All-Packers Seven-Round Mock Draft 6.0

In our sixth all-Packers mock draft, we traded Aaron Rodgers to the Jets, took your first-round advice and focused on Jordan Love in the second round.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Apr 6, 2023 9:46 AM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The 2023 NFL Draft will start in exactly three weeks. The Green Bay Packers have a lot of needs, including giving new starting quarterback Jordan Love some building-block weapons.

Earlier in the week, before our SI team publishers mock draft, I asked you a question: Assuming a worthy prospect was available, would you pick a receiver, tight end, outside linebacker or a lineman with the first-round pick? You said receiver but, with Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba off the board, I didn’t see a “worthy” prospect. So, I turned to your No. 2 choice, outside linebacker.

As usual in these mocks, I played the role of general manager Brian Gutekunst. This time, Pro Football Focus’ simulator did the rest. Aaron Rodgers was traded to the Jets for one of their second-round picks.

First round: No. 15 – Clemson edge Myles Murphy

Myles Murphy (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

At 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, Murphy is right out of Central Casting from Green Bay’s perspective. In three seasons, he posted 18.5 sacks, 36 tackles for losses and six forced fumbles. Once Rashan Gary is fully back from his torn ACL, the Packers would have a powerful group with Gary, Preston Smith, Myles Murphy and Kingsley Enagbare.

Also considered: Nobody, because I was following your advice.

Off the board: OT Paris Johnson, OT Broderick Jones, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR Quentin Johnston, edge Lukas Van Ness.

Second round: No. 42 – Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt

Jalin Hyatt (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

I went into this mock draft focusing on getting a receiver and tight end to be top-flight players who Love can grow with through time. I’d think that will be Gutekunst’s goal, too. With blazing speed, Hyatt caught 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022. At 6-foot and 176 pounds with 9-inch hands, I wonder if he’ll be too slight for Green Bay. But he’s a slot with 4.40 speed and a 40-inch vertical.

Also considered: Oregon State TE Luke Musgrave, Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman, Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims.

Second round: No. 45 – Oregon State TE Luke Musgrave

Luke Musgrave (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

With Georgia’s Darnell Washington off the board, the choice here was between Musgrave, Iowa’s Sam LaPorta and South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft. Musgrave’s combination of height and speed was just too appealing, even if blocking isn’t the strength to his game.

Also considered: The aforementioned tight ends, Syracuse OT Matthew Bergeron, Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton.

Third round: No. 78 – Alabama S Jordan Battle

Jordan Battle (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

With offensive tackles Blake Freeland and Jaelyn Duncan coming off the board just ahead of this slot, the attention turned to the hole at safety, where Adrian Amos remains unsigned. Battle is reliable. Illinois’ Sydney Brown is an undersized playmaker with elite athleticism. I went with Battle, some tackling issues notwithstanding, with Brown falling just below 5-foot-10.

Also considered: Illinois S Sydney Brown, Illinois DB Jartavius Martin, Alabama OT Tyler Steen, Oklahoma OT Wanya Morris, Alabama DT Byron Young.

Fourth round: No. 116 – Alabama DT Byron Young

Byron Young (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

At 6-foot-3 and 294 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, he’s got the physical makeup. Playing for a powerhouse team in a juggernaut conference, he had 18.5 tackles for losses his final three seasons. He’ll provide badly needed depth on a line that lost Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed in free agency.

Also considered: I thought about Young in the third round so this was a no-brainer, though Pittsburgh OT Carter Warren was tempting as that was the other big need to address. Also: Illinois RB Chase Brown, Syracuse RB Sean Tucker.

Fifth round: No. 149 – Pittsburgh OT Carter Warren

Carter Warren (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

At 6-foot-5 1/2, Warren has 35 3/8-inch arms to help keep pass rushers away from the quarterback. He missed most of last season due to injury and will need some seasoning before making his pitch for a starting job.

Also considered: I thought about Warren in the fourth round, so this pick didn’t take any thought at all. Oklahoma RB Eric Gray was tempting, though.

Fifth round: No. 170 – Houston QB Clayton Tune

Clayton Tune (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

The Packers need to add to their quarterback room and Tune checks enough of the boxes. Tune has the size (6-2 5/8, 220), athleticism (4.64 40), experience (three-year captain) and production (119 total touchdowns). He lacks arm strength, though.

Also considered: Purdue TE Payne Durham, Cincinnati TE Josh Whyle.

Seventh round: No. 232 – Alabama DT D.J. Dale

D.J. Dale (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

Dale, with 10.5 TFLs in four seasons, will challenge 2022 seventh-rounder Jonathan Ford for the last man on the pecking order.

Also considered: San Diego State DT Jonah Tavai, who had 19 sacks and 28 TFLs the last two seasons, but he’s only 5-foot-10 so probably won’t be a consideration.

Seventh round: No. 235 – Florida WR Justin Shorter

Justin Shorter (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

The Packers love big receivers and lost one of their best big guys, Allen Lazard, in free agency. Say hello to 6-foot-4, 229 pounds with 10-inch hands.

Also considered: Stanford WR Elijah Higgins, UCLA WR Jake Bobo.

Seventh round: No. 242 – USC RB Travis Dye

Travis Dye (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

The good running backs are long gone so the nod is Dye, who with Oregon in 2021 rushed for 1,271 yards and caught 46 passes. He’s the best pass-catcher remaining of the backs. His brother, Troy Dye, has started six games in three seasons as a linebacker for the Vikings.

Also considered: Utah LB Mohamoud Diabate.

Seventh round: No. 256 – Air Force TE Kyle Patterson

Kyle Patterson (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

With second-round pick Musgrave to handle pass-catching duties, I knew I needed to circle back to find a blocker. North Dakota State’s Noah Gindorff is an excellent blocker but let’s take Patterson just to point out he’s the son of Shawn Patterson, a second-round pick by the Packers in 1988 who had 11 sacks in five seasons. Kyle Patterson, like Gindorff, has had some injury issues but, playing in Air Force’s wishbone attack, you know he can block.

Also considered: Gindorff.

Here’s the full seven-round mock.