A Packers mock draft

This is an attempt at a Packers mock draft. This isn't a mock draft where I predict what all 32 teams are going to do in the first round or anything like that.

In reality, this is more a list of players I like and what rounds I think they'll be available in. Is this inexact science? You bet.

I was just reading a post on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Packer blog by Rick Klauer and it said, "Not sure how much stock anyone can put into forecasting the second round of the NFL draft, but Scout.com's Chris Steuber takes a crack at pick Nos. 32-63."

Please take this following Packers mock draft for what it's worth, wishful thinking mostly. It's pretty hard to predict what's going to happen in the draft. How many people saw the Packers drafting Justin Harrell last year? Not many. Most draft experts didn't think James Jones would go until at least the fifth round last year. And did anybody outside Idaho even know who Korey Hall was at this time a year ago?

So meet the newest Packers...

1. First round -- Dustin Keller, tight end, Purdue -- Before the NFL Combine, Keller was a mid-round draft choice. Now that he showed he has athletic ability beyond what everyone thought, he's starting to slip into the first round in some mock drafts. The Packers need a tight end and this guy may be the cream of the crop. I can't remember where, but I heard someone compare Keller to Dallas Clark of the Colts. I like that idea.


2. Second round (from Browns) -- Chris Johnson, running back, East Carolina -- Do the Packers absolutely need a running back? Probably not. But Johnson is a lightning fast back that could immediately step in and become the Packers' third down specialist. The running backs in this year's draft class are of the "A" variety. And he can return kicks too. I can see him becoming a bigger, better version of San Diego's Darren Sproles. And the three headed running back monster of Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson and Johnson sounds pretty good. If you watched this past year's Hawaii Bowl, you know how good Johnson is. He set the NCAA all-time bowl record with 408 all purpose yards in a single game.


3. Second round -- Chevis Jackson, cornerback, LSU -- Jackson (pictured) isn't as big as Charles Woodson or Al Harris, but he's just as physical. He's the type of player that can come in and become the nickel defensive back right away. And then he can become a starter down the road.


4. Third round -- Josh Johnson, quarterback, San Diego -- Opinions on Johnson vary wildly. I just read an article the other day that the New England Patriots like Johnson as a wide receiver. And on the other hand, the Sporting News has suggested that Johnson could even be worth a second round draft choice. I just can deny his statistics. He had the best 40 yard dash of any quarterback at the NFL Combine. And he had a touchdown to interception ratio of 43 to 1 his senior year. That's unbelievable. He also had great coaching at San Diego under Jim Harbaugh. I'm firmly on the Johnson bandwagon.


5. Fourth round -- Brian Johnston, defensive end, Gardner-Webb -- I'll admit I don't know that much about Johnston, but I know he's an athlete. He's 6-5, 276 with a 4.66 40 yard dash and a 35 inch vertical. He doesn't need to play right away anyhow. The Packers can certainly afford to groom a player like that.


6. Fourth round (anticipated compensatory selection) -- Oniel Cousins, tackle, UTEP -- This pick may be a bit of a stretch in that Cousins could likely be drafted higher. Walter Football says of him, "After being benched in 2006, Oniel Cousins bounced back with a terrific 2007 campaign, establishing himself as a third- or fourth-round prospect capable of playing in a zone-blocking scheme." Another option might be Ohio State tackle Kirk Barton.


7. Fifth round -- Jamie Silva, safety, Boston College -- Silva would become a special teams contributor in no time. And his ball hawking ability would be hard to keep off the field eventually.


8. Seventh round -- Jamey Richard, center, Buffalo -- With no sixth round choice due to the trade with the New York Giants for Ryan Grant, the Packers will add some depth at center with Richard. They need someone to back up Wells if Spitz is entrenched at guard.

I know drafting skill position players with three out of their top four draft picks just sounds like the chic thing to do, but it might happen. The Packers definitely need a tight end and quarterback, and the depth in this year's class of running backs is just too hard to pass up.