Packers 2015 NFL 1st Round Draft Possibilities

With the 2015 NFL draft now less than a week away -- heck, a week from right now we'll already know the early round picks of the Packers -- we should take a quick look at who some of the mock drafts say the Packers will pick in the first round. It's always fun speculation. But really, does anyone really know the mind of GM Ted Thompson? C'mon. So take this as just an overview of what might happen. And as far as projecting Rounds 2-7...really? Really??? Might as well throw darts at names on the wall. Which, judging by how some teams actually draft, is as good an approach as any, apparently.

The Pack's picks by round: 1st - 30; 2nd - 62; 3rd - 94; 4th - 129; 5 - 166; 6 - 205, 210*, 212*; 7 - 247 (* - compensatory picks, which cannot be dealt).

Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson
Mock Draft Possibilities
A review of a variety of sources has the following players as possible Packers' picks for the early rounds of the draft.

Round 1 - Thursday, April 30

• Jalen Collins, CB, LSU -- at least 4 mock drafts have Collins as the Packers first pick
• Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA -- at least 2 mock drafts have Kendricks as the Packers first pick
• Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson -- at least 2 mock drafts have Collins as the Packers first pick
• Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
• Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State -- at least 3 mock drafts have McKinney as the Packers first pick
• Marcus Peters, CB, Washington -- at least 2 mock drafts have Peters as the Packers first pick
• Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
• Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
• Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami
• Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
• Malcom Brown, DT, Texas -- at least 2 mock drafts have Brown as the Packers first pick
• Byron Jones, CB, UConn -- at least 2 mock drafts have Jones as the Packers first pick
• Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia

Our take...not our pick
What's our take on all these wonderful possibilities? We tend to agree with many of the mocks that acknowledge the Packers' need for inside linebacker help -- especially after the release of A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones -- but think there will be opportunities there for the Packers in the 2nd round. With Tramon Williams and Davon House no longer in the defensive backfield, a good young cornerback is just what the doctor ordered to help bolster that part of the defense. Yes, the Packers need linebacker help and could also use some help on the defensive line, as well, despite the re-signing of B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion. But value at cornerback in the first round should be enough to get Thompson to pull the trigger on one of the aforementioned cornerback prospects.

On the other hand, if Thompson thinks one of those players might still be available a few picks down the road, we can well imagine him trading down for a second round selection, somewhere between 40-50, so he can perhaps pick up an additional pick or two later on. He's done it before. You know he'll do it again. Whether the Packers have a definite selection they really want, or whether they can roll with the flow a bit, we'll have to wait to see.

We'll be back with more in the coming days about the draft. Stay tuned...

Go Pack Go!!!

What to make of the Packers 2015 schedule?

The Green Bay Packers and their fans learned about the 2015 schedule on Tuesday evening. Actually, bits and pieces started to leak out before the evening NFL announcement, particularly the fact that the game at which the Pack will retire former QB Brett Favre's number will be a Thanksgiving evening game against Da Bears. What could be better? Oh, and that home Thanksgiving game will be the first such game the team has played since 1923. If memory serves, that was just four years after the founding of the Packers and just two years after the team joined the fledgling National Football League (then called the American Professional Football Association). Yowza!

Photo of Brett Favre from officialbrettfavre.com
So...there's that. Actually, Favre's number will be officially "retired" at his induction into the Packers Hall of Fame on July 18. The Thanksgiving ceremony will see that number go up inside Lambeau Field. Favre's name and number will go up alongside such legendary names as Bart Starr, Tony Canadeo, Don Hutson, Ray Nitschke and Reggie White. See Favre announce the number retirement on his SQOR page here.

Back to the schedule...upon full release we found the following schedule (you can also always find the Packers 2015 schedule in our "Links" area in the righthand column):

PRESEASON
(WEEK DATE OPPONENT KICKOFF TV)

• 1 - Thursday, August 13 at New England Patriots 6:30 p.m. state
• 2 - Sunday, August 23 at Pittsburgh Steelers 7 p.m. state
• 3 - Saturday, August 29 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (Midwest Shrine Game - GOLD PKG.) 7 p.m. state
• 4 - Thursday, September 3 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (Bishop's Charities Game) 6 p.m. state

REGULAR SEASON
(WEEK DATE OPPONENT KICKOFF TV)

• 1 - Sunday, September 13 at Chicago Bears 12 p.m. FOX
• 2 - Sunday, September 20 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 7:30 p.m. NBC
• 3 - Monday, September 28 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (GOLD PKG.) 7:30 p.m. ESPN
• 4 - Sunday, October 4 at San Francisco 49ers 3:25 p.m. FOX
• 5 - Sunday, October 11 ST. LOUIS RAMS *12 p.m. CBS
• 6 - Sunday, October 18 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS *3:25 p.m. CBS
• 7 - Sunday, October 25 BYE
  
• 8 - Sunday, November 1 at Denver Broncos *7:30 p.m. NBC
• 9 - Sunday, November 8 at Carolina Panthers *12 p.m. FOX
• 10 - Sunday, November 15 DETROIT LIONS (GOLD PKG.) *12 p.m. FOX
• 11 - Sunday, November 22 at Minnesota Vikings *12 p.m. FOX
• 12 - Thursday, November 26 CHICAGO BEARS (Thanksgiving - BRETT FAVRE NUMBER RETIREMENT CEREMONY) 7:30 p.m. NBC
• 13 - Thursday, December 3 at Detroit Lions 7:25 p.m. CBS/NFL
• 14 - Sunday, December 13 DALLAS COWBOYS *3:25 p.m. FOX
• 15 - Sunday, December 20 at Oakland Raiders *3:05 p.m. FOX
• 16 - Sunday, December 27 at Arizona Cardinals *3:25 p.m. FOX
• 17 - Sunday, January 3 MINNESOTA VIKINGS *12 p.m. FOX

* Start time and broadcast may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling ** All times are Central

What's the early take on the schedule?

The ESPN pundits have the Packers winning the NFC North Division with an 11-5 record. They have the ViQueens coming in second at 9-7, the Lions being their middling selves at 8-8 and Da Bears bringing up the rear at 7-9. To the last we can only say (in best Seinfeld voice), that's a shame. If you want to see what ESPN's Packers reporter, Rob Demovsky, predicts game-by-game, you can do so here.

For yours truly, it's far too soon to make the game-by-game picks. And actually, regular readers of this blog will know we don't make game-by-game picks anyway, at least prior to the start of the season; we do make weekly game picks during the regular season. Instead, just prior to the start of the season -- after we've had a look at the team in preseason, know who is on the roster, what the injury status is, etc. -- we make our season win-loss prediction by breaking the season up into quarters. It's just an easier way for this prognosticator to look at the season as a whole. And we've typically been pretty darn close in our season projections. So come back in early September for that post. OK, if you'd care to, please stop back in more often, before then, because we'll have a lot more coming in the days, weeks and months ahead. In fact, next up will be commentary on the upcoming NFL Draft. Lots of fun in store. Stick with us.

Go Pack Go!!!

2015 Draft Coming Soon

The headline states the obvious, doesn't it, Packer fans? The 2015 NFL Draft -- being held in Chicago this year -- will soon be upon us. With the departure of key players in the defensive backfield and others in the linebacking corps, what will GM Ted Thompson do? And with only Scott Tolzein as the backup to QB Aaron Rodgers, will Thompson draft a capable backup for the first time in ages?

Stay tuned. We'll have more about the draft as it approaches, including, perhaps, a compilation of possible first round pick possibilities. Because once past the first round...hey, you might as well throw darts at balloons to make your mock draft picks. We aren't going to go that route. We have better things to do with our time and we're pretty certain you do, as well.

In the meantime, you can always check out real-time news and updates about the Packers by visiting our Amazing 2nd Page!. It really is...amazing! Really.