Between general managers Ted Thompson and Brian Gutekunst, the Green Bay Packers have drafted the following wide receivers on Day 2 of the NFL draft: Terrence Murphy (2005), Greg Jennings (2006), James Jones (2007), Jordy Nelson (2008), Randall Cobb (2011), Davante Adams (2014), Ty Montgomery (2016), Amari Rodgers (2021) and Christian Watson (2022). That’s a damn good track record at one position and a specific part of the draft.
Surprise, surprise, but Day 2 once again looks like the sweet spot for the Packers entering the 2023 draft.
Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be a real option at No. 15 overall, but he could easily come off the board earlier in the first round, and the Packers
may prioritize an edge rusher or offensive tackle or even a tight end with their first pick. Smith-Njigba appears, from the outside looking in and with an understanding of the team’s preferences at the position, as the only real wide receiver option for the Packers in the first round, given they stay at No. 15 and make a pick.
TCU’s Quentin Johnston ran a frightening slow three-cone, a drill the Packers care greatly about when it comes to receivers. BC’s Zay Flowers and USC’s Jordan Addison are just too small. It’s possible the Packers don’t see any of the three as a Day 1 option.
While the first round lacks, Day 2 opens a big world of possibilities.
Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, SMU’s Rashee Rice, Ole Miss’s Jonathan Mingo, Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry, Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman, Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson, Nebraska’s Trey Palmer, Virginia’s Donvaytion Wicks and Stanford’s Michael Wilson could all be legitimate options for the Packers, who currently hold the No. 45 and No. 78 pick on Day 2 and could add pick No. 42 or No. 43 in a trade with the New York Jets.
The Packers are entering the 2023 draft with a giant need at receiver, a position where the roster currently carries only five players and three with legitimate NFL experience. Adding a rookie draft pick who can play alongside Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs right away should be a priority, and that’ll almost certainly require the Packers to take at least one during the first three rounds.
Adding Smith-Njigba to the group as a slot dynamo looks like a no-brainer, even if it’s not necessarily a likely outcome for the Packers in the first round. With Day 2 likely to offer several attractive fits, don’t be surprised if the Packers stick to their track record and wait on receiver until the second or third round.
