2012 NFL Mock Draft: Green Bay Packers Take Illinois OLB/DE Whitney Mercilus

After back-to-back offseasons of neglecting their need at outside linebacker, the Green Bay Packers and general manager Ted Thompson now have an opportunity in the 2012 NFL Draft to rectify that mistake and take an impact player to plug-in opposite Clay Matthews for 2012.

While the Packers went a franchise record 15-1 in the regular season, they did so by masking their complete inability to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

A part of the problem was losing Cullen Jenkins in free agency, but it also stemmed from the lack of production from Erik Walden, Brad Jones and Co. opposite Matthews. Without another pass rusher on the roster that opponents had to game-plan for, Matthews was routinely swallowed up by double- and triple-teams.

With all that in mind, let's take a look at who the Packers could select at pick No. 28 to help alleviate their problem at right outside linebacker.   

1.  Indianapolis Colts—Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford 

2.  St. Louis Rams—Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

3.  Minnesota Vikings—Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4.  Cleveland Browns—Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

5.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6.  Washington Redskins—Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars—Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina  

8.  Carolina Panthers—Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

9.  Miami Dolphins—Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

10.  Buffalo Bills—Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

11.  Kansas City Chiefs—Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

12.  Seattle Seahawks—Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

13.  Arizona Cardinals—Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

14.  Dallas Cowboys—Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

15.  Philadelphia Eagles—Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College 

16.  New York Jets—Nick Perry, LB, USC

17.  Cincinnati Bengals—Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

18.  San Diego Chargers—David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

19.  Chicago Bears—Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

20.  Tennessee Titans—Zach Brown, OLB, UNC 

21.  Cincinnati Bengals—Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22.  Cleveland Browns—Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor  

23.  Detroit Lions—Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers—Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia 

25.  Denver Broncos—Devon Still, DL, Penn State

26.  Houston Texans—Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

27.  New England Patriots—Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

28.  Green Bay Packers—Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

The Packers would love to get their hands on a guy like Courtney Upshaw, who has experience playing in the 3-4 at Alabama and could be an impact player from Day 1 in the pros. But if the Packers stay put at No. 28, Upshaw will be lone gone by the time Thompson has the chance to choose.

Given Thompson's history of moving up in the first round, it's rather safe to assume he'll stay put. If he does, Mercilus could be the kind of high ceiling pass rusher that gets the Packers to pull the trigger.

He'll need to show he can play standing up, but there's no reason to think that Green Bay would pass on a budding pass rush talent like Mercilus if he does in fact prove an ability to play in the Packers' scheme.

Other names to consider at ROLB: Melvin Ingram, South Carolina; Brandon Jenkins, Florida State; Nick Perry, USC; Andre Branch, Clemson; Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma.   

29.  Baltimore Ravens—Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

30.  San Francisco 49ers—Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers

31.  New York Giants—Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama    

32.  New England Patriots—Mark Barron, S, Alabama