Since taking over as general manager of the Green Bay Packers, Brian Gutekunst has drafted eight wide receivers, with five of them being Day 3 selections.
Gutekunst currently holds nine Day 3 selections in the 2023 NFL draft. It’s a safe bet that one of those picks will be used on a wide receiver.
A wide receiver that could be a potential target for the Packers on Saturday is Grant DuBose.
The Charlotte wide receiver finished this past season with 64 receptions for 792 yards and nine touchdowns.
“Looking back at the stats, Grant had just one 100-yard game last season, although it felt like multiple,” Hunter Bailey, a reporter for The Charlotte Observer, said. “DuBose scored in six of the 12 games, with three of those being multi-score showings. I don’t necessarily think that the 2022-23 stats do him justice, as Charlotte played four quarterbacks throughout the season due to injury and made a head coaching change midway through the year.”
At 6-2, 201 pounds, DuBose is a well-built wide receiver. He does a good job of high-pointing the football and outmuscling defensive backs at the catch point. He has natural body control and sticky hands.
“His ability to turn a 50-50 ball into an 80-20,” Bailey said. “At 6-foot-2, 208lbs, DuBose has adequate size at the next level. His route running impacts all three levels of the defense and he has the size and quickness to line up on the perimeter or in the slot. While there are a lot of big-time plays on tape, he has made double that in practice. He reminds me of a young, slightly less physical version of AJ Brown. He will continue to improve with an NFL strength training regiment.”
The Charlotte wide receiver quickly turns from catcher to runner. He runs hard after the catch and runs through arm tackles. According to PFF, DuBose picked up 302 yards after the catch this past season.
“He is a powerful runner, with the ability to put his foot in the ground and make the first defender miss,” Bailey said. “A quick Google search of his highlights will show broken tackles, situational awareness, and the ability to take it the distance on every play.”
DuBose is sharp in and out of his breaks. He has a detailed release package and doesn’t let cornerbacks get him off his route path.
“I think his route running will continue to polish as he grows as an NFL player,” Bailey said. “He is a solid route runner now, but I think what sets him apart is his catch radius and his ability to turn a not-so-great throw into a highlight.”
It’s no secret that Matt LaFleur wants his wide receivers to be good blockers out on the edges and DuBose checks that box.
“DuBose loves to block, in fact, he takes pride in it,” Bailey said. “There are multiple instances where I recall him throwing a defensive back out of the club to spring an outside run or coming in motion and cracking a walk-up safety or linebacker. I think blocking is one aspect of his game that will get him on the field early in his NFL career.”
DuBose returned nine punts this past season and averaged 8.4 yards per return. Over the past two seasons, he played 96 snaps on special teams and recorded one tackle.
“Personally, I think DuBose is going to make his mark on special teams out of the gate,” Bailey said. “He may have been a better gunner than receiver on special teams in his second year at Charlotte, and that is no slight to his receiving abilities – he was just that good. The combination of effort, willingness to help the team in every facet (special teams, run blocking, catching the ball, and even throwing the ball, which the 49ers nearly resorted to due to injury), and selflessness are what will get DuBose drafted. And a little tidbit, he was actually recruited by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of high school, and although nothing came of it, he does have a great arm for some of the trickerations that we see in today’s NFL.”
After drafting Jayden Reed in the second round the Packers will likely look to add another wide receiver on day three to team with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure, and Reed. DuBose checks all the boxes.
“He came from working three jobs and playing Division II football to having a real shot at being an impact player early in his NFL career,” Bailey said. “He loves to talk trash, but he keeps it on the field and backs up his claims. And he stays out of the way on social media.”
