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Though the Green Bay Packers addressed most of their defensive needs during the opening two days of the draft, depth along the edges remained an issue. Wisconsin's Vince Biegel addresses those concerns despite coming off the board in the fourth round.
Like many Wisconsin defenders, Biegel often gets tagged as an "effort" or "high-motor" pass-rusher. Though technically true, those labels ignore his athleticism. Biegel ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.6 range and the 3-cone drill in under seven seconds. He also leapt 33 ½ and 118 inches in the vertical and broad jumps. At 246 pounds, he offers considerably more juice off the edge than Green Bay's 2016 third-round pick, Kyler Fackrell.
Biegel doesn't merely have projectable traits, however. Between 2014 and '15, he produced an impressive 15 ½ sacks and 30 ½ tackles for loss, both among the best marks in the Big Ten. Biegel also earned all-conference honors twice and served as a team captain while at Wisconsin.
Of course, Biegel didn't wait until Day 3 to hear his name for a reason. He turns 24 later this offseason, making him old for a first-year player. His production dropped as a senior, recording just three sacks and five tackles for loss. He might have also raised some red flags during the medical exam at the NFL Scouting Combine. Though Biegel moves well for his size, he lacks ideal bulk for the position at the NFL level.
But waiting until the fourth round mitigates many of those concerns. The Packers needed to get another quality edge rusher, and Biegel could become more than just a part-time pass-rusher.