100 Days of Mocks: Packers Trade Back in Three-Round Mock

With 13 days until the NFL Draft, eight fresh mocks deliver an assortment of passing-game targets for new Green Bay Packers starting QB Jordan Love.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have a desperate need for a playmaking tight end. A strong group of tight ends could allow the Packers to trade back to get one.

That was the scenario in a three-round mock draft by Athlon Sports. Green Bay moved from No. 15 to No. 17 in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, then drafted tight end Dalton Kincaid (while picking up a fourth-rounder).

Giving new starting quarterback Jordan Love “has to be a priority,” Luke Easterling wrote, and giving Kincaid to join second-year receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs would provide a nice trio to build the passing attack.

This mock also traded Aaron Rodgers to the Jets for a second-round pick. Green Bay used its two second-rounders to address holes at safety and outside linebacker, then nabbed Tennessee receiver Cedric Tillman in the third round.

Interestingly, bypassing receiver in the second round meant Green Bay missed out only on Ole Miss’ Jonathan Mingo and Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims.

“Tillman is a power forward–type receiver with impressive body control for his size,” reads a bit of his Athlon scouting report.

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards selected Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

“Christian Watson proved himself as a competent vertical, big-play threat last year,” Edwards wrote. “Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a crisp route-runner who Jordan Love can trust to be in the right place. He needs outlets that he can trust as he looks to gain confidence early in his tenure as the starter.”

There are two questions here: Would the Packers actually draft him, having not taken a receiver in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002? And will he fall that far down the board? The Houston Texans, for instance, could double-up on Buckeyes players with quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 and Smith-Njigba at No. 12.

In two-round mock for Pro Football Network by Kyle Yates, the Packers bolstered the offense with TCU receiver Quentin Johnston in the first round and Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison in the second.

Yates acknowledged the receiver history in a lengthy explainer, then discussed the merits of the 6-foot-4 game-breaker.

“Quentin Johnston needs plenty of refinement, especially as a contested-catch receiver, but the athleticism and traits are there to build out. He fits the mold of exactly what Brian Gutekunst wants in a wideout, so it lines up perfectly for Johnston to be the selection here. It’s just a matter of whether or not Green Bay actually makes the decision.”

The 33rd Team’s scouts projected Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon. He’s a stud; Pro Football Focus had him allowing a 34.9 percent completion rate with 14 passes defensed vs. 22 completions. In three seasons, almost 90 percent of his work came as a perimeter corner.

“Witherspoon is the most physical corner in the draft that will bring an attitude to this defense,” the authors wrote. “He can play outside and in the slot, as well. He’ll pair nicely with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes.”

Poor Rasul Douglas, hey?

It was a big two-round mock by Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon. Literally. He selected Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee in the first round and Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron in the second.

Now, here are three mocks with a sports gambling twist:

Pro Football Focus’ Ben Brown examined the betting markets and came up with Iowa edge Lukas Van Ness. “Edge” falls under defensive line at FanDuel Sportsbook’s NFL Draft odds, and defensive line is the slight betting favorite to be Green Bay’s first pick.

At DraftKings, the selection was Kincaid.

At VSIN, another gambling site, the choice was Michael Mayer.

100 Days of Mocks

Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here are the last 10 days of the series.

With exactly two weeks until the start of the NFL Draft, here's our seventh all-#Packers mock draft.

It's fun to pick out a bunch of skill-position players for Jordan Love, but there are some other holes. I tried to balance the two.https://t.co/KxsMqph3Up

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) April 13, 2023

Packer Central’s seventh all-Packers mock draft

14 days: “Ideal” picks among 10 fresh mocks

15 days: The worst mock ever?

The Sports Illustrated publishers mock draft

16 days: Mel Kiper’s fourth mock draft

17 days: Van Ness leads seven-round mock

18 days: Easter

19 days: “Consensus Mock Draft”

20 days: Two seconds for Rodgers in NFL.com four-rounder

21 days: Some seven-round mocks

Packer Central’s sixth seven-round mock draft

22 days: Tackle before tight ends

23 days: On the offensive