There aren’t many teams that are historically better at drafting wide receivers than the Green Bay Packers are. The Vikings and Steelers are certainly contenders, with Minnesota probably being the best at selecting WRs – but make zero mistake about it, Green Bay knows what they’re doing.
When it comes to previewing the 2024 Draft, knowing the Packer’s illustrious history of who and when they choose is important. For instance, Green Bay picking Aaron Rodgers despite still having Brett Favre played into the rumor that they would take Jordan Love in 2020 – and they did.
With that being said, here are the best wide receivers taken by the Packers, and what receivers in this draft they may be taking a shot at.
Antonio Freeman
Freeman is one of the first major hits Green Bay has had at WR in recent memory, he is most remembered for that crazy catch against the Vikings in primetime.
With that being said, he had a pretty good career with the Packers. He had over 400 career receptions and 7000 yards, most of which was with Green Bay. He even made the Pro Bowl in 1998.
He was 6’1″ and 200 LBs and ran a 4.60, which made him the prototype for most future Packer receivers. Somewhat slow, but could catch any and everything.
Donald Driver
One of the most fun physical receivers you could watch, Driver was drafted by Green Bay in 1999 and had a similar career to Freeman. He had around 10,000 receiving yards, reached the Pro Bowl in 2007 and 2008, and was the epitome of consistency.
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Driver’s style was, well, extremely physical. His build was almost identical to Antonio Freeman’s, although at the combine he ran a good 4.45. His speed and physicality meshed well with both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
Greg Jennings
Jennings was one of the best all-around wide receivers the NFL has ever seen. That’s not to say he’s even a Hall-of-Famer or anything, but in terms of guys that can do everything, he’s as good as you can get it without breaching into Jerry Rice territory: speed, height, intelligence, route-running, catching ability.
Jennings had it all. Some Packers fans still dislike him for his messy exit from the organization, but he played a huge role in the Packer’s latest championship.
Jordy Nelson
The Packers drafted the beloved Jordy Nelson in 2008 in the 2nd round. At 6’3″, he too was a hard-to-stop physical specimen who helped play a huge role in winning Super Bowl 45. The fanbase’s love for Jordy has never wavered, and he remains a fan favorite to this day.
Davante Adams
Yet another jump-ball type of guy, Adams was also another all-around type of receiver. Not quite as fast or tall as Greg Jennings, he was still a matchup nightmare that no one could consistently cover. He still is a great receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders despite being past his prime. When he inevitably reaches the Hall-of-Fame, he’ll do so being most remembered as a Green Bay Packer.
Who The Packers Could Be Looking At Based On Their Draft History
At this point in the list, it becomes apparent the Pack likes the physical, jump-ball kind of receiver. They don’t shy away from speed, but they don’t entirely embrace it either. In the 2024 draft, they would love to have the ultimate jump-ball prospect in Marvin Harrison Jr, but there’s almost no chance they’ll trade up to the top 5 to get him.
Instead, the Pack will sit back and potentially take Brian Thomas Jr if they were to go in the first round. Considering no one on this list was taken that early, they might just go with Oregon’s Troy Franklin or FSU’s Johnny Wilson in the mid-rounds. They’re both tall and big guys who can physically outmatch smaller defensive backs and can even outrun them as well.
