APC Mock Draft 2018: Packers could trade back into the latter part of round two

The Acme Packing Company Mock Draft for 2018 is coming to a close, and while the Green Bay Packers currently have just one pick in each of the first two rounds, our mock finds them moving up into the back end of round two to make another pick, a play for a wide receiver who continues to fall down the draft board.

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots get a fourth excellent player and the Minnesota Vikings make their final pick in our mock. Check out the remaining picks below as we get ready for round one to start tomorrow.

---

2.54 — Kansas City Chiefs (Tex)

Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn

The Chiefs are rebuilding their secondary this year after trading away Marcus Peters. They acquired Kendall Fuller from Washington in the Alex Smith trade and signed David Amerson after the Raiders Cut him, but there are still question marks at corner. Davis will bring them another big, physical corner who can challenge wideouts at the line of scrimmage. At 6-foot-1 and with nearly 33-inch arms, Davis could end up going earlier in round two. Since KC has no first-round pick and without an edge rusher on the board who I really like, Davis seems like a good fit.

2.55 — Carolina Panthers (Peter)

Justin Reid, S, Stanford

I thought about pulling the trigger on Reid to Carolina in the first round, which tells you how happy I was to see him still here at 55. Reid can provide speed, playmaking, and versatility to the Panthers who play in an offensive-heavy division. We are late in the second round and of all the teams I’ve picked for, I’ve still only taken players I believe are worthy of first-round picks.

2.56 — Buffalo Bills (Jonathan E.)

Braden Smith, G, Auburn

With the very recent news that Richie Incognito is retiring, Guard is now something the Bills will want to address now. Depth at Wide Receiver and Running Back would have been thoughts here, but rounding out this line will be key to another playoff run for the Bills. Smith is a big body and was the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Year (the Jacobs Blocking Trophy). He has some time playing both Tackle and Guard, but Guard will be where he fits in here.

2.57 — Tennessee Titans (Owen)

Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

The Tennessee Titans prided themselves on physicality under Mike Mularkey, and I don’t expect things to change under Mike Vrabel. Enter Nick Chubb, a former high school track star and Nike SPARQ freak who has come back from a disgusting knee injury in 2015.

Pairing Nick Chubb with Derrick Henry could prove to be overwhelming for opposing defenses, who have to account for the running threat of Marcus Mariota, as well as a continuously improving supporting cast for the former #2 overall pick. The Titans could be dangerous this upcoming season.

2.58 — Green Bay Packers (Peter) — TRADE FROM ATL

Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

Tex: While I had my Falcons GM hat on, Peter made me a great trade offer: the Packers’ 76th and 101st picks, plus a 5th-round compensatory pick. I picked up excess value in terms of the trade value chart, and since the Falcons got their DT in round one, I’d be happy if I were Thomas Dimitroff to move back about 18 slots and grab two early day-three picks, including the first pick in round 4.

Peter: I don’t care that Kirk doesn’t fit the Packers traditional athletic profile here, the value was simply too good to pass up. A dynamic kick returner and explosive playmaker, Kirk could be a special teams dynamo and deep threat early in his career with Green Bay as he learns the game. His arrival would make it even easier to allow Randall Cobb to walk when his contract is up next year.

2.59 — San Francisco 49ers (Owen)

Austin Corbett, OG, Nevada

The 49ers improved their secondary in the first round, and improve their offensive line in the 2nd, with a Joel Bitonio clone from Nevada. A left tackle for the Wolfpack, Corbett projects inside at the next level, and he played well down in Mobile during his time at guard.

The Josh Garnett experiment is too fresh to abort just yet, but he hasn’t showed the promise you’d expect of a guard who was traded up for in the first round. Corbett is a better fit for Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme, and should be an immediate upgrade on the offensive line, which wasn’t good a year ago and lost Daniel Kilgore and Brandon Fusco already this offseason.

2.60 — Pittsburgh Steelers (Owen)

Jesse Bates III, S, Wake Forest

Pittsburgh continues to re-tool the defense they’re so well known for. Justin Reid goes only a few picks ahead of the Steelers, but Jesse Bates gives the Steelers a center fielder they’ve lacked since Ryan Clark played with Troy Polamalu.

Bates III is a rising prospect in this draft cycle, and would fill a huge need at free safety. The Steelers continue to load up with young talent on defense to help their offense, which is still among the best in the league, to get over the top and for someone to beat New England in the AFC.

2.61 — Jacksonville Jaguars (Mike)

Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State

Paul Posluszny retired this offseason and the Jags tab Darius Leonard to fill that opening. Leonard has the ability to play the middle or, if they move Myles Jack inside, the outside linebacker position. Leonard impressed at the Senior Bowl and had a great year at SC State, totaling 113 tackles, 8 sacks and 2 interceptions. Some may knock him because he dominated at the FCS level but he has the size and speed that fit the NFL game and could become an impact player quickly.

2.62 — Minnesota Vikings (Jonathan B.)

Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama

It was very tempting to give the Vikings a receiver here. This is clearly an “all in” sort of year for them. I went defense because they have to realize that the Kirk Cousins contract means they will lose several free agents next year. Sharrif Floyd and Terrance Newman are already out there. Next year gets worse as Sheldon Richardson, Trae Waynes, Anthony Barr, Brian Robison and Marcus Sherels are all free agents. That just counts the defensive players. Money is going to get tight and it will be time to restock the cupboards with defensive talent. Averett is a man corner that should fit with the way Zimmer likes to run the defense.

2.63 — New England Patriots (Peter)

Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State

If the Patriots walked out of the first two days of the draft with Sutton, Miller, Hughes, and Goedert (all first-round players on my board), the league should be very, very afraid. Not all of them would be ready to contribute right away, but Bill Belichick would find a way to get them to contribute. The Patriots have the ammo to convert on a serious retooling of this team.

2.64 — Cleveland Browns (Shawn)

Rasheem Green, DE, USC

The Browns continue to build from the ground up and further bolster their defense with an up-and-comer in Green, a former five-star recruit. With Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah already at each end of the defensive line, Cleveland can afford to be patient with Green, who has all the tools to be a successful pro with a bit of grooming. With the potential to slide inside on passing downs, Green could earn snaps as a rookie and help make the Browns’ defensive line as imposing as any across the league in time.

---

Thanks for sticking with us over the last two weeks as we worked our way through the mock. As a reminder, here’s the full board for the full two rounds: