NFL mock draft Week 17 edition: Bold trades set the tone

LB. Ohio State. Darron Lee. 27. player. 49. <p>Week by week it’s becoming more apparent that the Green Bay Packers have lost some of the talent edge they once had in the NFC, and nowhere is that more clear than on defense. It’s gotten so bad in some areas that they’ve been forced to move players away from their best positions in order to compensate. A prime example being Clay Matthews, who moved inside last season.</p> <p>The Pro Bowler has made the shift well but it doesn’t solve the overall issue. Green Bay doesn’t have a lot of young playmakers on defense, especially at linebacker which is such a key position in that 3-4 defense. If they could somehow find somebody on the inside who could relieve Matthews and send him back to the edge, it might kill two birds with one stone.</p> <p>A couple years ago the Packers were anxious to grab Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier but were undercut by the Steelers in the draft. This time they secure a player from the same school who plays almost the exact same kind of game. Darron Lee may look overly tall and lanky but he’s a tough customer with lots of speed. He can chase ball carriers around, racking up tackles or he can bring the blitz from any angle. A versatile athlete who can do lots on the football field.</p>