The Green Bay Packers have spent the offseason overhauling the secondary, after adding one of the premier safeties available in free agency, Xavier McKinney, could round out the position group early in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Given that new defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley prioritizes strong play in coverage as a foundation of his scheme, the Packers could look to get younger and more aggressive at strong safety alongside McKinney.
In ESPN’s Jordan Reid’s latest mock draft, the NFL analyst aims to pair the best fits for each team with each selection. Reid projects the Packers select Utah safety Cole Bishop with the No. 58 overall pick in the second round.
“The Packers had inconsistent safety play last season,” Reid points out. “Leading them to sign Xavier McKinney this offseason. Let’s keep adding there. Bishop is a versatile player who can make plays in coverage or get home as a blitzer, tallying 59 tackles, two picks and three sacks in 2023.”
Bishop could be an ideal complement to McKinney, given his propensity to throw his weight around near the line of scrimmage against the run and blitzing the quarterback. Last season, Bishop produced 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks to go with his 60 total tackles, two interceptions, and four pass breakups in 11 games.
Cole Bishop NFL Draft Scouting Report
Bishop’s versatility could land him high on the Packers’ board ahead of draft weekend.
At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Bishop is a physical presence in the defensive backfield. Across three seasons at Utah, Bishop logged 197 total tackles, underscoring his strong nose for the football, adding 7.5 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 12 pass breakups, 4 fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
“While playing the run game, Bishop excels when he’s close to the line of scrimmage,” The Bleacher Report Scouting Department writes of Bishop. “He uses his instincts to identify and react to the run with very good short-area quickness, and he closes on the ball with very good angles.
“He’s a strong tackler who does a good job of fronting up and running through the ball-carrier when in the box, but he tends to dive and have more inconsistent tackling when on the edge.”
Underscoring the Chameleon-like nature of Bishop’s game, Pro Football Focus points out Bishop played 247 snaps at deep-safety for the Utes in 2023 and 180 in the box, while garnering a 67.5 run-defense grade and 60.9 coverage mark from the outlet.
Bishop turned some heads at the NFL Combine running the 40-yard dash in a strong 4.45 seconds.
“Bishop was a highly productive tackler,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein writes of Bishop. “And valuable three-year starter for Utah. He stays busy around the line of scrimmage and can dart into gaps but can be a little slow playing off of big blockers. Bishop has man coverage potential on tight ends and is a bona fide striker when crashing down from his zone perch.”
What Picks Do the Green Bay Packers Have in the 2024 NFL Draft?
GettyPackers GM Brian Gutekunst
General manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers have plenty of ammunition to trade up in the first round of the NFL Draft, with 11 total picks in Green Bay’s war chest.
Given the young talent the Packers have added through the draft and a few marquee free agent acquisitions such as McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs this offseason, this year’s draft class presents the opportunity to further bolster the depth on a roster that exceeded expectations in 2023 with a run to the NFC Divisional Playoffs and sights set on loftier goals in 2024.
Likewise, Gutekunst suggested to reporters recently that the Packers could look to add picks during the upcoming draft, by trading down.
“There’s never enough,” Gutekunst told reporters during Green Bay’s pre-draft press conference. “You know, I don’t ever subscribe to the thought process that, ‘Hey, we’re a good team, these guys might not have a chance to make the team.’
“You know, I’ve talked a lot about competition in every room and how much that accelerates the growth of your football team. I think that’s the best way for your team to move forward. To me, you never have enough ammunition to build your room so there’s significant competition in every room. I think that’s really important. So, we have 11 right now, I’d love to end up with 13, 14 or more. I would never shy away from that.”
Here’s every pick the Packers currently own in the 2024 NFL Draft, before any potential wheeling and dealing:
- Round 1: No. 25
- Round 2: No. 41 (via New York Jets)
- Round 2: No. 58
- Round 3: No. 88
- Round 3: No. 91 (via Buffalo Bills)
- Round 4: No. 126
- Round 5: No. 169
- Round 6: No. 202
- Round 6: No. 219
- Round 7: No. 245
- Round 7: No. 255
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Packers Urged to Add ‘Strong Tackler’ Alongside Xavier McKinney