Pass or Fail? Day 2 NFL Draft Grades for Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Did you ever sit down and eat half a bag of chips? You knew it was a bad idea but you did it, anyway. Reading NFL Draft grades are the same. They’re kind of tasty but, ultimately, filled with empty calories.
The Green Bay Packers traded their two second-round picks to move up 19 spots to select North Dakota State receiver Christian Watson in the second round, then stood pat and selected UCLA offensive lineman Sean Rhyan in the third round.
Here are some crunchy, salty grades from the NFL punditry.
(But first, a quick personal note for my loyal readers. I’ll be at a funeral on Saturday, will not be at Lambeau Field and will be posting stories sporadically (if at all) throughout the day. Thank you for understanding.)
Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Hanson gave the Packers a B for Watson. “With Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling gone, the Packers had a huge need at receiver, and they were aggressive here to address it with a home run threat. Watson has an elite combination of size and speed, with a wide catch radius, and is elusive for a big receiver. Watson ran the sixth-fastest 40-yard dash among wide receivers (4.36) and led all combine participants in the broad jump (11’4”). Watson averaged 20.4 yards per reception over his career and returned a pair of kickoffs for scores in 2020.
The Packers got a B-minus for picking Rhyan.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter loves what Brian Gutekunst is doing. He loved the first-round picks and he loved Day 2, as well. “Dealing a mid-second-round pick to move up 19 spots was a steep price to pay, but that's what the market demanded given the heavy focus on receivers. As the first of seven wideouts selected in the second round, the North Dakota State product will be compared with guys like Skyy Moore and George Pickens for years to come. Rhyan played tackle in college but could slide inside because of his powerful base and mobility. He's a perfect value in the third round.”
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski hated the picks on Thursday but gave the Packers an A for getting Watson. “Watson gives quarterback Aaron Rodgers a completely different type of target as an elite athlete who can stretch the field. He’ll need to refine some of his technique and become more consistent, because drops will find him in Rodgers’ doghouse very quickly.
Otherwise, the Packers landed first-round athletic ability at wide receiver after passing on the position twice on Day 1.”
The Packers got a C for Rhyan.
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso gave the Packers a C-plus for Watson because of the cost. “Aced the pre-draft process. Tall, fast, bendy. Raw routes, not a major YAC threat. Will need to be utilized correctly out of the gate to accentuate his talents. Freaky speed and explosiveness. Very useful in the jet sweep/end-around game. Big-time upside. Costly trade but, finally, a receiver for Green Bay.”
Trapasso gave the Packers a B for the “torque-based” Rhyan.
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer loved the Watson pick, awarding an A-plus. “Watson rose up draft boards after his incredible athletic display at the Combine. He has ideal size (6-4, 208 pounds) and he taps well into his speed. He will continue to get better operating as Aaron Rodgers’ new young outside No. 1. He is a vertical threat but can be more than that and will round out into a complete receiver.”
Plus, the Rhyan pick got an A, though Royce Newman might disagree.
On the other hand, the team at Pro Football Focus called this “below average.” They wrote, “The Packers make a big move up to add their wide receiver of choice at the top of the second round. Watson has all the physical tools of a No. 1 wide receiver at 6-foot-4 with 4.36-second speed in the 40-yard dash. However, there are concerns about Watson’s play strength and lack of polish translating to the NFL on a team that needs an immediate contributor, especially with George Pickens and Skyy Moore both still on the board.” PFF would have gone with Skyy Moore to give the team three slot receivers.
Citing its grades, the Rhyan pick was judged as “good.”
The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia gave the Packers a C-plus for Watson. As part of his summation, he wrote: “But there are some strikes against Watson. He had multiple knee surgeries during the 2019 offseason and missed three games last year because of a hamstring injury. All of Watson’s games came against FCS competition. And per PFF, he had a high 13.3% drop rate in his career. There are obvious tools to work with, but Watson will be a 23-year-old rookie and will likely need some time to develop into a quality vertical threat in the NFL. The Packers might have been better off holding on to the two picks and throwing a couple darts at wide receiver. Watson is far from a sure thing.
A ”fine” use of a third-round pick, he gave the Packers a B for Rhyan.
Pro Football Network’s Ryan Gosling gave the Packers a B-minus for their work through two days. “They made Rodgers happy, finally, by trading up in Round 2 to pick No. 34. They grabbed the athletic monster Christian Watson from North Dakota State. Watson blew away expectations at the Combine, drawing comparisons to Calvin Johnson because of his size and speed combination. Green Bay rounded out their solid Day 2 with Sean Rhyan from UCLA. The versatile tackle could play a pivotal role at filling out their offensive line in 2022.
The 33rd Team didn’t award grades but did offer analysis. Of Watson, it said: “Watson is exactly what the Packers have always looked for in their receivers: size and speed. Clocked at 23 mph in college, Watson is going to be one of the fastest players in the NFL in a 6-foot-4 frame. He also shows tremendous versatility with his ability to line up in the backfield and be used on end arounds and pop passes.”
In a separate story, he was deemed one of the best fits on Day 2. This selection is a good marriage of picking top talent and scheme fit. Watson was one of the players we told readers we would pound the table for in the draft.
The 2022 NFL Draft
Packers have picked four elite athletes
Great talent, great expectations, great challenges for Christian Watson
No. 34: North Dakota State WR Christian Watson
Comparing Christian Watson to other Day 2 options at receiver
Check out a bunch of Day 2 mock drafts
Day 2 mock drafts deliver receivers
Once again, no first-round receiver. So, who’s left?
Packers add a couple of bulldogs to the kennel
