The Packers decided to go with defense with pick 13 in the first round of the NFL Draft last night. With EDGE being a position of need for Green Bay, it was no shock they went with Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness. Although many Packer fans were disappointed it wasn’t wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, that’s a position we’ll likely see the Packers’ front office target today. I want to focus on players that would be solid picks for the Packers on NFL Draft Day 2.
NFL Draft Day 2: Round 2
Round 2 will be a great opportunity for the Packers to add some quality talent. With two picks very close to each other, they can target players that fill needs while keeping up with their desire to see value. They got their value at a position they covet in round 1 and can beef up the group of pass catchers on the NFL Draft Day 2.
Immediate Needs: WR – TE – S
Future Needs: OL – EDGE – OLB – CB
NFL Draft Day 2: Pick 42
There are a lot of receivers with similar skill sets that could very well go in this range. Although none appear to be future WR1s, many fit what the Packers are looking for. I’m hoping to see Green Bay go WR/TE with picks 42 and 45 unless there is a big name that drops, and it’s a no-brainer pick from a talent perspective.
Jonathan Mingo: WR – Ole Miss
Grabbing a receiver for Jordan Love with one of the Packer’s two second-round picks sounds like a guarantee. Although this receiving class isn’t viewed as highly as the last couple, there are many players with great potential. Insert Jonathan Mingo. At 6’2″ and 220 pounds, he’s a physical specimen that runs a 4.46-second 40. He isn’t known for his quickness or burst but wins with physicality, is a true downfield threat, and is a great blocker.
Rashee Rice: WR – SMU
Rashee Rice is similar to Mingo in how he succeeds as a receiver. He is more known for his strength and power than his speed and acceleration. He has a great catch radius and can power through contact after he’s caught the ball. The beauty of either of these receivers is the physical tools are there. Their biggest knock is route running, which NFL coaching can easily improve.
Cedrick Tillman: WR – Tennessee
This isn’t the Tennessee receiver that garners the most attention, but he could very well end up being the better pro. Cedric Tillman is a tall, strong receiver with good short-area burst. He doesn’t have great straight-line speed but makes up for it with great ball and yards-after-catch skills. Along with Mingo, blocking is a calling card for Tillman.
Michael Mayer: TE – Notre Dame
I expect the run on tight ends to start early in the second, as only Utah’s Dalton Kincaid was drafted in the first. With so many great options out there, it only takes one to make the rest of the GMs nervous, and they start dropping like flies. Michael Mayer was considered by many to be the most well-rounded tight end in the Draft, so this pick would be more about the NFL Draft Day 2 value than how I feel about him or his fit in the offense overall.
NFL Draft Day 2: Pick 45
Assuming the Packers go receiver with pick 42, tight end should be the target with pick 45. If the run on them starts early in the second, then things change a bit, but they should have a good option at either 42 or 45.
Darnell Washington: TE – Georgia
Darnell Washington is a RAS marvel, as he has the size and speed to be a well-rounded tight end in the NFL. He was more known for his blocking in college but could develop into a good receiver at the next level. He has more than enough speed to beat linebackers in coverage and the size to overpower defensive backs.
Luke Musgrave: TE – Oregon State
Luke Musgrave could be the best receiving tight end in the Draft. He has great size and speed for his position, along with ideal alignment versatility. He would be an incredible weapon in the middle of the field for Matt LeFleur. The only knock is his play strength as a pass catcher, but coaching can help alleviate a lot of those issues.
Sam LaPorta: TE – Iowa
If Musgrave isn’t the style of player the Packers’ front office want to target on NFL Draft Day 2, then maybe it’s Sam LaPorta. He’s a more physical player that relies on winning at initial contact and crisp route running. He’s not viewed as a bad athlete, but the home run plays aren’t as much of his game, at least at this point.
Drew Sanders: LB – Arkansas
I’d love to see Drew Sanders in Green Bay if linebackers don’t fly off the board before the Packers pick. There wouldn’t be a huge need for him right away except for sub packages, but him and Walker as starting inside linebackers is exciting. The speed and versatility would be amazing, and Sanders has experience as an edge rusher. Adding him would give Joe Barry another weapon for this year and a replacement for De’Vondre Campbell once his time in Green Bay is over.
NFL Draft Day 2: Round 3
Round 3 has not been kind to the Packers in recent years, but we have to give them credit for trying to fill needs here. Obviously, those swings have mainly been misses, but I’m hoping the front office has learned from their mistakes, as there are plenty of potential difference-makers out there in the NFL Draft Day 2.
Needs: DL – S – OL
NFL Draft Day 2: Pick 78
Moro Ojomo: DL – Texas
The Packers once against struggled to stop the run last season. The beauty of Ojomo is that run stopping is his calling card, while having the potential to improve greatly in his pass rush game. With a RAS score of 9.28, long arms, and a fast get-off, nothing physically is topping him from improving there. Virtually all of his knocks are coachable, and he wouldn’t be focused on by offensive lines like he was in college.
Jartavius Martin: S – Illinois
Safety is a big concern for the Packers, and unfortunately, this isn’t the Draft to confidently solve that issue. That said, the middle rounds are where teams can find value at the position. Overall athleticism and speed are the downfalls of the safety class this season. Jartavius Martin is not plagued by those downfalls. He may not have the pedigree of Brian Branch or Jordan Battle, but he’s more explosive than both and can play in multiple positions in the secondary.
Jammie Robinson: S – Florida State
Jammie Robinson is a safety that I could see the Packers targeting to fill the free safety position. He has good movement skills, although top-end speed isn’t his calling card. He’s a willing tackler but is best when he can read and react to routes. He is known for his instincts, which is exactly what you want from a position that gets opportunities to take the ball away.
Carter Warren: OL – Pitt
The Packers love experienced, athletic offensive linemen in the middle rounds. That description fits Carter Warren to a T. A knee injury cut his 2022 season short, but Pitt runs a similar scheme to the Packers, giving him a leg up from day one. He excels in run blocking but is also not a slouch in pass pro.
I’d be floored if the Packers didn’t focus on offense with their NFL Draft Day 2 picks. There are many solid options that could step in from day one and have similar skill sets to what this team lost in Lazard, yet which higher ceilings. The third round will be interesting as there is a lot of directions they could go, but I’m optimistic they will break their third-round curse.
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