The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has released his second mock draft of this year’s draft cycle.
In his first mock draft, which was released in November, Brugler had the Green Bay Packers selecting Kentucky offensive lineman Darian Kinnard with the 30th pick overall.
Here are the results from his latest mock draft:
Pick 32: DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M
This would be a dream scenario for the Packers. Leal is a disruptive force that would immediately boost Green Bay’s interior pass rush, while also helping shore up the run defense.
Leal looks the part at 6-4, 290 pounds. He has a quick first step and has made a living making plays behind the line of scrimmage. The Texas A&M defensive lineman finished the season with 58 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks.
It’s not a stretch to say that Leal would be the most talented defensive lineman that Kenny Clark has played with during his career in Green Bay. Leal has the length and athleticism to be a disruptive force in the NFL.
From Brugler:
The Packers love toolsy front-seven defenders, and Leal is exactly that. He isn’t yet the sum of his parts, which is why he could still be available at this point in the first round. But at 6-4 and 290 pounds, Leal can line up anywhere on the defensive line and has the traits to develop into a productive starter.
Pick 64: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
The Packers will likely address the tight end position at some point in the 2022 NFL Draft. In Brugler’s mock, he has the Packers spending a premium pick on the position.
Ruckert’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, but he has reliable hands and is a smooth accelerator in his routes. He has the ideal frame at 6-5 and he does a great job of making contested catches.
While he may not have gaudy numbers, Ruckert did the dirty work for Ohio State. He’s a solid run blocker and could help boost any team’s run game when he’s on the field.
Rucker finished this past season with 26 receptions for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Over the past three seasons, Ruckert hauled in 12 touchdown passes.
Overall reaction
It’s worth noting that Brugler mocked Eric Stokes to Green Bay around this time last year. What Brugler says holds some weight.
If the Packers came away with Leal in the first round it would be a slam dunk pick. He has all the tools to be a force up front. Leal and Clark would cause a lot of mayhem for the Packers.
Ruckert could step in from day one and provide an impact both as a blocker and as a receiver. If the Ohio State tight end landed in Green Bay he could put up similar numbers (60 receptions, 497 yards, seven touchdowns) to what Pat Freiermuth posted in Pittsburgh this past season.
