In a new mock draft at CBS Sports, the Green Bay Packers selected Michigan’s massive defensive tackle, Kenneth Grant.
“The Packers could go with a corner here, but with the run on defensive linemen, they decide to wait on corner and get the best interior DL left on the board,” Tom Fornelli wrote.
A slimmed-down Grant – he had weighed 359 pounds – helped the Wolverines win the national championship in 2023 and he was a third-team All-American in 2024 with three sacks and seven tackles for losses. He’s more of a pocket-pusher than a pure pass rusher, though he has a knack for batting down passes with five in 2023 and five more in 2024.
During his pre-Scouting Combine Zoom call, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah raved about Grant, who could potentially upgrade a defensive line in which starting tackle TJ Slaton is headed to free agency.
“I think Kenneth has that upside in him,” Jeremiah said. “He’s going to be 340 pounds, and he’s going to run under 5 flat. You’re just going to see an athlete that’s a freak. He’s not a polished rusher yet, so I think that’s all in front of him. I think in the meantime he’s someone who is going to dominate against the run (and) he’s going to eat blocks.”
Jeremiah then continued with a point that’s pertinent to how Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, like so many of his colleagues, wants to play defense.
“As a league that’s gone to so much shell coverage and become so obsessed with taking away explosives, boy, you do that, you’ve got to play with light boxes. So, I do think there’s more value in these guys now. Everything’s kind of come around a little bit, where it was, ‘Man, if you can’t really rush the passer, I’m not going to expend the high resources on you as a defensive lineman, a defensive tackle.’
“Now it’s like, ‘We’re trying to take away explosive plays. We’re a little light in the box. Having someone that can dominate against the run and let us play our coverage over the top is huge.’ I think he’s got more as a rusher … and he has not come close to scratching the surface of his potential.”
Grant was No. 3 on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list for The Athletic. That freak ability – and his motor – were on full display against Penn State in 2023, when he chased down Kaytron Allen to prevent a 75-yard touchdown.
“Kenneth Grant running down the running back in that game, I was up off my feet,” said Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh, who watched the game from a hotel. “One of the best plays of the season, that play by Kenneth Grant. Maybe one of the best plays ever.”
NFL.com: Texas CB Jahdae Barron
In Gennaro Filice’s debut mock, the Packers selected playmaking, versatile Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron.
“Facing attrition in the secondary – potentially including the departure of Jaire Alexander – Green Bay’s in the CB market this offseason. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley likes versatility and physicality, so I assume he’d love Barron,” Filice said.
Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back in 2024, when he led the SEC with five interceptions and finished with 16 passes defensed. He might be destined for slot duty in the NFL, but he thrived upon moving to the perimeter in 2024.
Pro Football Network: First-Round Receiver
The Packers haven’t used a first-round pick on a receiver since the days of whale-blubber-powered lamps. That didn’t stop Pro Football Network’s Justin Lewis from picking Texas receiver Matthew Golden.
Lewis listed some of the question marks about Golden before concluding: “His nuanced route running and consistently impressive ability to finish make him a reliable target for quarterbacks, no matter the situation. He tracks the ball incredibly well in the air, which was evidenced against Georgia and Arizona State. Golden’s ability to contort his frame mid-air and finish with an eye on the sideline further proves his prowess as a pass catcher.”
Golden caught 58 passes for 987 yards (17.0 average) and nine touchdowns in 2024, highlighted by eight catches for 162 yards against Georgia and seven catches for 149 yards and one touchdown against Arizona State. He caught 13 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield with four drops (6.5 percent).
Fox Sports Research Mock Draft: Really?
Fox Sports Research put together a mock draft that probably could use more research. The selection? Georgia safety Malaki Starks.
Starks, as the authors noted, is perhaps the “best safety in this draft,” but safety might rank at the bottom of team needs with Xavier McKinney earning first-team All-Pro and the team drafting Javon Bullard in the second round and Evan Williams in the fourth round.
Grant went No. 24 to the Vikings, one of four defensive linemen to go in the bottom fourth of the round.
