Over at my fellow SB Nation website Mocking The Draft, the NFL writers of SB Nation are conducting a mock draft of round 1 and 2 over the next couple weeks. I selected Florida State DE/LB Everette Brown:
The Packers really need a player like Florida State's DE Everette Brown. The pass rush has struggled the last couple seasons and the complete collapse (and eventual release) of DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila left them with little pass rush from the weak side. They really need a DE/LB Terrell Suggs type player who can provide double digit sacks, line up as a down lineman, and be able to drop back in pass coverage when needed. Brown had 13.5 sacks last season at Florida State and is one of the top pass rushers available in a draft that isn't loaded with them. The Packers would be very fortunate if he was still available with the ninth overall selection.
I did mention the dreaded DE Jamal Reynolds jinx in the next paragraph and admitted he was no slam dunk. But Mocking Dan concurred with my pick:
Brandon hit the reasoning perfectly. For the 3-4 the Packers plan on using, finding someone to get after the quarterback is key. Brown is arguably the best 3-4 outside linebacker in this class and could end up being very similar to Suggs.
There is something to like about all the players picked ahead of Brown, although Georgia QB Matthew Stafford would make no sense for the Packers. I hoped Boston College DT B.J. Raji would fall to the Packers, but he went number 8 to Jacksonville in our mock draft. The Packers have to improve the run defense and Raji would certainly help with that. But adding a talent like Brown, and moving LB Brady Poppinga to the bench, would help too.
With Raji and Brown off the board, Dan said the top remaining prospects were CB Malcolm Jenkins, OT Michael Oher, RB Knowshon Moreno, MLB Rey Maualuga, and WR Jeremy Maclin. Another player frequently mentioned on this site is DE/OLB Aaron Maybin, and although Buffalo took him with pick number 11, he isn't expected to go that high. Which of those six players would you prefer instead of Brown?