Draft Countdown Seven-Round Mock Includes Three Playmakers in First Three Rounds

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers lost one of the NFL’s premier players when they traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. That doesn’t mean the Packers need only one high-quality receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft, though.

In a seven-round mock draft for Draft Countdown, Shane Hallam used a first-round pick on a receiver, a second-round pick on a receiver and a third-round pick on a tight end to help the Packers restock Aaron Rodgers’ fleet of pass-catchers.

With the 22nd overall selection, the one obtained in the Adams trade, the Packers grabbed towering USC receiver Drake London. London, Chris Olave and Jahan Dotson were on the board at that spot.

At 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, London looks like a basketball player. Indeed, he was a two-sport star in high school and played in three games for USC’s basketball team during the 2019-2020 season.

In 2021, he focused on football and caught 88 passes in eight games before suffering a broken ankle.

Even while missing the end of the season, he led the nation with 19 contested catches and was sixth with 24 forced missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s tall but not big, but he’s the type of quality blocker that coach Matt LaFleur would covet.

“Watching the Chargers and seeing what Mike Williams does, I think Drake London can do that stuff. He can play inside,” NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said in a conference call previewing next week’s Scouting Combine.

“He can play outside. He's got outstanding hands. He's got outstanding feel and instincts. A lot of contested catches, which you talk to some people around the league and they celebrate it, and you talk to other people around the league and they say, ‘Oh, it's because he can't separate.’ I don't know. I know the guy is big, and when the ball goes up in the air, he comes down with it. He's a really intriguing player, and everything that I've been told about him from a character, competitiveness, makeup stuff, it's just completely off the charts.”

At No. 28 of the first round, Green Bay got an offensive tackle. That could be a position of need following the release of veteran starting right tackle Billy Turner.

Hallam picked another receiver in the second round. With the 53rd overall selection, also obtained in the Adams trade, Green Bay landed Western Michigan receiver Skyy Moore. A slot receiver at 5-foot-9 5/8, he dominated his final season with 95 receptions for 1,292 yards and 10 touchdowns.

With their second pick of the second round, Green Bay got a Big Ten pass rusher.

In the third round, the Packers selected Virginia tight end Jelani Woods. At 6-foot-7 and 253 pounds, his absurd athleticism was highlighted by a 4.61 in the 40. Woods started his career as a quarterback at Oklahoma State and ended it as a tight end with Virginia. He caught 44 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns during his one season with the Cavaliers.

In Day 3, Green Bay went safety, defensive line, offensive line, outside linebacker, running back and cornerback.

Click here for the full mock draft.