9 Days Until NFL Draft: Packers Trade Up for Elite Cornerback

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Armed with four Day 2 selections, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst can trade up to pinpoint a specific player. That was the scenario in landing Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold in a new mock draft.

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards and Chris Trapasso alternated picks in a real-time mock. In their simulation, the Packers traded No. 25 of the first round and No. 88 of the third round to the Cincinnati Bengals to move up to No. 18. With that pick, they grabbed Arnold, who is in competition with Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell to be the top corner off the board.

Arnold had a big-time final season for the Crimson Tide with five interceptions and 17 passes defensed. At 5-foot-11 3/4, he ran his 40 in 4.50 seconds at the Scouting Combine.

“Arnold is such an instinctive cornerback in man or zone, a feisty tackler, and has plus ball skills,” they wrote. “The Packers are loaded with picks and get aggressive to add a top-flight defensive back to the roster.”

Former NFL general manager Rick Spielman compared Arnold to Bears star Jaylon Johnson and Saints standout Marshon Lattimore. Here is part of what Spielman said in a companion piece for CBS:

“Very good athlete that has quick twitches and plays faster than his timed speed. … He is best in man coverage. Can mirror routes and very good burst out of transition. Gives up too much cushion in zone at times. He has very good ball skills and finished season strong with interceptions. He is more than willing in run support but must be more consistent securing open field tackles. Should develop into a CB1 for a team but may take some time.”

NFL.com: Georgia OT Amarius Mims

Here is who Peter Schrager selected in his “sources” mock draft.

Fox Sports: Georgia OT Amarius Mims

There was no explanation of the pick by Nick Wright, though he did point out that offensive line is the betting favorite to be the position of Green Bay’s first pick at FanDuel Sportsbook. Offensive line is -125, followed by cornerback at +185, defensive line/edge at +500, safety at +1100, linebacker at +1400, receiver at +4000 and tight end at +12000.

Draft Network: Duke OL Graham Barton

With Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean on the board, Ryan Fowler selected Barton, who was a standout left tackle for the Blue Devils the past three seasons. With short arms, he’s destined for the interior. In 2024, he could challenge Sean Rhyan at right guard. In 2025, he could replace Josh Myers at center.

Barton, Fowler wrote, “plays with outstanding technique and can play with the best of them in space. He's the type of player you start and don't think twice about it for the next decade.”

DeJean went to the 49ers at No. 31.

33rd Team (7 Rounds): Duke OL Graham Barton

Getting Barton would be a “home run pick” for the Packers, Marcus Mosher said.

Moving into the Day 2 picks, Mosher selected Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin and Washington right tackle Roger Rosengarten in the second round and Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley and Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart in the third round.

Nubin was the first safety off the board. He set the school record with 13 career interceptions and would be a nice complementary fit alongside Xavier McKinney. Rosengarten needs to add strength but he’s an outstanding athlete who allowed zero sacks as Michael Penix’s blind-side protector.

Corley would be a luxury pick given the firepower at receiver. He’s a big-time YAC threat, which would fit coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. Hart is a 6-foot-3 corner with three years of excellent production.

In between the Packers’ second-round picks, the top three linebackers – Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, NC State’s Payton Wilson and Michigan’s Junior Colson – were selected. 

So, Mosher did what Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has done on multiple occasions: double-up. In the fourth round, he took North Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray. In the fifth, he added Temple linebacker Jordan Magee. Both are athletic players with big-time college production. Gray topped 100 tackles in each of his final three seasons.

Two corners, another linebacker and a big-name running back rounded out the selections.

Pro Football Network: Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

Adam Caplan’s first mock of the year grabbed DeJean. And now, so did his fifth.

“Cooper DeJean, who some evaluators feel would fit in best as a safety or matchup DB at the next level, could go off the board anywhere within the top 25 selections, and he would be able to fill the starting job opposite S Xavier McKinney,” he wrote.

Pro Football Network (3 Rounds): Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

Same Web site and same pick. Different author and different thoughts.

Tony Catalina grabbed DeJean with the thought of playing him at corner, at least to start.

Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan and NC State linebacker Payton Wilson were the second-round picks, and Kansas offensive tackle Dominick Puni and Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil were the selections in the third round.

Morgan and Puni both might wind up at guard in the NFL because of arm-length issues, Wilson has an extensive injury history and the 5-foot-9 Sainristil probably isn’t on the board.

For The Win: Trade

In Christian D’Andrea’s simulation, every pick in the first round was traded. In this, Green Bay sent No. 25 and No. 41 to Seattle for No. 16 and No. 118 to select Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham.

Nothing their need after moving on from David Bakhtiari and Yosh Nijman, the Packers move up with a “modest overpay using the second-round pick gifted to them by the New York Jets for the privilege of being done with Aaron Rodgers bull[expletive]. Latham is a massive blocker who can keep Jordan Love upright and get out in space to clear room for Josh Jacobs on the ground.”

Latham was a standout right tackle for the Crimson Tide the past two seasons. He might not have the athletic ability to play left tackle.

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