Pro Football Focus published a pseudo-mock draft where they simply assigned players to teams based on their draft value and perceived fit for each team. This is an interesting sight because most mock drafts focus on the first round, especially this early in the offseason before the combine. Let’s breakdown what they had to say about the Packers selection and give them a grade!

Packers Early Fit: Michael Mayer, Tight End, Notre Dame

A reliable tight end like Mayer, who finished this past season with an elite receiving grade, seems like an obvious choice for the Packers. – PFF

This is a common sight for Green Bay Packers fans this offseason. In fact, I just broke down a mock draft from The Draft Network grading this exact situation. Tight end is a big need for the Packers right now, and Mayer is the best of the bunch. As long as the value is right and a better player isn’t sitting on the board, this mock draft pick makes perfect sense to me.

Grade: A-

Packers Late Fit: Gervon Dexter, Defensive Lineman, Florida

Though Dexter never blossomed into the pass rusher many thought he could become, his 6-foot-6, 315 pound frame would be alluring for the Packers’ front.

I made this selection in my All-SEC mock draft a couple weeks ago; you can find a more in-depth breakdown on Dexter here. Overall, I think that Dexter is an absolute monster on the interior and has an incredibly high ceiling for a prospect. He has issues with his technique, but technique is the most coachable issue that can be fixed because you can’t teach size, athleticism, or ferocity. The grade is affected by what PFF means by “late round” but typically in the NFL Draft world that would refer to any pick on Day 3 (4th round or later). I projected Dexter to go in the 3rd round so if we could get him in the 4th, I would be ecstatic. Dexter would immediately become a rotational, potentially starting, level defensive tackle would eat up blocks for Kenny Clark and help the biggest issue on the Green Bay Packers defense: the run game.

Grade: A

Mock Draft Summary

Getting Michael Mayer on Day 1 and Gervon Dexter on Day 3 should make any Green Bay Packers fan giddy with excitement. Mayer has the potential to be the best answer at tight end that the Packers may have ever had and make impacts in the passing game and run game early on as a rookie. Dexter has the potential to become the “Zach Tom of the Defensive Line” which is to say a prospect that slips in the draft but ends up as an early impact player as the season progresses. He could plug holes in the run game, eat up blockers for Kenny Clark and the outside pass rushers, and potentially develop into a full-time starter or even a Pro Bowler.

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