The Green Bay Packers have shown a ton of pre-2015 NFL Draft interest in the top inside linebacker prospects set to be available to them later this week.
While there's no guarantee the Pack will come away with one of the best inside 'backers in the incoming NFL draft crop, it seems that members of the front office are starting to queue up behind prospects they believe have what it takes to become impact performers in Green Bay.
"Staying on the topic of linebackers I'm told Alonzo Highsmith, senior personal director for the Green Bay Packers, is pushing hard for Denzel Perryman at the bottom of round one," reports Tony Pauline of Draft Insider. "The team would then push Clay Matthews to the outside."
Matthews, of course, is the pass-rushing maven forced to pick up the slack on the inside for Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers last season after a handful of teams ran roughshod over the interior of Capers' unit.
Matthews proved quite capable of handling the load there and by seasons end even seemed to come around to the notion of a part-time position switch. There's simply no doubting though that Packers GM Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy would like to get Matthews back to terrorizing quarterbacks from his natural spot on the outside as quickly as possible.
The addition of a player like Perryman - a tough, hard-nosed, instinctual 'backer - would theoretically solve two problem spots for the Packers in one go, upgrading on the inside as well as allowing Matthews to move back to his home outside.
Perryman, 5-foot-11, 236-pounds, does seem like he may struggle against the pass and lacks ideal size, but he's the type of blue-collar worker who truly seems to enjoy the physical nature of the game. In
"He's physical and plays angry at the point of attack. He's the type of guy you like having on your team because he brings toughness to practice. He's going to lay the wood to ball carriers when he gets a chance but college teams were already finding ways to go after him in the passing game," an AFC East regional scout told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
According to Pauline, while Highsmith - and possibly Thompson as well - are high on Perryman, the team will give ample consideration to a cornerback and specifically, Utah's Eric Rowe, at their spot in the first-round.
"The belief is Green Bay still values a cornerback with that first pick and I hear Eric Rowe continues to be in the mix, but don't dismiss Perryman."
Rowe is a big, versatile cornerback/safety hybrid who seems to have shot up draft boards in recent weeks.
Rowe spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at free safety but made the transition to cornerback his senior year to help the Utes overcome the loss of Keith McGill.
"Rowe's length, broad-shouldered frame and straight-line speed (Utah coaches reportedly clocked him at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash) make him an intriguing prospect regardless of where he ultimately lines up," reads CBS Sports pre-draft profile. "He's a heady, physical defender who is well-versed in pro-style schemes given Utah's heavy man coverage philosophy, and has proven a standout since first stepping onto campus."
With Davon House off to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tramon Williams a member of the Cleveland Browns, it's not really surprising that Thompson and the Packers brass are suddenly intent on making a few additions to the suddenly thinner secondary.
