All-Packers Mock Draft 5.0 (No First-Round Receiver Edition)

The Green Bay Packers’ draft history at receiver is undeniable: Ignore them in the first round and pick stars in the second round.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers haven’t taken a receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2002. They’ve offset that quirk with exceptional drafting in the second round with Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams.

What if they go that route again and take advantage of the depth at that position?

That was the goal of our fifth all-Packers mock draft, and it’s something that could happen if our first choice is surprisingly available at No. 22.

All-Packers Mock Draft Without First-Round Receiver

Our fifth all-Packers mock draft was constructed with the simulator at Pro Football Network.

First Round

No. 22 – OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

The Packers are down two starters on the offensive line with the release of right tackle Billy Turner and the loss of guard/center Lucas Patrick. One of the great mysteries is what the Packers will do with Elgton Jenkins once he’s back from a torn ACL. Will he go back to left guard, where he was a Pro Bowler in 2020? Or did he play so well at left tackle last year that he’s viewed as the successor to Turner?

Maybe that answer is TBA based on the draft. Penning is a physical dominator with the requisite athleticism who would step in at right tackle and start for 10-plus seasons.

First Round

No. 28 – OLB Boye Mafe, Minnesota

I could have gone receiver here. Arkansas’ Treylon Burks was available at this spot, as was Penn State’s Jahan Dotson. But the Packers really, really need an outside linebacker, where they’re one injury away from starting Tipa Galeai. Mafe has freakish tools with 4.53 speed at 261 pounds. Much like Rashan Gary in 2019, Mafe will be a work in progress with the upside to dominate.

Second Round

No. 53 – WR George Pickens, Georgia

Receiver No. 1, come on down. Pickens missed most of last season with a torn ACL sustained during spring practice. At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, ran his 40 in 4.47 seconds. When he caught 49 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman in 2019, he drew comparisons to another towering Georgia receiver, A.J. Green. He had a predraft visit.

Second Round

No. 59 – WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

Receiver No. 2, come on down. Pierce caught 52 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. At 6-foot-3, he ran his 40 in 4.41 seconds with a 40.5-inch vertical jump. Perhaps these picks are too similar and I should have found more of a complementary skill-set, but I really need to knock a receiver out of the park so wanted to double my chances. Imagine Pickens and Pierce on the outside with Allen Lazard doing some dirty work from the slot. Or, Amari Rodgers, last year’s third-round pick, adding his quickness from the slot.

Third Round

No. 92 – CB Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska

There’s been some consternation on who will play the slot. Presumably, the Packers will go with Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes on the perimeter with Jaire Alexander in the slot. But Taylor-Britt has that slot skill-set and would be an instant upgrade over Henry Black as the sixth defensive back. He had six interceptions and 24 passes defensed his final three seasons. At 5-foot-10 5/8 and a sturdy 207 pounds, he’s got 4.38 speed.

Fourth Round

No. 132 – TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

Kolar and Virginia’s Jelani Woods were available at this spot. I’ve picked Woods a lot and, if I had to guess, I don’t think he’d be here at this point. So, the pick is Kolar. At 6-foot-6 and 252 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.64 seconds. He caught 62 passes for 756 yards and six touchdowns as a senior and scored 20 touchdowns the past three years. The downside is he’s not a great blocker.

Fourth Round

No. 140 – LB JoJo Domann, Nebraska

Domann was a second-team All-American as a senior with 72 tackles, nine tackles for losses, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and five passes defensed. At 6-foot-1 1/4 and 228 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.62. He’d challenge underrated Krys Barnes for a starting job and upgrade the special teams.

Fifth Round

No. 171 – OL Zach Tom, Wake Forest

Tom started at center as a freshman and sophomore and at left tackle as a junior and senior. Patrick was a really important member of the line because he could start at any of the interior positions. That versatility is a really big deal on gamedays. Tom’s athleticism (4.94 in the 40, 4.47 in the shuttle) fits the Packers’ history. He gave up only one sack in four seasons, according to Sports Info Solutions.

Seventh Round

No. 228 – DL Thomas Booker, Stanford

The addition of Jarran Reed was a big deal but, at this point, Jack Heflin is the fifth defensive lineman. In four seasons, Booker had 10 sacks and 20.5 tackles for losses. He measured 6-foot-3 3/8 and 301 pounds and produced a 4.94 in the 40, 4.41 in the shuttle and 31 reps on the bench press.

Seventh Round

No. 249 – S Percy Butler, Louisiana

At the end of a draft, you’ve got to bet on something. For Butler, it’s speed. At 6-foot, he ran his 40 in 4.36 seconds. As a junior in 2021, he had one interception, four breakups, six tackles for losses and one blocked kick. As noted by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, “Butler's outstanding work as a gunner adds to his draft day value and likelihood of sticking around the league.”

Seventh Round

No. 258 – WR Jalen Virgil, Appalachian State

I really want to get a returner. Virgil was a four-time member of Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list for The Athletic; he finished fourth overall and first among offensive skill players in 2021. For his career, he caught 98 passes for 1,436 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense and averaged 30.1 yards on kickoff returns with three more scores. He did not return punts. At 6-foot and 207 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.37 seconds.