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Packers get edge rusher and cornerback in Lance Zierlein's Day 2 mock draft
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- Packers get edge rusher and cornerback in Lance Zierlein's Day 2 mock draft
Lance Zierlein's Day 2 mock draft at NFL.com has the Green Bay Packers getting a quick but undersized edge rusher in the second round and an experienced Ohio State cornerback in the third round.
Zierlein correctly predicted the Packers would take Matthew Golden in his final first-round mock draft last year.
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This time around, Zierlein guessed the Packers would take Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas at No. 52 overall and Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun at No. 84 overall.
On Thomas, who is only 6-2 and 241 pounds but produced 22.0 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over the last two seasons at Oklahoma: "The Packers are in need of a new batch of pass rushers, and Thomas has one of the quickest get-offs you'll find."
In Zierlein's mock, cornerback Brandon Cisse, edge rusher Gabe Jacas , receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, cornerback Avieon Terrell, edge rusher Zion Young, cornerback Colton Hood, defensive lineman Christen Miller and cornerback Jermod McCoy all came off the board before the Packers' pick in the second round.
Among those picked after Thomas at 52 were defensive tackle Lee Hunter, defensive tackle Domonique Orange, receiver Ted Hurst, receiver Germie Bernard and linebacker Jake Golday.
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Igbinosun could be a prime candidate in the third round for the cornerback-needy Packers. He's 6-2 and played 53 games at corner for Ohio State. While not elite tester, Igbinosun would likely fit as a zone cover who could compete to play snaps right away on the perimeter.
Zierlein's scouting report of R Mason Thomas : "Twitched-up rush linebacker whose lack of size and length at the point of attack could be offset by his rush talent. Thomas has added good mass over the years but still gets engulfed and displaced by big, downhill blockers. He’s more dangerous on the move, slipping into gaps and disrupting edges before they’re set. He’s an explosive speed rusher with the ability to shave the edge tightly or create surprising push with leverage and speed-to-power conversion. He needs to improve his hand work to create openings and counter long, athletic tackles with quick pass slides. Thomas should benefit from a wider alignment as an odd-front edge with the potential to earn a starting job within his first two seasons."
Zierlein's scouting report on Igbinosun : "Igbinosun is an iron man with 53 career starts, fitting the mold of a press corner with good size and long arms. He uses heavy hands and strength to reroute receivers, staying tight on most vertical routes. However, hip tightness, disjointed footwork and average route recognition make pattern-matching a chore in larger spaces or in off-man coverage. Improving his technique and getting him to trust it will be critical in reducing penalties. He is tough, strong and a willing run defender. Traits raise the ceiling to CB2 in a zone-heavy scheme, but his floor as an average backup might be a more likely outcome."
The second round of the 2026 draft opens up at 6:00 p.m. CT on Friday night.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers get edge rusher and cornerback in Lance Zierlein's Day 2 mock draft
