Green Bay Packers on the clock - Photo by Yahoo Sports
GREEN BAY, WI (WSAU) – Two of the top NFL draft experts released their latest mock drafts on Tuesday morning with differing opinions on who the Packers will select 25th overall.
According to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., the Packers should select UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu who Kiper Jr. believes could end up being the best pure edge rusher in the 2024 draft class. “Latu put up 111 quarterback pressures over the past two seasons, racking up 23.5 sacks. He has elite pass-rushing skills and is already advanced in his technique,” Kiper Jr. said.
Latu does come with some risk though after he suffered a neck injury in 2020 while at Washington and briefly retired from football. After transferring to UCLA in 2022, he was cleared medically to play again and put up 52 total pressures along with 11 sacks and another 12.5 sacks in 2023. With this upcoming season likely being Preston Smith’s last with the Packers, the franchise could be set up for long-term success at outside linebacker with Lukas Van Ness and Latu rushing the quarterback.
Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah predicts the Packers will go in a different direction by selecting Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims at 25 overall. Mims is a massive prospect who measured at 6’8 340 LBS while also running an impressive 5.07 40-yard dash. Scouts with NFL Draft Buzz notes that Mims “Excels in pass protection through a combination of athleticism, strength, and impressive wingspan” but his “front foot positioning can sometimes impact balance against powerful opponents.”
The Packers have not met with either of these prospects yet but may still host them this month for official visits as April approaches.
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