100 Days of Mocks: Packers Trade Rodgers, Draft Smith-Njigba
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Can you imagine Aaron Rodgers’ outrage if this is how the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft played out?
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar did in his new mock draft.
Having traded Rodgers to the New York Jets in his mock, Green Bay used the No. 13 pick on Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
“The Packers never took a receiver in the first round of the Aaron Rodgers era — the last time they did so was with Florida State’s Javon Walker in 2002 — so we can only imagine the passive-aggressive whining on the Pat McAfee show from the Jets’ new quarterback were this pick to happen,” Farrar wrote as part of his summation.
“Regardless, Smith-Njigba would be a fantastic addition to Matt LaFleur’s offense as a slot weapon and outside guy who can get open at all levels of the field.”
We made the case for Smith-Njigba a couple weeks ago. While he missed most of 2022 with a hamstring injury, he dominated in 2021 when he Ohio State’s leading receiver – ahead of the dynamic NFL duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
Importantly for the Packers, Smith-Njigba’s domination came from the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith-Njigba from the slot ranked fifth with 87 receptions, third with 1,367 yards and seventh with eight touchdowns. He was second in yards per route.
Farrar then traded the 15th pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Perched at No. 19, Farrar gave Love some more help with Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison. This would be long-term help, though, with Harrison positioned to step into the starting lineup in 2024, when left tackle David Bakhtiari’s cap number explodes beyond $40 million.
“It might be time to Green Bay to set up a succession plan, and they could do a lot worse than Harrison, who I believe to be the most underrated left tackle in this draft class,” Farrar wrote. “Last season, he allowed one sack, no quarterback hits, and eight quarterback hurries in 447 pass-blocking reps, and overall, he’s as clean a player in the pass and run games as you could ask for at the position.”
The Draft Network’s Brentley Weissman took Smith-Njigba at No. 15.
“Jordan Love is now the Packers’ QB1 and he will need more receiver help as Green Bay just lost Allen Lazard,” Weissman wrote. “Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a smooth athlete with outstanding separation quickness and ball skills. He is one of the safest players in this class.”
Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon kicked off a three-round mock with Alabama safety Brian Branch.
“Branch fits best into the slot but offers enough coverage skills and outstanding tackling to roam around, if that’s what the Packers desire,” Risdon wrote. “I initially had Michael Mayer here but the quality of the TE class changed the direction to defense.”
Cornerback and receiver were the Day 2 picks.
The Houston Chronicle traded Rodgers, then picked Branch and TCU receiver Quentin Johnston.
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100 Days of Mocks
Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here are the last 10 days of the series.
Packer Central’s second seven-round mock
39 days: Bryan Bresee leads seven-round mock
41 days: Trading back, helping defense
42 days: Van Ness leads off PFF three-rounder
43 days: Van Ness at No. 13 and No. 15 in new mocks
44 days: Four-rounder starts with pass rusher
45 days: Sorry, free agency
46 days: A first-round quarterback?
47 days: A fistful of tight ends
48 days: Rodgers traded; Packers take pass rusher, tight end
