Second-Round Receiver for Packers in Latest NFL Mock Drafts

Before there was Matthew Golden in the first round, the Green Bay Packers had a long and strong history of drafting receivers in the second round.

From Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson to Randall Cobb and Davante Adams to, finally, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed, Green Bay’s made a killing with its second-round receivers.

It was back to the second-round well in Keith Sanchez’s mock draft for The Draft Network as he selected Oklahoma receiver Deion Burks.

“Burks has electric speed and is a good route runner, providing the Packers with a dynamic player on the offensive side that they can find creative ways to get the football to and make plays,” Sanchez wrote.

Entering this year’s, receiver ranks toward the bottom of the team’s list of immediate needs. However, it could be a major long-term need. After the upcoming season, Watson, Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Skyy Moore are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents.

While general manager Brian Gutekunst could re-sign one or more of those players, the fact remains that only Golden and Savion Williams, who didn’t make much of an impact as a rookie, are under contract for 2027.

With that, it would not be a surprise if Gutekunst went with a receiver early, even with more pressing immediate needs.

The Packers, Sanchez noted, “like speed and vertical field stretchers at the receiver position. And they lost one of their main pieces when Romeo Doubs headed to New England in free agency. The Packers know they need to fill that void.”

The problem is Burks is too small for Green Bay’s historic preferences at 5-foot-9 3/4 and 180 pounds. So, that Burks ran an electric 4.30 in the 40-yard dash will be irrelevant.

The Athletic: Cornerback

Speaking of prospects who probably don’t fit, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman selected Miami cornerback Deionte Scott.

After three so-so seasons at Auburn, Scott had a superb final season for the Hurricanes. He had two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed zero touchdowns and only 8.5 yards per reception. He was a big-time weapon from the slot with five sacks and 13 tackles for losses.

So, what doesn’t fit? At 5-foot-10 5/8, he doesn’t have the desired success to hold up as a perimeter cornerback, which is what the Packers need. In fact, in 2025, he played only six snaps on the perimeter.

“Scott is a dynamic nickelback. He’s an excellent force player, blitzer and energy provider,” wrote NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, who has Scott as his No. 47 prospect. “He’s an older prospect (24 years old) but he’s ready to contribute immediately and will provide an explosive element to his drafting team.”

Regardless, Feldman’s mock is one of the best of the year as it includes a bunch of quotes from college coaches who went against the top prospects.

Here’s what one coach said of Scott: “Hell of a player. His tape at Auburn wasn’t great or amazing. But his tape at Miami, whoa. He’s very twitchy and smart. You could tell he does his homework and he plays with such an edge.”

On SI: Defensive Tackle

In his latest for On SI, Justin Melo went with Ohio State All-American defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, who would “be an absolute steal” at No. 52.

Here’s a closer look at the “game-wrecker.”

CBS Sports: Three Rounds

In three-round mock draft at CBS Sports.com, Ryan Wilson selected San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson and Michigan defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny.

Johnson had four interceptions, including two pick-sixes, in 2025. Contrast that to Green Bay’s cornerbacks, who had one interception in the regular season.

According to PFF, Johnson allowed 18 completions in 43 targets (41.9 percent) with zero touchdowns allowed and a passer rating of just 16.1. He finished with 13 passes defensed.

Johnson at the Scouting Combine measured 6-foot 1/4 and 193 pounds. With 4.40 speed, his Relative Athletic Score was 9.83.

“The one thing going into it that I kept hearing,” Aztecs coach Sean Lewis told The San Diego Union Tribune, “was like, ‘Hey, does he have the long speed? Does he have the top-end speed?’ And for him to run an official 4.4 flat. Obviously, that obliterates all those concerns. And the tape speaks to everything else.”

Johnson is the No. 38 prospect, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, and the No. 42 prospect in the draft, according to Jeremiah.

“They have been telling me I'm a great player and a great person, man,” Johnson said after the school’s pro day last month. “That's the stuff I want to hear and the stuff I have shaped and molded myself to be.”

Benny isn’t the big, space-eating defensive tackle in the mold of McDonald. He’s 6-foot-3 1/4 and 298 pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms.

Benny played in 54 games over five seasons. With Mason Graham off to the NFL, Benny was a starter for the first time in 2025, when he was third-team all-conference with 1.5 sacks and three tackles for losses among 35 tackles.

“I’m a lanky defensive lineman who plays with good length,” he told On SI’s Justin Melo. “I create extension and get off blocks. I can push the pocket. I have some juice in the passing game. I’m a good run defender. I’m an all-around defensive tackle. I think that’s what makes me unique as a prospect.”

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTER