As the 2024 NFL Draft continues to draw closer, the Green Bay Packers are going to be a team to keep a close eye on. Brian Gutekunst has been known to move around in the first round and it’s likely that he’ll look to do the same this year. Some think that Green Bay could trade their pick for a veteran piece to win now, but others could see either a trade up for a better prospect or a trade down for more draft capital.
No matter what direction the Packers choose to go, they have to feel good about the position they’re in.
In the latest mock draft from The Athletic, Green Bay opted to make an aggressive move up in the draft. They traded the No. 25 pick, along with the No. 168 pick and a 2025 second-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for the No. 15 overall pick. With that selection, they added Iowa defender Cooper DeJean.
Here is the rationale that was offered for the Packers to make such an aggressive and expensive move.
“If Green Bay wants to add young defensive talent to its roster, it can’t afford to sit in line behind Seattle, Jacksonville and Philadelphia. Trading up to the middle of the first round here ensures access to DeJean, the most versatile defensive back in this class. For whatever I may think of DeJean’s potential as a shutdown corner, the NFL seems set to make him a safety and slot defender — where he still has All-Pro potential. His speed, ball skills and tackling make it easy to project him as a Derwin James Jr./Jalen Ramsey kind of player.”
DeJean would certainly be an interesting prospect for the Packers, who are beginning a new defensive look with new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley leading the way.
During the 2023 season with the Hawkeyes, DeJean ended up recording 41 total tackles to go along with two interceptions and five defended passes. The Packers would likely use him as a safety, playing alongside free agency addition Xavier McKinney.
It will be interesting to see what the Green Bay Packers decided to do in the NFL Draft this year. They have a lot of draft capital and could move around basically wherever they want outside of the top three or four picks.
Expect to see Gutekunst and the Packers look to be aggressive. They feel that a Super Bowl window has opened and will look to do anything they can to improve those odds.
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