
We have just such a player on the 90 in Mecole Hardman (56th pick). Golden is more polished coming out, but the hype and rationale is eerily similar. Golden is a classic trap for us in the first, unless you want to move on from Reed.
splitpea1
April 10, 2025 at 12:29 pm
Sigh, Mykel Williams? I understand he fits the Packers' M.O. perfectly, but do we really need any more Bulldogs in the first round? We've selected three of them in the past four drafts and none of them has turned out to be anything special. The Eagles have done quite well with Carter and Smith, though, so maybe we just need to pick the right one.
Coldworld
April 10, 2025 at 01:06 pm
Williams is a pretty good comparative for Gary, it’s true, if without the first step perhaps and lighter. I agree that we’d simply be hoping for another version of what we have but hoping for him to just be better. With what we have got with VanNess so far, it would make 3 very similar players as high picks and a number of lesser echoes.
Not how I’d choose to go. If we hadn’t taken Van Ness, then I might see it Indeed, I think if we do not diversify, there is only so far the rush can go against decent pro OLs. This is a big test of whether we are really being astute about our DL issues and causes. Get it wrong and I think it holds us back significantly.
TheKanataThrilla
April 10, 2025 at 01:59 pm
The Georgia guy I am interested in more is Jalon Walker and if he drops whether Gute would select him? He is a bit of a tweener LB/Edge, but he has had results (is that because he was on a good team?), but with some light edge guys having success in the NFL would Gute go out of his normal weight requirements for someone like him?
splitpea1
April 10, 2025 at 03:00 pm
He's explosive and is a great blitzer, but other areas may take time to develop. He had only 11 starts in college. Ezeiruaku of Boston College is slightly bigger and a more developed technician, so I would probably favor him at this point.
WD
April 10, 2025 at 02:34 pm
Great analysis. In the "everyone is gone" scenario I would pick Edge James Pearce who will most likely be gone before 23.
While he is not the typical mode for a Packer his 4.47 speed could make him a third down speed rusher off the edge. Film should count for something. How many times last season on third down would the opposing QB suddenly tuck the ball in and run for the first down outrunning our front four? It was chronic, and pathetic.
On defense I hope Stewart is there at edge. Or Harmon at DL.
And, if by chance Golden is there he would be the dynamic offensive player we need. Now and for the long term. Especially since Watson is out for who knows how long.
Coldworld
April 10, 2025 at 04:10 pm
My reservation with Pierce is that he’s very stiff for a smaller edge. Great burst, great in a straight line, but turning corners and finishing plays is a problem. One he shares with the bigger guys we already have.