The Green Bay Packers found a breakout star late last season in wide receiver Bo Melton, and now the team could take his brother Max Melton in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nick Baumgardner with The Athletic shared his mock draft for the first 100 picks on Monday, April 8. He had the Packers taking Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean in the first round, followed by Kansas State lineman Cooper Beebe in the second.
Baumgardner also had the Packers taking Melton with the 58th overall pick. The Melton brothers were able to play two seasons together in college for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Now, there’s a chance that the two could reunite in Green Bay.
Max Melton Scouting Report
This year’s draft class has quite a few talented cornerbacks. However, Melton brings an interesting play style that will make him a worthwhile Day 2 pick.
Melton was a 3-star recruit coming out of Cedar Creek High School in New Jersey. He ultimate chose to play at Rutgers with his brother, but other offers included Purdue and Boston College.
The younger Melton brother became a starter almost right away as a freshman. He finished his college career with 40 starts over four seasons, racking up eight interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and an impressive four blocked punts on special teams.
At 5’11” and 187 pounds, Melton has solid size and length at the cornerback position. His overall athleticism is what has him standing out in this draft class, posting a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.08 out of 10.
Max Melton is a CB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 9.08 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 223 out of 2422 CB from 1987 to 2024.https://t.co/ALdKMZ2lPa pic.twitter.com/5qGmq12K1P
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 5, 2024
Melton ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds during the pre-draft process. That speed translates to the football field, with Melton capable of staying in phase with even the fastest receivers. He has the length and competitive toughness to press, along with the speed to recover when he’s unable to jam effectively.
Although he is a competitive and aggressive player, Melton isn’t always the most reliable weekend. He will need to continue to bulk up as a pro to avoid getting washed out by blockers in the run game.
Still, his length and speed, along with a nose for the football, will make him an exciting prospect for a team like the Packers.
Do the Packers Need a Cornerback?
Despite some perceptions about Green Bay’s secondary, cornerback may not be as pressing of a need as some think.
Jaire Alexander had an up-and-down season, but is still one of the best cornerbacks in the league when at his best. General manager Brian Gutekunst shot down any suggestions of trading Alexander this offseason.
Keisean Nixon will be holding down the slot role along with being the team’s return specialist after signing a three-year extension. The Packers could use an emergency backup behind him, but a prospect like Melton would be better off on the outside.
Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine will be competing for the other outside corner role heading into training camp. Stokes has been battling through injuries the last couple seasons, while Valentine shined in limited action, especially for a seventh-round rookie.
The Packers already have competition at cornerback going on, so unless the team is pessimistic about the development of Stokes and/or Valentine, the team may wait to take a cornerback until later in this year’s draft.
