Packers’ 2022 NFL Draft GPA Ranks 14th

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Like skydiving with a parachute you picked up at the second-hand store’s bargain rack, NFL Draft grades are rather stupid.

Nonetheless, René Bugner put together an interesting project.

He combined 18 sets of draft grades and created a 32-team grade point average. With Green Bay’s grades ranging from an A by NFL.com’s Chad Reuter to a D-plus by SB Nation’s James Detor, the Packers wound up with a GPA of 3.02. That ranked 14th out of the league’s 32 teams.

With a series of A-plus grades, the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens topped the charts with a 4.08 GPA. The New England Patriots were worst, by a considerable margin, with a 1.61 GPA. The Detroit Lions’ fifth-ranked 3.55 led the NFC North.

Packers Sign Devonte Wyatt

Wyatt became the first member of the Packers' draft class to sign and the first first-round pick to sign this year.

Green Bay’s Dream Team

According to Pro Football Focus’ Anthony Treash, the Packers’ Day 3 haul was a “dream” because of how many bargains general manager Brian Gutekunst found.

“It’s going to be difficult to find a better Day 3 than the Green Bay Packers' haul this year,” he wrote. “The team drafted a crop of seven players, four of which were taken 30 picks or more beyond their ranking on the PFF Draft Board: wide receiver Romeo Doubs (Pick 132), offensive lineman Zach Tom (Pick 140), edge defender Kingsley Enagbare (Pick 179) and tackle Rasheed Walker (Pick 249). Don’t be surprised if those first three far exceed expectations as a Day 3 pick sooner rather than later.”

Of Doubs, Treash noted his 15 deep touchdowns the past two seasons ranked No. 1 in FBS. And Tom was No. 1 among offensive tackles in PFF’s pass-protection grade. That included pitching a shutout against Florida State star Jermaine Johnson.

Meanwhile, PFF’s Michael Renner ranked Green Bay’s draft class as the third-most impactful.

Watson Fits

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks listed Watson among his 10 best rookie fits.

“The Packers have a history of developing non-first-round wideouts -- and Watson could become the next pass-catcher to climb to the top of the charts as an ultra-productive playmaker,” Brooks wrote. “The North Dakota State product is a big-play machine with the size (6-4, 208 pounds) and speed to dominate one-on-one battles on the perimeter. Although it might take some time for the small-school standout to adjust to the speed and rhythm of the NFL, Watson could join a growing list of second-round pass catchers. (SEE: Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf and Michael Thomas) who quickly outshined their draft status to earn all-star honors. With Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball his way, the rookie is my dark-horse contender for 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year.”

Actually, Watson wouldn’t be much of a darkhorse. He has the fourth-shortest odds at FanDuel for Offensive Rookie of the Year at +850. His over/under receiving total at FanDuel has been set at 699.5 yards.

Age-Old Question

More than a few amateur draftniks thought the Packers wouldn’t draft, say, Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt because of his age. There was some precedent for that belief. Of the 37 players the Packers had selected in Gutekunst’s first four drafts, only three would turn age 24 by Sept. 1 of their draft year – but none in the first three rounds.

This year’s draft was different. Because of the pandemic, the NCAA gave every player an additional year of eligibility – the so-called “COVID year.” Wyatt and Nebraska receiver Samori Toure spent an additional year in college, so Wyatt turned 24 on March 31 and Toure turned 24 on March 24.

According to Stathead’s Draft Finder, there were 24 players selected in this year’s draft who will be at least 24 by Sept. 1. The Packers drafted two of those players; defensive tackle Jonathan Ford will turn 24 on Sept. 29.

This Tom’s No Turkey

PFF’s Sam Monson selected his “best pick” for each round. His fourth-round choice was Wake Forest offensive lineman Zach Tom.

“The Packers have done remarkably well in recent years putting together a capable offensive line without a lot in the way of top-end resources, and players like Tom are a big reason why,” was part of Monson’s reasoning. “He likely kicks inside at the next level, but he boasts impressive movement skills that allow him to mirror pass-rushers and enough athleticism to survive on the outside if the Packers want to give him that opportunity.”

Tom was the 140th overall selection; he ranked 64th on PFF’s board.

One of Green Bay’s seventh-round picks was an honorable mention.