Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Or The Green Bay Packers Select CB Josh Jackson

Iowa CB Josh Jackson is exactly the sort of quality player I want the Green Bay Packers to select in a later round, not the 1st round.
Jackson has all the tools, and the great college career, you could want except the great speed. Jackson's former college teammate, CB Desmond King, entered the draft process last year with the expectation of being drafted in the 1st or 2nd round before he fell to the 5th round due to speed concerns. It all worked out for the Chargers, who plugged King into the slot and he became one of the best rookie CBs in the NFL. But the Packers have let slot corners like Corey Hayward and Micah Hyde leave in recent years so I can't imagine they'll use their highest draft choice in years on a slot corner to replace the ones they lost.

The more I look at No. 14 overall, the more it seems like a no man's land. I'm thinking right along with Zach Kruse, there aren't 14 impact players in this draft and the Packers are going to be a couple spots away from drafting one. Trading up is going to cost a lot (the Jets gave up three 2nd round picks to move up three spots). While that was at the top of the draft for a QB, a team like the Raiders at No. 10 might be looking at their choice of SS Derwin James or CB Minkah Fitzpatrick vs. missing out on an impact player at No. 14. To make it worth the Raiders's time might cost the Packers their 2019 1st round pick, which I hope they don't offer.

If OLB Harold Landry isn't there at No. 14, it might be time to move down but I'm not sure which team wants to move up. If they have to stand pat, they could look at one of the offensive lineman (Will Hernandez or Mike McGlinchey) or a project like Marcus Davenport, who might be a better fit in a different defense.

Still, it's the 14th overall selection and they should be able to draft a quality player even if he's a clear step behind someone like James or Fitzpatrick. The best available player might look unspectacular and that might OK.

No comments: