100 Days of Mocks: Three-Decade Drought Ends

With 97 days until the 2023 NFL Draft, our mock-worthy series continues with an unusual first-round choice by CBS Sports.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jan 20, 2023 8:35 AM EST

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Everyone knows the Green Bay Packers don’t use first-round draft picks on receivers. They haven’t done that since grabbing Javon Walker in 2002 – 20 years ago.

That’s nothing compared to running back. The Packers haven’t taken a running back in the first round since Minnesota’s Darrell Thompson with the 19th pick in 1990. That came on the heels of selecting Brent Fullwood with the fourth overall selection in 1987.

With the Packers on the clock in his latest mock at CBSSports.com, Josh Edwards selected Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

“A.J. Dillon is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Green Bay could save over $10 million toward the salary cap by moving on from Aaron Jones,” Edwards explained. “He has a salary cap hit in excess of $20 million next season. Although unlikely, the Packers are faced with the chance to entirely remodel the running back room while adding a blue-chip talent.”

Edwards is right about the contracts but probably wrong with how this all plays out. General manager Brian Gutekunst last week signaled he’d likely restructure Jones’ contract to keep the explosive running back in Green Bay for a seventh season.

“Certainly, we expect to have him back,” Gutekunst said. “Obviously, he’s a dynamic player. It’s amazing. For a guy his size, to bring it every day, he rarely misses a practice, rarely misses a rep. The way he leads that football team, his consistency is amazing.

“In this league, you can’t have just one. Obviously, having AJ (Dillon), it’s nice to have that one-two punch but Aaron just kind of … when we got first here, you’re thinking, ‘Hey, this probably won’t last long because the way he’s built and his size,’ and he just keeps on defying the odds.”

Jones is coming off a tremendous season in which he set career highs with 1,121 rushing yards and 59 receptions. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry – giving a bump to his career average, which ranks among the best in the history of the NFL.

As for Robinson, he is a superb talent and worthy of a first-round pick. In three seasons, he totaled 3,410 rushing yards, 33 rushing touchdowns, 60 receptions and 41 total touchdowns. In 2022, he finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting and won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back with 1,580 rushing yards, 19 receptions for 314 more yards and 20 total touchdowns.

Coming out of Tucson, Ariz., Robinson was one of the nation’s hottest recruits – so much show that Reggie Bush offered to take his No. 5 out of retirement if Robinson went to USC. But Robinson chose Texas. He pocketed a bunch of NIL money, including for a mustard called Bijan’s Mustardson.

After football, maybe Robinson will go into acting. He’s connected with Matthew McConaughey.

“Matthew said he thinks I could be a really good actor,” Robinson said in a preseason interview. “He says just keep practicing. I’ve done a lot of commercials, and I think I’m pretty funny. I think if you’re a happy person, you can be a good actor.”

A great-uncle, Paul Robinson, was drafted in the third round by the Bengals in 1968. As a rookie, he was a Pro Bowler, All-Pro and Rookie of the Year with 1,023 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns – both of which led the league.

“He’s such a nice human being that sometimes he doesn’t get enough credit for the competitive spirit that he has,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I think that’s just what he’s made of. Man, he’s a special person beyond a special player, but that competitive spirit sometimes gets overlooked.”

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’s the series.

100 days: First-round quarterback?

99 days: Trading for outside linebacker

98 days: Stud tight end