Matt Ludtke/Getty Images NFL Draft 2011 Has The Green Bay Packers Picking Last As Defending Champs, But The Packers Still Have Some Needs On Defense
It's been a whirlwind ride for the Packers this year from Super Bowl Favorite to just barely making the postseason to Super Bowl Favorites again and finally Super Bowl Champions.
The Packers will have the target on their backs, but they'll also bring back the core of their team next season to make another run. Any holes the Packers have are more just supplements than glaring needs, but there are some positions the Packers could go to with the 32nd pick in the draft.
If there is a need that can be filled right away, it would be either at defensive end to slide in next to B.J. Raji or at outside linebacker to be a complimentary player to Clay Matthews and yet another pass rusher on the defensive front.
Not surprisingly, most mock drafts are predicting either a defensive lineman or outside linebacker. Todd McShay picked Arizona defensive end/outside linebacker Brooks Reed as the pick, while both Rob Rang and Chad Reuter of CBSSports.com has Akeem Ayers of UCLA as the selection.
"Green Bay finds a good prospect falling through the cracks, just as they did with OT Bryan Bulaga last April," Reuter wrote of Ayers.
Reed is a nice pick because of his versatility, but I really like Ayers as a player. He can do so many things at the linebacker position in both run and pass coverage and while he's not a classic pass-rusher out of the 3-4, he has the ability to grow into that position. I'm not sure about the fit here though, as like I said he might be better utilized as the outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme.
That being said, Pat Kirwan of NFL.com doesn't think outside linebacker is going to be the pick.
"Everyone seems to want a bookend outside linebacker opposite Clay Mathews, but defensive coordinator Dom Capers' creative scheme gets a lot of mileage out of guys like Erik Walden, Frank Zombo and Brady Poppinga," Kirwan wrote.
It's an interesting take, and the Packers could go other directions. After defensive line and outside linebacker, the next two needs would be cornerback and wide receiver. But those are more about finding eventual replacements for Charles Woodson and Donald Driver, respectively.
Where the Packers are slotted to select, they're in a situation where they can easily move down into the second round if they don't like the selection at the end of the first. They can also take a flyer on someone at the end of the round too.
And let's face it, there are 31 other teams that would love to be picking where the Packers are. Because that means most likely their Super Bowl rings are in the mail.
For more NFL Draft news: Bleacher Report's NFL Draft 2011 Page
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