Updating Green Bay Packers' 1st-Round Big Board Post-Combine

The 2015 NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and the Green Bay Packers have even further solidified their draft board heading into April. Ted Thompson and his team of scouts had confirmed formal or informal interviews with at least 32 prospects, per this list that Acme Packing Company has been keeping, and likely many more. 

Prior to the combine, I broke down five players who were sure to be on Green Bay's Round 1 big board. The combine shouldn't override what Packers scouts have been studying on tape for months, but certain prospects are more likely to be at the top of Green Bay's list than others coming out of the weekend. 

The positions have remained the same; expect the Packers to address inside linebacker, defensive tackle/nose tackle, cornerback or tight end in Round 1. However, a few new prospects have been included.

These selections do not necessarily overrule the previous big board but rather shine a light on additional prospects Green Bay may be considering with the 30th pick. 

5. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Marcus Peters is one of the best press corners in the 2015 draft class, but his past will cause him to fall farther than his talent should dictate in the draft. It could be an ideal scenario value-wise for the Green Bay Packers—if they can look past his character concerns. 

Peters was dismissed from the University of Washington in November for what he called “miscommunication” with coach Chris Petersen, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. An NFL.com report quoted an anonymous scout who said Peters got into a physical altercation with an assistant coach; however, members of Washington's coaching staff refuted that claim.

“That obviously never, never happened,” UW defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake told Adam Jude of The Seattle Times in December.

Peters also denied the incident at the combine, per Wood. But his dismissal remains a question mark, and Green Bay has to weigh whether his potential outweighs his past issues. 

Per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Peters confirmed he had a formal interview with the Packers in Indianapolis. Their conclusions about his history will decide if he remains on their Round 1 big board. The question will be if he's coachable; if not, he won't work out in Green Bay. 

Peters ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the combine and had a vertical jump of 37.5 inches. He is one of the top cover corners in the draft and is primed to excel against the league's top receivers, many of whom play in the NFC North. 

Peters "competes hard out of press-man coverage and tries to intimidate receivers with his physicality," writes Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. He "can redirect talented receivers with his length and flat-out stuff receivers with marginal foot quickness and strength."

With Tramon Williams and Davon House being impending free agents, Green Bay's need for an outside corner could become pressing. Assuming whichever free agent the Packers re-sign starts opposite Sam Shields, Peters could benefit from sub-package snaps as he proves his readiness at the pro level. 

Cornerback P.J. Williams out of Florida State occupied this spot in the previous Round 1 big board, and if he's available at No. 30, he'd also be a great target for Green Bay. 

4. Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Heading into the combine with a first-round projection, Oklahoma's Jordan Phillips still looks to be a viable option for Green Bay at No. 30. 

With free agent Letroy Guion's arrest on multiple felony drug and weapons charges still unresolved and free agent B.J. Raji coming off a torn bicep, nose tackle is an important position on Green Bay's big board. At 6'5" and 329 pounds, Phillips has the ideal size for the two-gapper nose tackle position. 

Strengthening its front seven has to be Green Bay's top priority this offseason. Prioritizing a run-stuffer like Phillips to anchor the line would help improve Green Bay's No. 23 run defense in 2014. 

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein writes that he is "athletic with nimble feet and pursuit speed of a man much lighter." Given his size, it was impressive that Phillips had a 30-inch vertical jump and a 7.88-second three-cone drill at the combine.

He's "a player who can control blocks with his strength-size combination and can pursue like a much lighter, faster player when he finds a lane," writes ESPN's Mel Kiper, who mocked Phillips to Green Bay at No. 30 in his second mock draft.

Phillips' health in regard to his back has been a lingering question heading into the draft, after he missed much of 2013 with an injury that required surgery. At the combine, he insisted "there's no problem with my back" and that he is "100 percent ready to go," via Acme Packing Company. 

Phillips formally interviewed with the Packers at the combine, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. He met with the entire staff, including his former coach at Oklahoma, Jerry Montgomery, who is now the Packers' defensive front assistant. 

3. Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

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Many would be surprised to see Ted Thompson address the tight end position in Round 1, but the possibility is in play. If Minnesota product Maxx Williams is on the board at No. 30, Thompson may jump at the opportunity to take what is likely one of the best players he has on his board, regardless of more pressing needs.

The Packers had confirmed meetings with three tight ends at the combine, and potentially more, including Williams. 

Williams killed it at the combine; he was a top performer in the 40-yard dash (4.78 seconds), vertical jump (34.5 inches), broad jump (117 inches) and 20-yard shuttle (4.37 seconds).

Williams combines acceleration off the line with great hands. He has "speed to chew up cushion and open a throwing window over the top," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein notes in his draft profile. He "will threaten seam and dominated defenders on wheel routes."

The Packers like how 2014 rookie Richard Rodgers developed toward the end of the season, but after releasing Brandon Bostick, as ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reported, it's safe to assume they'll bring a player in to compete with Rodgers and Andrew Quarless in training camp. 

"

Golden Gophers TE Maxx Williams might be #Packers No. 1 draft target. http://t.co/zwipb9AyIS pic.twitter.com/lyuEq6YIVM

— Robert Zizzo (@robertzizzo) February 19, 2015 "

Williams is the red-zone weapon Aaron Rodgers has been searching for in a tight end, and his presence could allow the Packers to more successfully run the two-tight end sets they like to feature. As Zierlein noted, 82 percent of his catches were for either a first down or touchdown.

A tight end who is both a legitimate pass-catching weapon and an excellent blocker is rare, and Williams could improve his blocking. He "won't generate push as an in-line blocker and has limited feel and instincts as a move blocker," Zierlein notes. 

However, Williams' tape demonstrates that he is able to consistently beat defenders and make an impact in the red zone with his reliable hands. He could well be the best available player at No. 30.

2. Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Mississippi State product Benardrick McKinney was near the top of Green Bay's big board prior to the combine, and it's looking more likely that he'll be available at 30th overall than it was a week ago. 

McKinney was a top performer in the vertical jump (40.5 inches), which was no surprise given his 6'4" height. That was fourth among linebackers. His initial unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.78 seconds "hurt him a little bit," NFL analyst Mike Mayock said, but his official time of 4.66 seconds was better.

McKinney's 16 reps on the bench press were the fewest of any linebacker, but the other side of that coin is his size advantage; he's 6'4" while most of the other linebackers in this class stand closer to (or under, in the case of Denzel Perryman) 6'0".

Though McKinney acknowledged at his media session at the combine that he could improve his coverage, he's better there than Perryman, who is more of a hard-hitting run-stuffer. 

As CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler and Rob Rang note, McKinney "is a well-built and fluid athlete for his size, showing good lateral agility and very impressive acceleration to track down ball-carriers from behind."

Most importantly, McKinney can be an every-down player for Green Bay, something former starters A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones were not doing by the end of the 2014 season.

"He's like a Dont'a Hightower," one scout told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Big, physical guy. I think he can (play every down)."

A three-year starter at Mississippi State, McKinney led the Bulldogs in tackles his last two seasons. After the combine, he's now being projected as a late first-round or early-second round pick; if he's available at No. 30, we'll see if that's where Ted Thompson values him.

1. Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

UCLA inside linebacker Eric Kendricks has replaced Miami inside linebacker Denzel Perryman on this Round 1 big board. 

Perryman's disappointing combine performance isn't the only factor dropping him off this list; measuring in at just 5'11" and a body of work that consistently shows he could be a liability when dropping into coverage are concerning. 

At the combine, Kendricks simply looked like the better fit for what Green Bay needs in the middle. Packers inside linebackers have struggled with speed and covering sideline to sideline for years; Kendricks looks like a solution. 

Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thinks Kendricks "may be the most complete product available" in this year's linebacker class. The inside 'backer understands how important it is for the modern NFL linebacker to not only be stout against the run, but be able to cover as well.

"You saw in the Super Bowl," Kendricks said at the combine, per Dunne, "linebackers are always getting picked on. A linebacker who can cover is a good one. I want to cover, and I can."

His skills match his goals. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein writes that he is "outstanding at sinking hips and changing direction. Exhibits good play speed and is able to cover man-to-man in space. Good zone awareness and makes plays on the ball."

At 6'0", Kendricks doesn't have the desired size for the position, but it's a worthy trade-off for his more complete skill set. The question will be whether he's still on the board by No. 30; NFL draft analyst Josh Norris thinks he's a top-10 talent, but expect him to come off the board a little later than that.