Two new mock drafts for CBS Sports zeroed in on the same cornerback for the Green Bay Packers.
Shavon Revel.
Revel listed Jaire Alexander on his “Mount Rushmore” of cornerbacks. With the Packers, he’d potentially replace Alexander in the starting lineup, with the Packers expected to part ways with the former second-team All-Pro after another injury-plagued season.
Chris Trapasso’s mock draft is based on prospects who will rise at next week’s Scouting Combine. Revel, who is coming off a torn ACL, won’t be a workout warrior. However, East Carolina listed him at 6-foot-3. That’s incredibly tall for a cornerback, especially compared to Green Bay’s corners.
The Packers finished the season with Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon as the perimeter corners and rookie safety Javon Bullard working in the slot. Valentine is 5-foot-11 5/8, Nixon is 5-foot-10 1/4 and Bullard is 5-foot-10 1/2.
“Revel won’t work out at the Combine but has the size and length to be a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL when healthy, and the Packers secondary needs retooling,” Trapasso explained.
Revel had a superb 2023 season at East Carolina and was on pace for bigger and better things with two interceptions in his first three games in 2024. However, he suffered a torn ACL at practice and missed the rest of the season.
The bad news is he won’t test at the Scouting Combine and won’t participate in the offseason practices. The good news is he should be ready to roll for the start of training camp.
Rounding out Trapasso’s mock, the Detroit Lions picked potential-packed Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart at No. 28 and the Philadelphia Eagles added another pass rusher with Stewart’s A&M teammate, Nic Scourton, at No. 32.
In Josh Edwards’ mock, the Packers took Revel over Marshall sackmaster Mike Green, who went to the Ravens at No. 27, and Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, who went to the Bills at No. 30.
“It is likely that Green Bay moves on from Jaire Alexander this offseason,” Edwards wrote, “which creates a void on the outside and allows the team to lean into its propensity to draft defenders in the first round. Shavon Revel is a tall cornerback with good ball skills coming off a season-ending injury.”
Revel might have been in the top-10 mix if not for the injury. So, picking him will be a risk-reward decision.
As one scout told ESPN: “The size, the length and the movement skills, for being as tall and long as he is … you don’t see a body type as rangy and fluid as he is at that size.”
Revel spent his first two collegiate seasons at Louisburg College, a junior college located in Louisburg, N.C. The 2020 season was eliminated due to COVID and the 2021 season was limited to six games.
From there, he went to East Carolina. He played mostly on special teams in 2022 before bursting onto the scene in 2023 with one interception and 14 passes defensed.
“You’re definitely getting a loyal, coachable athlete willing to give it his all, no questions asked,” he told Windy City Gridiron. “No talking back, nothing. The assignment you give him, he’s willing to do it no matter what. He’s going to give his all, 100 percent, 110 percent every day [and get] 1 percent better every day, step by step, stacking days, just getting better and better. No questions asked. I’m going to give them my all.”
One more new mock draft, by Pro Football Network’s Anthony Pasciolla, went with Revel even if the reasoning was slightly flawed.
“Although the Packers contained Philadelphia’s WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith well in the postseason, it was largely due to QB Jalen Hurts’ struggles,” he explained.
“Their Week 17 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings was a prime example of their lack of depth in the secondary, which is exactly what Shavon Revel Jr. can provide. He is a lengthy cornerback with strong physical traits capable of being perfected by Alexander’s mentorship if he sticks around.”
The Vikings and Lions lifted their defense with a pass-rushing defensive tackle and defensive end, respectively.