The 2012 NFL Draft is hurtling towards us at breakneck speed. The USC Trojans figure to be well-represented in the draft, specifically lineman Matt Kalil, who is one of the top three most highly-sought-after names in the entire draft. But defensive end Nick Perry is another Trojan who is evaluated highly. Most pundits anticipate Perry will be selected either late in the first round or early in the second.
Al Bracco at Drafttek predicts that Perry might very well be selected as the final pick of the first round of the NFL draft, which would make him the No. 32 overall pick and send him to the Green Bay Packers. Here's what Bracco has to say:
Green Bay's 15-1 record in 2011 masks a defense with severe deficiencies. Per NFL stats, they have the 30th ranked pass rush in the league. While the Packers defense has managed to survive thanks to turnovers and timely big plays, you can't always rely on that. Green Bay has a revolving door at ROLB, trying four different players there this season. While Vic So'oto has shown a few flashes in limited opportunities, he is a project that may or may not work out. As such, the Packers are still looking for the right player to compliment Clay Matthews, and Nick Perry fits the bill perfectly. The 2011 Pac-10 sacks leader, Perry plays with very good initial pad level and first-step burst. He needs to improve his upper body strength and develop some alternate pass rush moves, but he has speed and athletic ability you can't teach. A solid pick for the pass-rush deprived Packers.
Heaven knows that the Packers don't need much help on offense. If they had a weakness in the 2011 regular season, it was their tendency to let opponents into games that Green Bay should have run away with. Perry could be another impressive tool in their arsenal.
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