With the combine set to begin next week, a new batch of NFL hopefuls will be going through interviews and on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Every year in Indy, the Combine puts a few new faces on the map as they ascend up draft boards, and on that same note, there are always a few players that end up sliding due to poor performances in drills or private interviews.

This year, the draft class just happens to be loaded with a lot of the Packers’ primary needs. This is the deepest wide receiver class, potentially ever, so you can bet Green Bay will do its homework on some potential names that could go at picks 30 or 62. 

Additionally, there are a number of talented tackles in this year’s class with NFL-starting potential. Regardless of what happens with Bryan Bulaga and possibly Jared Veldheer, this is a nice draft class to possibly lock up a right tackle of the future for the franchise. 

Rounding out the Packers’ top-four needs would be inside linebacker and interior defensive line, and while the inside linebacker class doesn’t exactly leap off the page (more on that in a minute), the big guys on the interior should put on a show in Indy. If the Packers do look to free agency to fill holes at receiver or tackle, a run-stuffing defensive lineman could come off the board pretty early when Green Bay is on the clock. 

Circling back to inside linebacker, it’s always a tough position to predict in the draft. Only two names really stand out in this year’s class as first-round graded players (though that could change after the combine), and they’re likely to be gone before the Packers get to pick. And yes, I know we always expect about 65 names to not be available for the Packers in the first round, but let’s use as recently as the 2019 Draft as an example. The two best inside linebackers in the draft class were Devin White and Devin Bush, and the Steelers were so worried Bush wouldn’t make it to them at No. 20 they traded all the way up to No. 10 to ensure they got their guy. Those were the only two inside linebackers to go in the first round. 

Now, let’s get to some names to pay attention to during the combine next week. For the purpose of this article, I’m only going to highlight a few names from each of the previous four positions listed, but I would highly encourage you to listen to episode three of Pack’s What She Said dropping this weekend to get a detailed breakdown of names to follow in Indy this week. 

Inside Linebackers 

The obvious two names here are Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray and LSU’s Patrick Queen, so while I could go into some more detail about those two names, I feel like it’d be more useful to put a few new(er) names on your radar. 

Zack Baun - Wisconsin

If you’re a Badgers fan, then this is the exact opposite of putting a new name on your radar, but we’ll get there. Baun is a native of Brown Deer, Wisconsin and even had quite the career as a high school quarterback. He played primarily as an edge rusher for the Badgers during his collegiate career, though he’s indicated he plans to make the switch to an inside linebacker in the NFL. 

Pro Football Focus gave Baun an elite pass-rush grade of 91.0 in 2019, but he’s also able to cover. He dropped into coverage 195 times and only allowed 112 yards. He also tallied five pass breakups and an interception. 

Baun would be an ideal fit for the middle of the Packers defense given his lateral agility and ability to move in space. He was also a stout run defender for the Badgers, something Green Bay needs help with at the next level. 

Troy Dye - Oregon

Dye’s impressive stats leap off the page right from the beginning, with 391 total tackles in his four-year career, 41.5 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks. Dye also had five interceptions and 14 passes defensed in his time at Oregon.

He’s a great coverage linebacker who can match up well against bigger-bodied tight ends in the open field, but he lacks some of that top-level explosive athleticism showcased by other linebackers in this draft class. Still, at 6-4, he’s a dominant force in the middle of the field. Dropping into coverage, Dye only allowed 211 yards for all of 2019. 

Akeem Davis-Gaither - Appalachian State

This is one of my favorite players in the draft class, and he would be a nice day two pickup for the Packers. In his junior and senior seasons at Appalachian State, Davis-Gaither combined for 198 total tackles with 24 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He also had one interception and broke up 15 passes. In 2019 alone, he posted 15 tackles for loss which was good for second in the Sun Belt, and he also won 2019 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. 

Davis-Gaither is a little on the smaller side for an inside linebacker at only 219 pounds, but he’s proven to be a sure tackler with the ability to shed blocks. During his 2019 season, he was primarily asked to drop into coverage rather than get after the quarterback, allowing him to display his quickness in the middle of the field. 

Defensive Linemen

There are a few names here that likely will be off the board before Green Bay is on the clock, those names being Derrick Brown of Auburn and Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina. Because of that, here are a few day two and possibly even day three prospects to keep an eye on in Indy. 

Ross Blacklock - TCU

Blacklock is another one of my favorite players heading into the combine. He has a little bit of an injury history that will likely be talked about quite a bit in Indy, missing his entire sophomore season to an Achilles tear, but he had a fantastic bounce-back season as a junior that should put a lot of the injury concerns to rest. 

PFF gives Blacklock an 89.5 run defense grade in 2019, and that’s where he’d be best-suited to help the Packers. As one of the most athletic big bodies in the draft class, Blacklock could squeak into the first round on draft night with a strong combine performance, but he’s likely an early day two name at this point. During his two seasons with TCU, Blacklock had 67 total tackles with 15.5 for loss and 5.5 sacks. 

Justin Madubuike - Texas A&M

Madubuike is a versatile defender with explosive athleticism, though draft scouts believe he’s best suited at 3-technique in the NFL. During his final two seasons with Texas A&M, Madubuike had 85 tackles with 22 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks. He’s pegged as more of a run-stuffer than a pass rusher, which is exactly the complement the Packers need opposite Kenny Clark. 

Raekwon Davis - Alabama

Davis is another name on this list that’s better-suited to stop the run than rush the passer. PFF gave him a high run-stop grade of 87.9, but only a 71.2 as a pass rusher. Davis has the position flexibility to play 3-tech of 5-tech, though he played the vast majority of his snaps in the b-gap in college. Davis had 175 total tackles in his collegiate career with 19.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and one interception. 

Offensive Linemen

Four offensive tackles came off the board in the first round in 2019, and it’s entirely possible four or five are taken in 2020. Jedrick Wills Jr. of Alabama and Tristan Wirfs from Iowa are probably the two biggest names at tackle at this point, but also keep an eye out for Andrew Thomas of Georgia, Mekhi Becton from Louisville, and Josh Jones out of Houston to round out the top five. 

Josh Jones at 6-7 is an absolute unit, only allowing 18 pressures on over 1,200 snaps in his three-year career. He also only gave up one sack in 2019, and was awarded a 93.2 overall grade from PFF. Jones had the highest win rate of any tackle at the Senior Bowl. 

If the Packers don’t take a tackle in the first round, I’m also high on Matt Peart from UConn as a late day two or possibly even day three selection. He was given a 90.0 overall grade from PFF in 2019, and he played all but one snap of his collegiate career at right tackle. He’s a nice developmental player that could sit behind Bulaga or Veldheer for a year or two then take over as the right tackle of the future for Green Bay. 

Wide Receivers

Finally, let’s look at some wide receivers, which feels like an improbable task at this point given how many could go in the first three rounds of this draft. The first two names expected to come off the board are of course CeeDee Lamb of Oklahoma and Jerry Jeudy from Alabama, so I won’t spend any time on those two. 

A few names that have been mocked to the Packers quite a bit include Laviska Shenault Jr. from Colorado, Brandon Aiyuk of Arizona State, and Justin Jefferson from LSU. 

Shenault Jr. is a dynamic playmaker who ranked first in the Pac-12 in receptions in 2018 with 86. He had 10 receiving touchdowns in three seasons and seven rushing touchdowns with 2,223 all-purpose yards. He’d be another gadget player for Matt LaFleur’s offense. 

Aiyuk spent lots of time during his collegiate career as a kick returner and punt returner, which is something the Packers might be looking for if Tyler Ervin isn’t brought back this offseason. He’d be an immediate deep threat for Green Bay with a grade of 90.4 from PFF on deep balls. He’s also tied for fifth in yards after the catch with 10.9 per reception. 

Jefferson is the biggest of the three receivers at 6-3, and he had a great 2019 season. Not only did he rank first in the SEC (and NCAA) with 111 receptions, but he also hauled in a whopping 18 touchdowns. 

I’m sure we’ll be revisiting a lot of these names after the combine to see whose draft stock is ascending and whose is declining, but at least heading into next week, here are a few names I’ll be keeping a close eye on. And don’t forget to listen to Pack’s What She Said for an in-depth look at not only the players listed above, but plenty more at each position.