Who Are the Experts Predicting to Green Bay Packers in 1st Round of NFL Draft?

The Green Bay Packers' draft needs have been well-known for months now, so even as draft weekend approaches many of the players mocked to Green Bay in Round 1 have remained the same. 

However, there are a few divisions among experts in terms of which position the Packers will target with their first selection (cornerback, inside linebacker or defensive tackle?) and then which player would be the best fit among those.

As for this expert, I'm not convinced the Packers won't trade out of the first round entirely. 

With just over three weeks to go until the draft, let's take a look at the prospects most recently mocked to the Packers by experts from NFL.com, CBSSports.com, ESPN.com, Sporting News and SB Nation. 

Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma

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Expert(s) Predicting: Bucky Brooks, NFL.com; Mel Kiper, ESPN.com

The Packers have re-signed defensive tackles B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion to one-year deals, but that hasn't stopped the experts from predicting that the Packers go that direction with their 30th pick. 

ESPN's Mel Kiper has been mocking Oklahoma's Jordan Phillips to Green Bay consistently since early March. Brooks has had the Packers taking Phillips in every mock draft he's done except one.

However, it's unclear if the analysts have reflected their mocks to update the Packers' free-agency moves, as Brooks notes that Phillips could be an "ideal replacement for B.J. Raji," while Kiper says if he "lined up needs for the Packers right now, it would be interior lineman as the top need, followed by an inside linebacker."

I was also high on Phillips back in January when it looked like the Packers could lose both Raji and/or Guion in free agency. Even though both re-signed, it's only for one season, so this year isn't a bad time to draft and develop a future nose tackle.

However, the first round is a high pick to spend on a player who may not see many snaps in 2015. Phillips' health (back) has been a lingering question this offseason, 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. 

At this point, many other prospects would have to be off the board already for the Packers to select Phillips, or they might miss him altogether by trading out of the first.  

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

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Expert(s) Predicting: Ron Clements, Sporting News; Dan Kadar, SB Nation

LSU product Jalen Collins is a relatively recent prospect prediction for the Packers, first appearing in mocks in early April. That timing makes sense, as the need for a cornerback rose for Green Bay after it let both Tramon Williams and Davon House walk in free agency, and as Collins' draft stock has risen. 

Clements wrote that Collins "has tremendous upside because of his combination of height, weight and speed," noting that he had three career interceptions and 19 passes defensed over three seasons at LSU. 

Collins wasn't initially seen as a second-round prospect, given that he only has 10 starts in his career. But his stock is rising in part due to P.J. Williams falling after being arrested for a DUI. Team needs could still cause five or six cornerbacks to go in Round 1, and Collins could find his name being called among them.

However, the Packers aren't a team driven by needs, and No. 30 still feels too high for them to take Collins. If he's the best option on the board for them at that pick, expect them to trade down.

Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

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Expert(s) Predicting: Charles Davis, NFL.com; Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com

There are a few prospects for whom it would be worth staying put at No. 30, and Wake Forest product Kevin Johnson is one of them. 

If Johnson falls to the Packers at No. 30, it's likely Ted Thompson could draft a cornerback in the first round for the first time in his tenure in Green Bay. 

"With the loss of Tramon Williams to Cleveland, this smooth cover guy gets the nod over a LB," Davis wrotes. Cornerbacks are somewhat risky first-round picks, given how hard it is for them to excel at the NFL level, but then there's really only one linebacker worth taking at No. 30 (and he is next on this list). 

Johnson was a combine star, a top performer in the vertical jump (41.5 inches), broad jump (130 inches), three-cone drill (6.79 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (3.89 seconds). He's a little lighter than would be ideal (188 lbs), but that leanness translates into speed and fluid hips when changing direction in coverage.

His size is also a false indicator of Johnson's durability: he had 41 starts at Wake Forest, never missing a game due to injury. He'd be a nice replacement for Williams in that regard. 

Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA

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Expert(s) Predicting: Rob Rang, CBSSports.com

It's a surprise more experts don't have UCLA inside linebacker Eric Kendricks going to the Packers at No. 30.

The most complete player at his position in this year's class and a near-consensus first-round pick, there aren't many teams ahead of Green Bay, aside from the Indianapolis Colts, who would compete for him. 

While other inside linebackers like Denzel Perryman and Benardrick McKinney have fallen out of the first-round mocks completely, Kendricks remains due to his ability to do it all: rush the passer, stop the run and be quick in coverage. 

Kendricks' size (6'0, 232 pounds) could be part of what's preventing more analysts from mocking him to Green Bay, but his skill set supersedes his lack of length.

"Kendricks lacks the bulk of a traditional 3-4 inside linebacker but his instincts, speed and ball-skills could be the quick fix GM Ted Thompson is looking for," wrote Rang. 

He led the Pac-12 with 150 tackles in 2012 and finished his career by winning the Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, leading the country with 101 solo tackles.

If the Packers keep their pick at No. 30, drafting Kendricks is a wise way to use it.

Marcus Peters, CB, Ex-Washington

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Expert(s) Predicting: Will Brinson, CBSSports.com

Marcus Peters has managed to solidify himself as a likely first-round prospect this year despite concerns over his dismissal from Washington last fall.

In fact, the reason more experts don't have the Packers selecting him is that in their mocks, he's already off the board. 

Just as with Kevin Johnson, cornerbacks are a gamble in Round 1 and Peters, with his reported past behavior problems, is doubly one. Teams heard from him at the combine that he has learned from his mistakes and matured, and now they'll have to decide whether or not to take him at his word. 

Red flags aside, Peters is one of, if not the most talented corners in this year's class. "Combining length, ball-skills and the agility. ... Peters' talent warrants a first-round grade and perhaps even top 15 consideration," writes Rang. 

Peters led the Huskies with five interceptions in 2013 and had three more in 2014 prior to his dismissal. His size (6'0", 196 pounds), ability to be disruptive and solid cover skills could allow him to compete with Casey Hayward for the starting outside job in Green Bay.