Packers Deemed Worst of Mediocre NFC North Drafts

Which teams helped themselves the most for the upcoming season through the NFL Draft? Not the Packers.

Matthew Golden reacts after being drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – First, the bad news: The Green Bay Packers didn’t have a good draft, at least according to Sports Illustrated. Now, the better news: The rest of the NFC North, and the top contenders in the NFC, weren’t appreciably better.

In NFC draft rankings by Gilberto Manzano based on “immediate impact,” the Green Bay Packers ranked 13th out of 16 teams. The Chicago Bears had the best draft but ranked eighth.

“The Packers went heavy on wide receivers, but that might not have solved their problem of needing a legitimate No. 1 target,” Manzano said of the Packers picking Matthew Golden in the first round and Savion Williams in the third round.

With Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks returning from last season, and Christian Watson coming back at some point from a torn ACL, the Packers have a “surplus of quality” receivers who can “play certain roles.” What they still don’t have, Manzano said, is a legit, go-to receiver.

“Perhaps one day Golden can develop into an all-around threat. But for now, he’ll mostly just help the offense stretch the field as a speedy weapon for Jordan Love,” Manzano said.

Even if Golden is only a speed threat as a rookie, he’d fill an enormous void in Green Bay’s offense. Without Watson due to a late-season knee injury and then a season-ending knee injury, the Packers lost their last three games.

According to NFL data, the Packers averaged 8.87 yards per passing play when Watson was on the field compared to 7.60 yards when he was off the field. That 1.27-yard differential was one of the largest in the league among receivers who earned regular playing time.

“I’m going to come out here and do what I’m supposed to do,” Golden said. “I’m going to do it to the best of my ability, so I’m definitely going to try to run 4.29 on the field so Jordan can put the ball out there somewhere for me.”

Meanwhile, in a draft class that was perceived to not contain a lot of value, second-round lineman Anthony Belton will at least add depth to the offensive line and Williams has been compared to Deebo Samuel and Cordarrelle Patterson.

“Well, we’ll see,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said at rookie camp of the potential impact that Golden and Williams could make. “A lot of it’s going to be dependent upon them and how well they pick up the offense and how fast they can do it. I think it will all work itself out in due time, but, obviously, very excited about the talent that both those guys bring.

“I love how serious they are about football. And I can say that collectively. Not that I know these guys that well yet – I’ve only been around them not even 24 hours, most of those guys – but I can tell we’ve got a group that I think loves the game of football, and they treat people the right way. That was evident, just the feedback I got from, whether it’s our athletic trainers or whoever, just how respectful these guys are, and to me, that’s a big thing. That’s what we’re all about. We want to be first-class.”

The two-time defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions, who swept the Packers last season, finished 10th in the NFC draft rankings. The Minnesota Vikings, who swept the Packers last season, finished 12th in the rankings. The Philadelphia Eagles, who beat the Packers in Week 1 and again in the playoffs on their way to winning the Super Bowl, finished ninth.

“The Lions’ draft class wasn’t well received by the football public because they didn’t add many recognizable names. But it fits the DNA of the team, which loves to add tough, physical players in the trenches,” Manzano wrote.

“(First-round defensive tackle Tyleik) Williams was regarded as the best run stopper in the draft, but he’ll need time to develop as a pass rusher. (Second-round pick Tate) Ratledge could fill in at guard and make up for the loss of Kevin Zeitler this offseason. Also, it will be interesting to see what Detroit does with the intriguing (third-round receiver Isaac TeSlaa, the athletically gifted wideout who can play inside and outside.”

Check out the full rankings and commentary here.