Packer Central’s Day 2 Packers Mock Drafts
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Operation Help Jordan Love begins on Friday with Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
The Green Bay Packers own three picks: Nos. 42 and 45 of the second round and No. 78 of the third round. Giving the new starting quarterback some extra targets is critical.
First-round pick Lukas Van Ness addressed a big need at outside linebacker, but Love still has the weakest group of pass-catching targets in the NFL. Only two receivers/tight ends on the roster caught more than 13 passes in 2022. He needs help. Badly.
Presumably, that will be a focus for general manager Brian Gutekunst, though he also needs to address immediate or forward-thinking needs at receiver, offensive tackle, defensive line and safety. Helping Love, however, was the focus of these mock drafts, which were created using three simulators.
Pro Football Focus Simulator
Utah’s Dalton Kincaid was the only tight end drafted on Thursday, picked by the Buffalo Bills to add yet another weapon for elite quarterback Josh Allen. Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Georgia’s Darnell Washington went early in the second in this mock, leaving Iowa’s Sam LaPorta, Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft as the best available tight ends.
No. 42: Oregon State TE Luke Musgrave. He has the height and athleticism to be a big-time weapon in the passing game and three-down player. He’s certainly not the most polished of the tight ends but he’s got a chance to be dominant down the seam and in the red zone.
No. 45: Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton. Benton would improve the run defense and the depth at a position group in which only three players have logged a regular-season snap. He’s about 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds with 34-inch arms. The Big Ten is a good proving ground for run defense.
No. 78: Michigan State WR Jayden Reed. I just missed SMU’s Rashee Rice, who had a predraft visit. Reed’s explosiveness, feistiness as a blocker and kick-return skill would make him a four-down player. He didn’t play a lot in the slot but caught 16-of-17 targets in 2022.
Pro Football Network Simulator
What a dream scenario this would be with Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Georgia’s Darnell Washington being available at tight end. Do you take the ready-made standout or the player with the outrageous upside?
No. 42: Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer. An argument could be made for Washington but Mayer was ready to play in the NFL yesterday. He might never top 1,000 yards but he’s going to catch 70 passes, convert a bunch of third-and-mediums and spring Aaron Jones around the corner.
No. 45: SMU WR Rashee Rice. Green Bay’s second-round success at receiver is practically legendary. Rice can win from the slot or the perimeter. He can win deep or he can power through tacklers. He even likes to block.
No. 78: Penn State S Ji’Ayir Brown. There’s a big list of safeties here, including Alabama’s Jordan Battle, Florida State’s Jammie Robinson and Notre Dame’s Brandon Joseph. From that group, Battle is the tallest at 6-foot-1 and the fastest at 4.55 in the 40. However, Brown’s ball production is ridiculous with 10 interceptions the past two seasons. Plus, he’s got some toughness against the run.
Fan Speak Simulator
The Packers are in a good spot. Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, Georgia’s Darnell Washington and Iowa’s Sam LaPorta are available at tight end, the Tennessee duo of Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman are among the receivers on the board and Alabama’s Brian Branch remains available at safety. Going with the strength of the board …
No. 42: Alabama S Brian Branch. Branch is 5-foot-11 5/8 and has 4.58 speed. Neither of those numbers are great, which presumably is why he fell through the first round. But he’s the best tackler in the class and an all-around weapon as a safety, slot and run defender.
No. 45: Georgia TE Darnell Washington. One scout said Washington was his team’s No. 1 tight end. Just because he didn’t catch the ball in college doesn’t mean he can’t. He’s 6-foot-7 with the change-of-direction agility of a slot receiver, as evidenced by his 4.08 in the 20-yard shuttle.
No. 78: Stanford WR Michael Wilson. At receiver, SMU’s Rashee Rice, Michigan State’s Jayden Reed and Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman were selected in the previous eight selections. The “best available” board was filled with positions who didn’t fit. Offensive tackle and defensive line weren’t appealing at all. So, I’ll roll the dice on Wilson – the NFL-ready receiver with an injury history – over Nebraska speedster Trey Palmer and Pitt offensive tackle Carter Warren.
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