Green Bay Packers Draft News 2017: Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey Are First-Round Options

After falling just short of reaching Super Bowl LI, the Green Bay Packers will look to improve their roster in the 2017 NFL Draft. With some glaring needs heading into next season, the organization is eyeing a few players that were among the top stars in college football last year.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Packers taking Florida State running back Dalvin Cook with the No.29 overall pick in his most recent mock draft. Todd McShay of ESPN had Green Bay selecting running backs Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and Alvin Kamara (Tennessee) in two versions of his mock draft.

READ: 2017 NFL Mock Draft

Not only did the Packers have trouble running the ball last season, but they don’t currently have a proven starter on the roster. Eddie Lacy has gone to the Seattle Seahawks, following an injury-plagued season in which the Packers ranked 20th in yards on the ground. James Starks was released in February.

Ty Montgomery was terrific out of the backfield when he first made the transition from wide receiver, though he failed to rush for more than 47 yards in his last five games. The team just re-signed Christine Michael, who had a career-high 583 rushing yards in 2016.

McCaffrey and Cook were arguably the NCAA’s top two running backs of the last two years. McCaffrey finished second in voting for the 2015 Heisman Trophy award, and he totaled 1,913 yards for 16 scores in 2016. Cook finished in the top six in rushing in each of the last two seasons, recording 19 rushing touchdowns in each year.

Kamara only had 107 carries in 2016 because he shared a backfield with Jalen Hurd, but he made the most of his opportunities, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt and nine touchdowns. He also caught 40 passes for 392 yards and four scores.

In a perfect world, the Packers might leave the draft with Leonard Fournette. But the LSU running back might not make it out of the top five, let alone all the way to the 29th pick.

It’s certainly possible that all of the running backs that Green Bay has their eyes on could be gone by the time they are ready to make their first selection. The Dallas Cowboys were rewarded for picking Ezekiel Elliott with the No.4 overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, and teams might not wait very long to take a top rusher on April 27.

It’s difficult to predict exactly where McCaffrey and Cook might go. Some mock drafts have the Stanford running back going in the top half of the first round, while others have him dropping down to the New Orleans Saints at No.32. There’s been some speculation that Cook could go as high as No.6 to the New York Jets, but a poor performance at the NFL Scouting Combine has raised questions about how well his skills will translate to the NFL.

If Green Bay’s running back choices are off the board, they could go one of a few different ways. Some mock drafts have the team selecting offensive lineman Forrest Lamp from Western Kentucky. He could be the replacement for guard T.J. Lang, who signed with the Detroit Lions after spending eight seasons in Green Bay.

Wisconsin's T.J. Watt is also an option. The brother of J.J. Watt recorded 11.5 sacks last season, and he had a meeting with Green Bay at the combine. The Packers could use help at outside linebacker after losing Julius Peppers and Datone Jones this offseason.