What to Watch for at the NFL Scouting Combine: Monday Edition

Position Groups: Defensive Linemen, Linebackers

Potential Packers Targets: Dee Ford, Jackson Jeffcoat, C.J Mosley, Trent Murphy, Louis Nix

Overview: While the first few days of the NFL Combine featured position groups of lesser importance to the Packers, Monday begins the real heart of combine scouting for Ted Thompson's crew.

If last year's performance established anything, it's how undermanned the middle of Green Bay's defense has become. The safety play was among the poorest in the league, with the inside linebackers not far behind. The Packers seem likely to address both positions somewhere in the draft. Additionally, if B.J. Raji is allowed to depart in free agency, a replacement nose tackle would become a high priority.

While he's unlikely to remain on the board long enough for the Packers, Alabama's C.J. Mosley would add speed and playmaking to a unit that hasn't seem much of either since Desmond Bishop's hamstring tear in the 2012 preseason. At nose tackle, Notre Dame's Louis Nix is a possibility. As with most players at the position, Nix has struggled to control his weight, though he's down to the 330s after playing well above that in college.

But the Packers could also look address their pass rush. After strong showings in the National Championship Game and Senior Bowl, Dee Ford looks like a viable option in the late-first or second round. While he would be making the transition from defensive end, Ford's quickness and size (6-2, 252) suggests a smoother conversion than former first rounder Nick Perry. Likewise, Texas' Jackson Jeffcoat could be another candidate to move from a three-point stance to linebacker.