Packers Get First-Round Receiver in CBS Seven-Round Mock Draft

In a new seven-round mock draft, the Green Bay Packers picked a receiver in the first round, followed by an edge defender, defensive tackle and cornerback.

California defensive back Nohl Williams (DB35) runs in the 40-yard dash during the 2025 NFL Combine. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In his new seven-round NFL mock draft at CBSSports.com, Chris Trapasso said he was “handed the script” and guarantees all 257 picks of his mock are correct.

If that’s the case, the long national nightmare is over. The Green Bay Packers, for the first time since 2002, used their first-round pick on a receiver with the selection of Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.

“The Packers actually select a receiver in the first round. Imagine that,” Trapasso wrote. “Egbuka can be productive outside or in the slot. He blocks well, and tracks like it like Christian Yelich downfield.”

OK, so Yelich’s career has been derailed by injuries. Whatever. Egbuka, who had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons at Ohio State and left school as the career leader in receptions, had a predraft visit with the Packers this week.

Egbuka played primarily in the slot at OSU but, at almost 6-foot-1, he has no physical limitations that would prevent him from playing on the perimeter.

Egbuka is the most polished receiver in this draft class. In Green Bay, the expectation is that he’d have to eventually be the team’s No. 1 receiver. He didn’t have to shoulder that load in a star-studded Buckeyes receiver corps that included Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith.

“That’s probably one of the craziest rosters I’ve ever heard in my life,” Egbuka said at the Scouting Combine. “That was one of the reasons I decided to go to Ohio State. I didn’t want to go to a place where I wasn’t going to be challenged by my peers. I wanted to go somewhere I could grow at an exponential rate because they were growing, as well.”

He doesn’t have superior physical traits as far as size, speed and strength. He’s not a great deep threat, nor is he great after the catch. But he is an excellent route-runner, knows how to get open and generally catches the ball. A top recruit coming out of high school, he blossomed under the tutelage of esteemed receivers coach Brian Hartline.

“Whenever I do watch myself, I’m my own hardest critic,” he said. “A reason I excelled at Ohio State was because Coach Hartline and I shared a similar mindset. We’re perfectionists to the nth degree.”

Needs on the defensive side of the ball were addressed in succession.

In the second round, the choice was UCLA edge Oluwafemi Oladejo, who had a big-time senior season with 4.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for losses. A former off-the-ball linebacker, Oladejo is a solid run defender and a work in progress as a pass rusher.

He’s got the requisite size for the position at 6-foot-3 1/4 and 261 pounds with 33 7/8-inch arms. He skipped most of the predraft testing but had excellent numbers in the vertical jump and broad jump.

“It was a great thing, not just for myself but for my team, as well,” he said of the position change. “I think it just gave us the chance to get the best 11 on the field. 

“Going into our season, we knew our linebacker room was the strongest core of the defense. After the Indiana game, we had to really reflect and see how could we get the best 11 on the field. Coach asked me to play end, really just for the week against LSU. I just took it week by week and now we’re here.”

In the third round, the pick was South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, who also had a predraft visit. It’s a big need with TJ Slaton signing with the Bengals in free agency and Kenny Clark coming off a down season.

At the Scouting Combine, Sanders measured 6-foot-3 7/8 and 297 pounds with 33 1/8-inch arms. His Relative Athletic Score was 9.38.

What about cornerback? Cal’s Nohl Williams was the choice in the fourth round. Williams had a superb senior season with a 47.7 percent catch rate and an FBS-leading seven interceptions to go with 15 passes defensed. Plus, he’s an excellent tackler and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

At 6-foot 3/8, he’s got excellent size. The athleticism (4.50 in the 40, 33 1/2-inch vertical jump) was underwhelming but would be mitigated by his role in Green Bay’s zone defense.

The draft wrapped up with another South Carolina defensive lineman in the fifth round, another receiver in the sixth round, another edge in the seventh round and, finally, an offensive lineman in the seventh round.

The lineman was Eli Cox, a four-year starter who played center during each of his final three seasons at Kentucky. He went from four sacks allowed in 2022 and 2023 to zero in 2024. He is experienced and athletic.

With Josh Myers allowed to leave in free agency and Elgton Jenkins shifting from left guard to center, the Packers don’t have an obvious backup center. 

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