Offseason Mock Delivers Elite Receiver Corps to Packers

In this NFL Draft Bible mock, the Packers made big-time additions to their receiver corps in free agency and the draft.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – You’ve heard of mock drafts. Now, how about a mock offseason?

That was the herculean task put forth by Roy Countryman of SI.com’s NFL Draft Scout. He not only did a seven-round mock draft but predicted the comings and goings of the top free agents.

The highlight is that quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be sad that running back Aaron Jones signed with the Arizona Cardinals and center Corey Linsley joined the Seattle Seahawks but thrilled to suddenly have a star-studded group of receivers.

In free agency, Countryman had the Packers signing former Detroit Lions receiver Marvin Jones.

In the first round of the draft, he had the Packers trading up five spots in the first round to land Florida receiver Kadarius Toney.

RELATED: Hopefully, you enjoyed our latest seven-round mock.

For good measure, in the fifth round, he had Green Bay picking Wake Forest receiver Sage Surratt.

With Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Jones and Toney, Green Bay would go from one of the most ho-hum groups of receivers in the NFL to one of the most-dangerous quintets in the league.

Jones, who will turn 31 this week, once was one of the game’s most-feared deep threats. In his debut season with Detroit in 2017, led the NFL with 18.0 yards per catch and posted his only 1,000-yard season. After playing in only nine games in 2018 and 11 in 2019, Jones played in all 16 games in 2020 and recorded 76 receptions for 978 yards and nine touchdowns.

While perhaps not an elite field-stretcher anymore, Jones is a sure-handed receiver (four drops last season and 13 in four seasons with the Lions, according to Pro Football Focus) who has worked about one-third of the time from the slot the past two years.

Of course, the slot would be Toney’s domain. Last year at Florida, he caught 70 passes for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a runner, he carried 19 times for 161 yards and one touchdown. He’d fit right in the jet-sweep role manned by Tyler Ervin until he was lost due to injuries. Plus, Toney would bring special teams value. While he produced a pedestrian 22.1-yard average on kickoff returns, he had a superb 12.6-yard average with one touchdown on punt returns.

At 5-foot-11 1/8 and 189 pounds at the Senior Bowl, he has a rare combination of quickness and change-of-direction ability that makes him a nightmare with the ball in his hands. He ranked fifth in the nation among receivers with 20 forced missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF charged him with only three drops on 123 career receptions.

Surratt caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns in only nine games as a sophomore in 2019. He opted out of the 2020 season. He measured 6-foot-2 5/8 and 215 pounds at the Senior Bowl. He used that physicality to dominate opponents.

Click here to see Green Bay’s other free-agent additions and its total draft haul.