The Green Bay Packers, to both the surprise and delight of their fans, took two high-profile tight ends within the top 100 picks of the 2023 NFL Draft. Luke Musgrave from Oregon State was drafted in the second round (42nd overall) and Tucker Kraft was drafted in the third round (78th overall). Despite veteran Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis remaining on the Packers’ roster, it is widely believed that the majority of the offense’s snaps will be played by one (or both) of the rookie tight ends. The question is: which one will be the better player?
Related: Green Bay Packers: 1 Position Named Most Improved Following the NFL Draft
Which Green Bay Packers Rookie Tight End Will Be in the Better Player?
In a recent article on Bleacher Report, NFL writer Alex Ballentine wrote about each team’s best value pick during the NFL Draft. Here is what he had to say about the Packers’ tight ends:
“After letting Robert Tonyan walk in free agency, the Packers addressed the need early, taking Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave in the second round (No. 42 overall). They struck again with Tucker Kraft in the third round.
“The thing is, Kraft might be better than Musgrave.
“The latter is coming off a knee injury that limited him to only two games last season. He has the athleticism and frame (6’6”, 253 pounds) to become a Darren Waller-esque downfield threat, but it might take him some time to acclimate to the NFL.
“Meanwhile, Kraft came in higher on B/R’s big board and played 24 games over the past two seasons. The 6’5”, 254-pounder has similar size as Musgrave, but he worked more as a traditional in-line blocker, which could help him see the field sooner and more frequently than his fellow rookie.
“Not bad for a third-round pick.”
It will certainly be interesting to see how both tight ends are used and who ends up with the most playing time. Musgrave’s injury may have set him behind Kraft in terms of experience, but he has the higher ceiling between the two. In 2023, though, it could very well be that Kraft becomes the brighter star of the two, at least for now.
Best case scenario: they both ball out and are both legitimate receiving threats and phenomenal blockers.
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