Could the Green Bay Packers' make over at cornerback continue with using a first-round pick on the position? In Lance Zierlein's latest mock draft for NFL.com, that's exactly what the Packers did -- taking East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. at No. 23 overall.
The Packers lost Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell in free agency, and Jaire Alexander -- whom the Packers are still trying to trade -- could be next to go. Nate Hobbs arrived via free agency, but the Packers still have plenty of work to do at cornerback ahead of the 2025 season.
Revel, who is 6-2 but coming off an ACL injury in 2024, could provide a big piece of the cornerback puzzle in Green Bay. He will be a pre-draft visitor with the Packers, suggesting the team has or will have a full evaluation profile on the talent corner.
From Zierlein: "Revel is big, long and fast, with the ability to shrink catch space down the field or step downhill and support against the run. Cornerbacks with size and speed typically get pushed up in the draft."
Revel didn't become a starter until the 2023 season, when he exploded onto the scene with a dominant season in coverage for East Carolina. He broke up 12 passes and picked off another pass while allowing only 19 catches on 42 targets during an All-AAC season. But after two picks and two pass breakups in his first three games of 2024, Revel suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice and now has a big red injury flag during the pre-draft process.
The Packers believe Hobbs can play on the perimeter and in the slot, and Keisean Nixon is likely a starter on the perimeter. Carrington Valentine and Javon Bullard started games at cornerback for the Packers in 2024, so the cupboard isn't bare. But taking Revel -- who has the size and athleticism to be an impact player -- could be worth the investment, even if he isn't ready to be a starter right away in 2025. Ball-hawking corners standing 6-2 don't come around often.
Not everyone is sold. Revel fell out of Daniel Jeremiah's top 50 players as of early March, and he currently ranks 39th on the consensus big board -- suggesting the majority of evaluators don't see him as a lock first-round pick. But it's possible the injury is the big reason why, and the Packers should have a pretty good feel for his knee after the combine and his visit to Green Bay.
One potential issue: the Packers won't have a full athletic testing profile on Revel before the draft. That could be a big deal for a team that uses clearly defined and measured athletic traits to help project the future of a draft pick. Revel didn't participate at the Senior Bowl or NFL Scouting Combine, and he wasn't ready to test during East Carolina's pro day.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers get cornerback coming off ACL injury in latest Zierlein mock draft
