Packer Central All-Packers Mock Draft 6.0: Wyatt, Pickens in First Round

In 14 days, the Green Bay Packers will be on the clock with their two first-round picks. Here are the 11 selections from our latest all-Packers mock draft.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The 2022 NFL Draft will begin in exactly two weeks, with the Green Bay Packers owning the 22nd and 28th picks of the first round.

Supply should meet demand. Three of the Packers’ primary needs, receiver, outside linebacker and offensive tackle, neatly match the deepest positions of the draft.

Armed with two picks in the first round, two picks in the second round and 11 picks in total, here is our sixth all-Packers mock draft. As usual, I did the picking for Green Bay. In this rendition, NFLMockDraftDatabase.com did the rest.

First Round – No. 22: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia

With the first-round pick obtained in the Davante Adams trade, the Packers grab Devonte Wyatt. When pointed out that his group was short on numbers, defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery on Tuesday said he’d like someone with twitch. Well, at 304 pounds, Wyatt ran his 40 in 4.77 seconds. While a bit lost in the draft shadow of his mountainous teammate, Jordan Davis, Wyatt is the better player and will be a three-down sidekick with Kenny Clark. In this year’s defensive tackle class, he ranked second in pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

First Round – No. 28: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

In this simulation, receiver was hit hard: Jameson Williams went at No. 15, Chris Olave at No. 16, Drake London at No. 17 and Treylon Burks at No. 21. So, I rolled the dice on Pickens at this spot. And, with merely 90 career catches, it is a roll of the dice. He looked like the next big thing as a freshman in 2019, wasn’t as productive in 2020 and missed most of 2021 with a torn ACL. He’s tall and fast and made big plays in a big-time conference. “I watch Davante Adams a lot,” Pickens said. “I'm bigger than Davante Adams. That's kind of the lane I kind of want to go into because with the size I am, a guy who can move is almost unguardable.”

Second Round – No. 59: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State

Lucas started 42 games at right tackle the last four seasons. He was a Freshman All-American in 2018, second-team all-conference in 2019 and 2020, and first-team all-conference in 2021. He didn’t give up any sacks as a senior, according to Pro Football Focus, and he aced the predraft testing with the type of athleticism the Packers covet for their scheme. As was the case with Pickens, he had a predraft visit with Green Bay.

Second Round – No. 53: Cameron Thomas, OLB, San Diego State

I thought about inside linebacker Quay Walker at this spot, which would have made it three consecutive Georgia players, but the edge group had been hit hard and I was fearful of running out of my top groups of guys. Thomas was a wrecking ball, earning second-team All-American honors in 2021 with his 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for losses. At 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds, he’s got the size the Packers have desired at this position. He lined up here, there and everywhere for the Aztecs, much like Za’Darius Smith did for Green Bay.

Third Round – No. 92: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois

If you’re looking ahead, safety is Green Bay’s biggest need. As it stands, Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage will be free agents next offseason. The team’s No. 3 safety last year, Henry Black, wasn’t even tendered as an exclusive-rights free agents, so there are no obvious young guns waiting in the wings. A first-time starter in 2021, Joseph intercepted five passes. He’s got sideline-to-sideline range. If the Packers want to try Savage in the slot, they need a safety capable of stepping into the lineup. Plus, he played a lot on special teams.

Fourth Round – No. 132: Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State

Kolar won’t wow anyone athletically. An Austin Hooper-type, he’s simply a big guy (6-foot-6 1/2) who knows how to get open and catches what’s thrown his way. He was a four-time all-Big 12 selection with 51 receptions and seven touchdowns in 2019, 44 receptions and seven touchdowns in 2020 and 62 receptions and six touchdowns in 2021. He had just one drop as a senior, according to Sports Info Solutions. He won the Campbell Trophy (aka the Academic Heisman) in 2021. He’s just not a big-play threat or a great blocker.

Fourth Round – No. 140: DeAngelo Malone, OLB, Western Kentucky

New outside linebackers coach Jason Rebrovich sounds like he wouldn’t mind a counter-puncher among his pass rushers. Preston Smith and Rashan Gary are big, physical guys. Malone is smaller but explosive. At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.54. He dominated with 32.5 sacks, 58.5 tackles for losses and nine forced fumbles the past four seasons. He could start his career as a Designated Pass Rusher.

Fifth Round – No. 171: Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech

I really needed to get another receiver, so this was a good score after just missing on Nevada receiver/returner Romeo Doubs in the fourth. Ezukanma had at least 42 receptions and four touchdowns each of the last three seasons. He’s good in contested-catch situations, can block and is a strong yards-after-catch producer. At 6-foot-2 and with 4.54 speed, he had three drops in 2021.

Seventh Round – No. 228: Aaron Hansford, LB, Texas A&M

Hansford caught three passes as a redshirt freshman receiver in 2017 before making the move to defense in 2019. In 2021, he led the team with 89 tackles and was third with 8.5 tackles for losses. At 6-foot-2 and 239 pounds, he’s got decent speed (4.64 in the 40) and strength (24 reps on the bench). If his vision improves with experience, he could become a quality starter.

Seventh Round – No. 249: Ryan Van Demark, OT, Connecticut

I wanted an interior blocker but getting Van Demark was too good to pass up. Van Demark was one of the Combine snubs. He backed it up at pro day. At 6-foot-6 1/2 and 307 pounds and with 35 3/4-inch arms, he ran a high-quality 4.54 in the shuttle. He started at right tackle as a freshman and at left tackle his final three seasons.

Seventh Round – No. 258: Dallis Flowers, CB, Pittsburg State

In his one season for the Division II Gorillas, Flowers averaged 33.7 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns while also intercepting four passes. It was Flowers’ fourth school; he averaged 38.1 yards per kickoff return and 11.1 yards per punt return in 2019 with Grand View, where he was a two-time NAIA All-American. At 6-foot-1, he ran his 40 in 4.40 seconds.