A Scout's Take on Defensive Linemen in the Draft Who Might Intrigue the Packers

When the 2015 NFL draft takes place on April 30, the Green Bay Packers will be looking to improve their defense first and foremost. The three primary positions that the Packers are looking to improve are at inside linebacker, nose tackle and cornerback.

The biggest weakness defensively for the Packers in 2014 was the team's inability to stop the run. In fact, after Week 9, Green Bay was ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing defense.

That was when the Packers made a significant change in their approach about stopping the run. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers moved outside linebacker Clay Matthews inside on running downs, plus markedly increased the playing time for second-year linebacker Sam Barrington.

Between that and the improved play of nose tackle Letroy Guion, the Packers were much better at stopping the run in the second half of the season. By the end of the season, the Packers improved to the point where the team was ranked 23rd in run defense.

That was a nice improvement, but it has to get much better in 2015. That is why the Packers are looking to upgrade their depth and talent at both inside linebacker and at nose tackle.

The Packers may find some help for the defensive trenches before the draft even takes place. That help could come from B.J. Raji. No. 90 missed all of the 2014 season due to a biceps tear in the preseason.

Up to that point, Raji was having a very nice training camp, as he was strictly playing nose tackle and not moving over to defensive end like he had done in previous seasons.

In 2010, when he was exclusively a nose tackle, Raji had 39 tackles and 6.5 sacks. Not to mention the interception for a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game that year versus the Bears.

Raji was looking like that player before he was injured last summer. The former Boston College star had signed a $4 million deal for just one season to stay with the Pack in 2014. Raji was trying to show the Packers and the NFL that he could be the player he was in 2010.

Earlier this week, Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote a nice story about Raji and how hard he is working to get ready for 2015 and beyond.

"I've got to dominate on the field and then we can start talking," Raji told Dunne. "Like I say to my friends, I'll say to you: My business is to get back on the field, stay healthy for a year, dominate like I know I can and then everything else will take care of itself."

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The Packers want the unrestricted free agent Raji back. They also want the unrestricted free agent Guion back. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, the Packers were working on a new contract for Guion before his felony arrest in early February.

In early March, Demovsky reported that Guion will get deferred probation regarding that arrest. That means that Guion will not be facing any jail time but still might get suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Bottom line, I think there is a real chance that both Raji and Guion will indeed be back. Probably via one-year "prove it to me" deals.

Even with that, the Packers will be looking to add some more talent to the nose tackle position in the upcoming draft. There are three prospects at that position that the Packers might be able to select at pick No. 30 in the first round or perhaps even in the second round.

Those prospects are Eddie Goldman of Florida State, Jordan Phillips of Oklahoma and Carl Davis of Iowa.

Like I normally do each week, I was able to talk with NFL scout Chris Landry about those three prospects on 620 WDAE's Steve Duemig Show on Friday.

Landy talked about Goldman, a player I've been able to watch quite often the past couple of seasons. In 2013 and 2014, the 6'4", 336-pound Goldman had 54 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, six sacks and one forced fumble.

Goldman did not take part in the NFL Scouting Combine due to injury.

"Goldman is a big junior tackle out of Florida State," Landry said. "He's a good interior run defender. That's what he can do very well. He can be very effective in that.

"He's not going to get you much in the pass rush, that's what you expect from a 336-pound guy."

Landry then talked about the 6'5", 329-pound Phillips, who had a nice year for the Sooners in 2014, as he had 39 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and two sacks.

At the combine, Phillips had 28 reps in the bench press, plus ran a 5.17 in the 40, which is pretty impressive based on his size.

"Jordan Phillips reminds me a lot of Terrance Knighton who came out of Temple a few years ago and who just signed a one-year deal [with the Redskins]," Landry said. "A little bit of a weight issue.

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"An explosive guy. He's 329 pounds. He's a massive guy. He's got really good foot quickness. Good hands and feet for his size. But very inconsistent, just like "Pot Roast" [Knighton] was coming out."

Landry finally talked about the Davis, who had a very nice week at the Senior Bowl. In his last two years with the Hawkeyes, Davis had 78 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks.

At the combine, Davis did not compete in the bench press drill, but he did run a pretty quick 5.07 in the 40, plus had a 33 inch vertical jump.

"Carl just lit it up at the Senior Bowl," Landry said. "Here's the issue with Carl that I have with him. He was outstanding. You could make a case that he was the MVP of the Senior Bowl week.

"He's 6'4" and 5/8ths and is 320 pounds. He's a really good looking player but very inconsistent on tape. A couple of things are at play.

"He played two gap [3-4] at Iowa, so he's not making a ton of plays. Got to keep that in mind. The issue is that some of the effort wasn't good. He's not the explosive 4-3 tackle, but he's better to me in a one gap [4-3] scheme.

"He's got better above average quickness and I don't like him as much in a two gap. So, all those things need to be factored in. For Green Bay for example, they are going to be wondering can he play as well in the two gap scheme when he struggled with that at Iowa. That would be a concern."

Time will tell what the Packers will do about the nose tackle position for the 2015 season, but it appears that they have a number of options there, both in free agency and the draft.