We are now four days before the start of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit. The Green Bay Packers have 11 picks in the upcoming draft, which includes five selections in the top 100. Since 2001, I have been doing mock drafts for the Packers for publications like Packer Report, Wisconsin Sports Online, Bleacher Report and this site. Over the past decade or so, I have utilized the insights and expertise of NFL scout Chris Landry. I am using his scouting reports, his horizontal draft board and his list of the best players in the 2024 NFL draft as a guide to my selections in this mock draft for the Pack.
The Packers would love to come close to what they achieved in the 1958 draft, when thanks to the scouting prowess of Jack Vainisi, the Packers ended up selected three players who would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Those three players were fullback Jim Taylor, middle linebacker Ray Nitschke and right guard/kicker Jerry Kramer. Thanks to those players and many others who played under head coach Vince Lombardi, the Packers won five NFL titles in seven years, including the first two Super Bowl games. In that period, the Packers also won three NFL championships in a row, which is a feat that has never been duplicated since the playoff era began in 1933. Speaking of Kramer, I recently co-authored a book with Jerry, called Run to Win: My Packers Life From Lombardi To Canton. You can find the book at Amazon and just about every major bookstore outlet.
Back to the 2024 NFL draft now. General manager Brian Gutekunst has put together a very talented young team for head coach Matt LaFleur. The team is led by Jordan Love, who had an exceptional first year starting at quarterback. Love threw 32 touchdown passes versus just 11 interceptions for 4,159 yards and had a passer rating of 96.1. Love also led the Packers to the playoffs in his first year as a starter, something that both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers weren’t able to do. Plus, Love performed very well in the postseason as well, as he threw five touchdown passes versus two picks for 466 yards in two games and had a passer rating of 108.6.
Gutekunst had an exceptional draft in 2023, when he was able to bring aboard nice offensive talent to strengthen that side of the football run by LaFleur and led by Love, as he selected tight end Luke Musgrave, wide receiver Jayden Reed, tight end Tucker Kraft and wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks The defense was also bolstered with the selections of defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness, defensive lineman Colby Wooden, defensive lineman Karl Brooks and cornerback Carrington Valentine.
In my 2024 NFL mock draft for the Packers, I wanted to address a number of issues regarding the roster of the Packers going into the 2024 NFL draft. First off, in free agency, the Packers made a big splash when they signed running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney. They also recently signed offensive tackle Andre Dillard, plus signed kicker Greg Joseph to compete with Anders Carlson for the placekicking job in 2024.
The Packers also re-signed cornerback/return man Keisean Nixon, running back AJ Dillon, cornerback Corey Ballantine, tight end Tyler Davis, linebacker Eric Wilson, linebacker Kristian Welch and cornerback Robert Rochell.
The Packers also made some very painful cuts to their roster, including running back Aaron Jones, offensive tackle David Bakhtiari and linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. The team also saw players like guard Jon Runyan, offensive tackle Yosh Nijman, tight end Josiah Deguara, safety Darnell Savage and safety Jonathan Owens leave via free agency.
The Packers have a new defensive coordinator in 2024, with Jeff Hafley, the former Boston College head coach, now leading that side of the ball. The Packers are also changing to a 4-3 scheme defensively, which is similar to the defense that the San Francisco 49ers run. The key to improving the D is improving the run defense, which has been mediocre at best the past few years.
In my 2024 mock, I try to address the issues on both the offense and defense of the Packers, plus later in my mock, I focus on players who can excel on the special teams units coached by Rich Bisaccia.
Round 1: Defensive Lineman Darius Robinson (Missouri)
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 285 pounds
In 2023, Darius Robinson was first-team All-SEC. Led the team with 14 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks. Had 43 tackles, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Was also the team captain for the Tigers.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Darius Robinson is a physically imposing defender with the length, strength and motor to cause serious disruption from the interior. His long arms and brute force can knock offensive linemen off-balance in the initial exchange, and his relentless pursuit allows him to cover a large area. His Run Defense Total Points Rating of 96 speaks for itself. He uses a quick, strong get-off to win at the point of attack, with long arms to set the edge and quick swim moves to work his way into the backfield.
“He has a long, strong frame and even at nearly 300 pounds, he looks more like an edge. With that, he’s a good athlete whose motor runs hot at all times, competing from snap to whistle. He’s not the most refined rusher, but his upside is enormous.”
Round 2: Offensive Tackle Jordan Morgan (Arizona State)
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 311 pounds
Jordan Morgan started 33 games at left tackle in his career at Arizona State. He was Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 Conference in 2022 and was first-team All-Pac 12 Conference in 2023.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Jordan Morgan has a lot of experience at left tackle, and his athleticism could keep him there in the NFL. Morgan might not have the length to hold up at left tackle, but he could be an elite guard or a solid right tackle in the NFL. Morgan does a great job of blocking on the move.”
Round 2: Linebacker Payton Wilson (North Carolina State)
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 233 pounds
Payton Wilson won the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year Award and Butkus Award (nation’s top LB). Was also first-team Associated Press All-American. Plus was ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-ACC. Wilson was ranked fifth in the FBS with 138 tackles and was tied for seventh with 17.5 tackles for a loss, plus had six sacks and three interceptions.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Payton Wilson was the Will linebacker in NC State’s base-3-3-5 defense where he also dropped down as a true edge rusher a fair amount. While Wilson played in more than 45 games throughout his career, he has an extensive injury history that has cut multiple seasons short.
“Wilson has a long, narrow frame and could stand to put on more muscle tone, especially in his lower half. In terms of motor and competitiveness, Wilson’s are off the charts. His “get knocked down, get back up” mentality is apparent after having had to go through so many rehabs and still getting back on the field to play at a high level.”
Round 3: Offensive Lineman Tanor Bortolini (Wisconsin)
Height: 6″4′
Weight: 303 pounds
Tanor Bortolini was Academic All-Big Ten in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Was Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2022.
Bortolini started 27 games in his career at Wisconsin, starting 13 games at center, 13 games at guard (left and right) and one at tight end. Also played right tackle at times.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“There are many reasons why Tanor Bortolini could be drafted much higher than he is projected. Bortolini comes from one of the best offensive line schools in the country and started games at five different positions, including center, right tackle, left guard and tight end.
“Not only is Bortolini versatile, but he is a supreme athlete. He ran a 4.94-second 40-yard dash at 303 pounds and recorded a 9.76 RAS. That ranked him 38th all-time (out of 1,523 guards), and he is one of this classes’ top athletes. Bortolini should be considered a lock top-100 pick because of his experience and athleticism.”
Round 3: Safety Cole Bishop (Utah)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 206 pounds
In 2023, Cole Bishop was second-team All-Pac-12 Conference. Had 60 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss with three sacks, two interceptions, three pass breakups and one forced fumble. Was also the team captain for the Utes.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Cole Bishop is an active and disruptive safety with great size, and if you follow him closely, he’s always around the ball. He’s an instinctive player with a ton of experience and was a leader on the backend of a stout Utes defense.”
Round 4: Cornerback Elijah Jones (Boston College)
Height: 6’ 1 1/2’’
Weight: 185 pounds
Elijah Jones was first-team All-ACC. Jones led the team with five interceptions and eight pass breakups. Played under Jeff Hafley, the new defensive coordinator of the Packers, at Boston College.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Before the Senior Bowl I had not seen video on Boston College cornerback Elijah Jones before I got here this week. He is on the American roster. He has jumped out at me with his length, his poise at the moment of truth (playing the ball) and at the line of scrimmage when playing press coverage. He has confidence in his speed, so he can be patient and not react with panic, because he is confident he can catch up with that speed, should he get a step or two behind.”
Round 5: Running Back Isaiah Davis (South Dakota State)
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 218 pounds
Isaiah Davis was first-team Associated Press FCS All-American. Plus, was Missouri Valley Football Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year and was first-team All-MVFC. Led the FCS with 1,578 rushing yards (236 carries, 6.7 per). Tied for the FCS lead with 18 rushing TDs. Was also team captain for the Jackrabbits.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Davis, 6-foot and 218 pounds, is reminiscent of former Cardinals and Texans running back David Johnson. He’s a taller, more upright runner from a small school. With 1,578 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in 2023, Davis can produce explosive plays.
“Although he only caught 53 passes in four seasons, NFL teams needed to see his comfort level while running routes out of the backfield and locating the ball. According to Tony Pauline of SportsKeeda, he looked “exceptional” in pass-catching drills at his pro day.”
Round 6: Running Back Jase McClellan (Alabama)
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 221 pounds
In his career at Alabama, Jase McClellan rushed for 1,981 yards and 18 touchdowns. Also caught 40 passes for 409 yards and six touchdowns.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“In terms of the Alabama running backs, none of the backs are scary. Jase McClellan is probably the best one. They don’t have a lot of shifty guys, but they run hard and get downhill. McClellan has good vision and balance.
“McClellan, a senior, led all Alabama rushers with 890 yards and scored eight TDs. He missed the Georgia game with a foot injury. In the Rose Bowl versus Michigan, McClellan rushed for 87 yards and had two TDs.”
Round 6: Offensive Lineman Tyler Grable (UCF)
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 306 pounds
Tyler Grable has started 38 games at left tackle in his collegiate career, 27 at UCF and 11 at Jacksonsville State. Was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 in 2023 by the coaches.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“The UCF Knights have several players who could get drafted in the later rounds or, at minimum, be priority free agents for NFL teams, but left tackle Tylan Grable is our staff’s highest-graded prospect. We first came across Grable two years ago when he was playing for Jacksonville State. One of JSU’s coaches gave us a heads-up about the athletic former high school quarterback turned offensive lineman, telling us that Grable would likely end up at an FBS program the following year. That school turned out to be UCF. Grable is a still-developing player who has the feet and overall athleticism to play at the next level.”
Round 7: Linebacker Darius Muasau (UCLA)
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 225 pounds
In his five-year career at Hawaii and UCLA, Darius Muasau had 436 total tackles, 40 tackles for a loss, 16.5 sacks, five interceptions, 14 passes defended, recovered four fumbles and forced six fumbles. Was also a force on special teams.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“The best linebacker at the Shrine Bowl, Darius Muasau (more than 50 combined starts between UCLA and Hawaii) led a stingy Bruins defense with 38 run stops last season. He showed great burst and fluidity in coverage this week and was the most physical in the group via run fits.
“Muasau also was the loudest linebacker on the field and seemed to be the most in control setting defenses during team periods. He could be bigger, but he’s a quality high-floor linebacker prospect.”
Round 7: Safety Tyler Owens (Texas Tech)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 216 pounds
Tyler Owens played in 39 games at both Texas and Texas Tech. Has limited playing experience at safety (only one interception and five pass breakups) but is physical (two forced fumbles) and fast and has had impressive flashes at times. Owens big calling card is his exceptional special teams play.
Chris Landry Scouting Report:
“Tyler Owens notched a ridiculous 10.29-second 100-meter dash back in high school. There’s no denying Owens has elite top speed.
“Owens’ speed shows up on film, too. There are times when his technique and awareness make him play slower than he is, but when he gets to stride out and cover ground, there’s no denying who the fastest man on the field is.”
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