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Packers Prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft: Defense

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Welcome back to part two of our look ahead at the Packers 2024 NFL draft. If you missed the first part of this series looking at the offensive players, check it out here! Today, it’s time to look at the players on defense the Packers may look at in the 2024 NFL draft.

This list will include players eligible for the 2024 NFL draft that fit those typical Packers thresholds. With this season being such a mystery, the list will be longer than usual; although, like my previous part, I will not be including players like Jared Verse or Kool-Aid McKinstry, because I don’t see any possibility of Green Bay drafting them. The players are also in no particular order.

Defensive line:

Credit: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With the four defensive linemen the Packers have drafted recently, I don’t think they draft one early, but you never know.

  • Ruke Orhorhoro – Clemson
  • Keith Randolph Jr. – Illinois
  • Tyleik Williams – Ohio State
  • Leonard Taylor – Miami
  • DeWayne Carter – Duke
  • Brandon Dorlus – Oregon
  • Darrell Jackson Jr. – FSU
  • Kris Jenkins – Michigan
  • Ty Hamilton – Ohio State
  • Maason Smith – LSU
  • J.J. Pegues – Ole Miss
  • Justin Eboigbe – Alabama
  • Alfred Collins – Texas
  • Jordan Kelley – Oklahoma
  • Patrick Jenkins – Tulane
  • John Tuitupou – Hawaii

Edge Rusher:

Credit: Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

This is another position that the Packers have invested in heavily recently. I don’t see them drafting one early, but they might take one later for depth.

  • J.T. Tuimoloau – Ohio State
  • Laiatu Latu – UCLA
  • Bralen Trice – Washington
  • Jack Sawyer – Ohio State
  • Trajan Jeffcoat – Arkansas
  • Rondell Bothroyd – Oklahoma
  • Jordan Burch – Oregon
  • Zion Tupuola-Fetui – Washington
  • Deontae Craig – Iowa
  • Cedric Johnson – Ole Miss
  • Isaac Ukwu – Ole Miss
  • RJ Oben – Duke
  • Ashton Gillotte – Louisville
  • Dayon Hayes – Pittsburgh
  • Jack Sullivan – USC
  • Van Fillinger – Utah
  • Abi Nwabuoku-Okonj – James Madison

Linebackers:

Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Another position they have somewhat invested in lately. De’Vondre Campbell has a $14 million dollar cap hit in 2024 and he will be 31. They may still keep him, but I could see them moving on in 2025, which means they may be looking for his eventual successor.

  • Tommy Eichenberg – Ohio State
  • Curtis Jacobs – Penn State
  • Jestin Jacobs – Oregon
  • Junior Colson – Michigan
  • Jamon Dumas-Johnson – Geogia
  • Jackson Sirmon – Cal
  • Edefuan Ulofoshio – Washington
  • Geoff Cantin-Arku – Memphis
  • Travion Brown – ASU
  • Dallas Gant – Toledo
  • Marlowe Wax Jr. – Syracuse
  • Steele Chambers – Ohio State
  • Ben Bywater – BYU
  • Jamoi Hodge – TCU
  • Jack Kiser – Notre Dame
  • Nikhai Hill-Green – Charlotte
  • Easton Gibbs – Wyoming

Cornerbacks:

Credit: David K Purdy/Getty Images

This group could be interesting, depending on what happens with Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas. Can Stokes get healthy and back to the way he played as a rookie? Do the Packers keep Douglas and his $11 million cap hit at 30 years old? Do they extend Keisean Nixon?

  • Fentrell Cypress II – Florida State
  • Shyheim Battle – NC State
  • T.J. Tampa – Iowa State
  • Cam Hart – Notre Dame
  • Duce Chestnut – LSU
  • Jahdae Barron – Texas
  • DJ James – Auburn
  • Jason Marshall Jr. – Florida
  • Denzel Burke – Ohio State
  • Trey Amos – Alabama
  • Deantre Prince – Ole Miss
  • AJ Woods – Pittsburgh
  • Max Melton – Rutgers
  • Decamerion Richardson – Mississippi State
  • Devin Kirkwood – UCLA
  • Alex Hogan – Houston
  • Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo
  • Marcus Banks – Mississippi State
  • Nicktroy Fortune – UTSA
  • Christian Roland-Wallace – USC
  • Storm Duck – Louisville
  • Noah Avinger – SDSU
  • Jakorey Hawkins – Wyoming
  • Micah Abraham – Marshall
  • Daquan Evans – USF

Safeties:

Credit: Alika Jenner/Getty Images

This is obviously a major position of need. The only safety under contract for 2024 is Anthony Johnson Jr. and he was just a 7th round pick. While he looks like he has some potential upside, they still need to fill out the rest of the group — and will probably be replacing Darnell Savage. They will need at least one starter, if not two.

  • Kamren Kinchens – Miami
  • Andrew Mukuba – Clemson
  • Calen Bullock – USC
  • LaMiles Brooks – Georgia Tech
  • Rod Moore – Michigan
  • Tyler Nubin – Minnisota
  • Caelen Carson – Wake Forest
  • Patrick McMorris – Cal
  • Beau Brade – Maryland
  • MJ Griffin – Louisville
  • Kitan Oladapo – Oregon State
  • Seyi Oladipo – Boise State
  • Bud Clark – TCU
  • Dez Malone – San Diego State
  • Morice Norris – Fresno State
  • R.J. Mickens – Clemson
  • Cooper DeJean – Iowa
  • Kenny Logan – Kansas
  • DeShawn Gaddie Jr. – Ole Miss
  • Evan Williams – Oregon
  • Tra Fluellen – Middle Tennessee State
  • Jack Howell – Colorado State
  • Ayden Hector – Colorado State

As always, you can always view my database if you want a deeper dive on these and other NFL draft prospects.

FSU EDGE Jermaine Johnson led the group of Senior Bowl Standouts after Day 1 of practice

Senior Bowl Standouts: American, Day 1

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FSU EDGE Jermaine Johnson led the group of Senior Bowl Standouts after Day 1 of practice
Photo by Jeff Hanson

The Senior Bowl began today in Mobile, AL, with the first day of practices getting underway in the afternoon. Both teams spent the day working on simple installation of the schemes for the game on Saturday. There were also multiple periods of individual and 1-on-1 drills.

Around the Block sent multiple scouts to Mobile this week to check out the prospects. In this article, Mitchell Wolfe and Felix Davila will highlight their Senior Bowl standouts on the American squad from the first day of practice.

Winners

Defensive Line

Mitch: Of all the position groups on the field today, the American defensive line stood out above the rest. Jermaine Johnson and Devonte Wyatt were probably the most impressive Senior Bowl standouts. But nearly everyone in this group won the majority of their reps. They consistently wrecked their opponents in 1-v-1 sessions and team drills.

The running backs could not find any holes because the defensive linemen were blowing up the run plays. The defensive line also consistently put pressure on the quarterbacks. With that being said, the offensive line began to gel towards the end of the 11-on-11 portion, so we’ll have to see if this group performs as well tomorrow. 

Max Mitchell

Mitch: Despite the defensive line’s dominance, one offensive lineman on the American squad played well. Max Mitchell from Louisiana consistently held his own in the 1-v-1 part of practice, including multiple reps where he stonewalled Jermaine Johnson. He was one of the few offensive linemen who had success against Johnson all day. Mitchell needed to show he could survive against elite competition this week; he did so during Tuesday’s practice. 

Danny Gray

Felix: One of my favorite receivers on the day was Danny Gray. I was impressed by how much faster he was compared to film, and he demonstrated excellent hands, ball tracking, and just overall adjustment to passes from the various quarterbacks. Gray also showed he’s been working on his release package, matching footwork with active hands to get open consistently and separated quickly.

These traits were showcased on a bomb from Malik Willis for a touchdown. Gray torched his defender outside and up, gaining several yards on the defender. He helped himself plenty today.

Cameron Taylor-Britt

Mitch: Cameron Taylor-Britt had a lot on his plate during practice today. He played both inside and outside as a cornerback and even played both safety positions. Taylor-Britt is an excellent athlete (he played quarterback in high school), and his versatility was on display at practice today. He made several good tackles and nearly intercepted multiple passes as well.

In practice situations that are generally favorable to the offense, Taylor-Britt consistently performed above expectations. He was one of the few Senior bowl standouts among the defensive back group. 

Greg Dulcich

Mitch: Even though the American team had the lower-profile group of tight ends, they performed just as well, led by Greg Dulcich. The UCLA product looked exceptionally fluid running routes in the open field. He caught the ball easily, smoothly transitioning into a runner after the catch. He still has to prove himself as a blocker, so we will be keeping track of that over the next few days. But he was among the Senior Bowl standouts today.

Losers

John Ridgeway

Mitch: While the entire group of defensive linemen flourished, John Ridgeway seemed to struggle. He displayed good power and strength off the snap but did not have much of a pass rush plan after that, especially in 1-v-1 pass rush drills. He seemed to completely rely on his power without possessing or using any type of counter. Ridgeway was decent in the run game, as his size and strength make him very difficult to move. But he needs to show more creativity in the coming days. 

Lecitus Smith

Mitch: The guard from Virginia Tech stood out in his group, but not necessarily for the right reasons. Lecitus Smith looked noticeably less chiseled than the other offensive lineman. While this is not the most catastrophic of problems, it was odd to see.

Additionally, he struggled against the strength and power of the SEC interior defensive linemen. Devonte Wyatt, Neil Farrell, and Phidarian Mathis all gave him serious trouble in the 1-on-1 sessions. They also pushed him backward during the team drills. Hopefully, Smith can perform better in the coming practices. 

Dontario Drummond

Felix: The wide receiver out of Ole Miss has flashed some great playmaking ability in his career, but today was a rough start. Drummond had some nice routes with fluidity but struggled to create separation from what I saw. Most glaring, however, were his drops. He had a few catches that were blatant drops off his hands, even on routes where he burned the opposing defensive back.

He can easily turn it around with good performances the rest of the week, but dropping easy passes are an absolute no-no. 

Zion Johnson Scouting Report

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Background

Zion Johnson (6’3″, 310) is an offensive guard for Boston College and a prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. Johnson transferred to Boston College prior to the 2019 season after spending two years at Davidson. Johnson is from Bowie, Maryland, and prepped at Riverdale Baptist School. During his two years at Davidson, he played in all 11 games both seasons and made 19 starts. After transferring to BC, Johnson took the majority of the snaps at left guard for the first half of the season never started. However, he earned the starting job after six games and played extremely well for the rest of the season, earning ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice (NC State, Pittsburgh). Johnson earned Second-Team All-ACC honors, despite only starting seven games. 

Before the 2020 season, the new coaching staff decided to shuffle the offensive line around in order to better fit the new offensive system, which would be more zone-oriented. Johnson kicked outside to left tackle, surprising given his prowess at guard and his relative lack of height. Despite some early-season struggles against Duke and Pittsburgh, he settled into the position as the season went on, turning in quality performances against Notre Dame and Clemson and their NFL-level defenders. He earned All-ACC honors again, this time on the Third Team as an offensive tackle.

Johnson earned some draft buzz during the previous offseason and it only increased going into 2021. However, he decided to take advantage of the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility and return for a fifth year of college football. According to reports, Johnson will be returning to his more natural position at left guard this season. Even though he displayed competency at left tackle, he will most likely stay inside at the next level. 

Statistics

Pro Football Focus Grades (20% snap minimum): 2020 – Offense: 76.1 (60th out of eligible 266 OTs), Pass Blocking: 68.4 (t-116th), Run Blocking: 76.1 (57th), 2 Penalties; 18 hurries, 7 QB hits (top-10 most for both), 2 sacks; 2019 – Offense: 71.4 (t-49th out of eligible 327 OGs), Pass Blocking: 72.5 (123rd), Run Blocking: 69.1 (73rd), 1 penalties; 7 hurries, 1 QB hit, 0 sacks. 

Games Watched

Guard: Kansas (2019), Wake Forest (2019), NC State (2019), Clemson (2019), Pittsburgh (2019)

Tackle: Duke (2020), North Carolina (2020), Pittsburgh (2020), Virginia Tech (2020), Louisville (2020)

Strengths

  • Very good play strength: has both functional and explosive strength to knock defenders back or hold his ground against power; also has both upper and lower body strength and unifies them together very well; heavy hands allows to control and steer defenders with ease; very rarely gets pushed back or shed by defenders. 
  • Very good in pass protection: gets off the snap well and moves fluidly to set points; quick feet, but also patient on vertical sets; very good use of hands with excellent placement and timing, easily controlling defenders’ chests; very good anchor comes from play strength, as he can shut down bull rushes very easily; can recover very well if initially shocked or beaten to get back in front of the rusher and win the rep. 
  • Very good run blocker in Gap schemes: very good ability to execute Base and Drive blocks, playing very well in the phone booth to play with good leverage and drive opponent backward; strength and use of hands (placement) very apparent in controlling defender; very good in DBLs, consistently driving opponent backward; good puller on Trap and Power plays, moving well and delivering blow to defender. 
  • Good run blocker in Zone schemes: good at Reach and Combo blocks, solid on Scoop blocks; has the athleticism to get a gap down and push defender down the line; works exceptionally well in Combo blocks, using excellent strength to drive first defender and good instincts of when to climb. Displays a good understanding of using good angles on his blocks to shield defender away from the ball carrier. 
  • Solid athletic ability and movement skills: can get on the move well on longer Reach blocks; shuffles well in pass protection with quick feet; good on shorter pulls between the hashes.
  • Good competitive toughness: consistently hot motor, plays through the whistle; loves to aggressively finish his block, frequently burying his opponent into the ground; looks for work in pass protection and helps his teammates; very consistent player that does not get tired or discouraged with bad plays. 
  • Good mental processing: keeps his head on a swivel in pass protection to watch for stunts and twists; displays good instinctual timing when climbing to the second level on Combo blocks and when to release for screens; good at reading defenders and adjusting angle/block to meet defender.

Weaknesses

  • Does not have the necessary length or athleticism to consistently play at tackle; clearly not his natural position as he seems to be a tick behind sometimes (play noticeably improves when tight end attached as a blocker, making him feel more like a guard).
  • Struggles against rushers with superior burst that could challenge him around the corner; is not as natural taking deeper vertical sets and generally has issues dealing with smaller, speedier rushers (when playing offensive tackle); inside counters can give him some trouble (at tackle). 
  • Struggles with consistency against quick stunts, especially when already engaged in a block; sometimes a tad late to recognize and react
  • Does not consistently locate and execute block when asked to climb to the second level, especially if defender sits and waits.
  • Longer pulls and blocking in space outside the hashes lack consistency; does not display the necessary foot speed to get out there; looks a little lost when in space. 

Projection

Zion Johnson projects as a top-100 player in the 2022 NFL Draft. He is a complete prospect as an offensive lineman, bringing both the necessary inherent physical traits and refined skills to be one of the best blockers in his class. Johnson has displayed the ability to excel in both a Man-Gap run-heavy offense and a pass-heavy offense that utilizes more Zone principles in the run game. He consistently executes any kind of block you can scheme up. There is not much Johnson can add to his game in 2021; he struggles with consistency in some of the more nuanced aspects of the game. But Johnson got better as the season went on the last two years, even as he dealt with switching to a new position in 2020. He should be even better, returning to his natural position, but coaches and scouts will like that he has displayed positional versatility.

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