100 Days of Mocks: Packers Trade Rodgers, Add Playmakers in 33rd Team Two-Rounder

In a new mock draft by The 33rd Team, the Green Bay Packers went cornerback, receiver, tight end in the first two rounds.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a new mock draft by The 33rd Team, the Green Bay Packers traded quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets for a first-round pick.

With the pick obtained from the Jets, No. 13 overall, Green Bay grabbed Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, “the most physical, versatile corner in the draft.”

Then-coach Lovie Smith would agree.

“He’s the toughest guy on the team pound-for-pound,” Smith said in 2020.

Responded Witherspoon, who’s listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds: “It’s from the heart. I think I was born with it. I never let my size get me down. Even though I wasn’t the biggest, I always played with the biggest heart. I never let that stop me from doing what I had to do to accomplish what we had to get done."

It’s an interesting pick. The Packers would seem set at corner with Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes – so long as Stokes returns to his rookie form. But the Packers could have a major hole at safety with Adrian Amos headed to free agency and Douglas did spend one day at training camp locked in at safety.

During his final season, Witherspoon had three interceptions, 17 passes defensed and did not allow a touchdown while playing man coverage against the opponent’s No. 1 receiver all season.

Witherspoon was one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s defensive back – a first in program history. He also became the first consensus All-American defensive back in Illinois history and won the Tatum-Woodson Award as the Big Ten’s top defensive back.

According to Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon was one of 152 cornerbacks in this draft class to play at least 200 coverage snaps in 2022. He was nothing short of dominant, ranking third in that group with a 35.5 percent completion rate, second with 18 forced incompletions and first with a 25.3 passer rating.

“Corners have to have a short memory,” Illini coach Bret Bielema said. “They have to. If you get beat on a play or if you give up a touchdown, whatever it is, if you dwell on that play, you’ll never be able to maximize the next one. It’s been my experience that the best corners have that confidence that even they got that one, I’m going to get the next one, and that’s what Spoon is.”

Green Bay’s next two picks were used to give quarterback Jordan Love some explosive options in the passing game.

With its own pick at No. 15, it landed USC receiver Jordan Addison.

At Pittsburgh in 2021, Addison won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver with 100 receptions (a school record) for 1,593 yards (15.9 average) with 17 touchdowns (tied for No. 1 in the nation). He transferred to USC for 2022 and was given Carson Palmer’s retired No. 3 jersey. He caught 59 passes for 875 yards (14.8 average) and eight scores.

In the second round, Green Bay grabbed one of the top tight ends.

For that pick as well as the rest of the NFC North – why did the Bears draft quarterback Bryce Young first overall? Which top-of-the-class defenders did the Lions pick with their two first-round picks? And how did the Vikings address their downtrodden defense? – click here for the full mock.

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The great @chad_reuter cranked out a three-round mock draft in which the #Packers went receiver, safety tight end. Here's the first-round highlight.https://t.co/e84L7T6OJF

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) February 14, 2023

72 days: Packers take receiver to start NFL.com three-rounder

73 days: Packers fill big need with big man

74 days: Rodgers traded, take two pass-catchers in first round

75 days: Two NFL.com mocks, two different tight ends

76 days: Tight end and pass rusher in two-rounder by NFL Draft Bible

77 days: Rodgers traded to Raiders for No. 7 pick

78 days: A seven-round mock includes Big Ten playmakers

79 days: Rodgers traded in two-round mock

80 days: Packers take safety in ESPN mock

81 days: Aaron Rodgers traded in three-round mock

82 days: Seven mocks, including NFL.com

83 days: Two pass-catchers in first-round mocks

84 days: Aaron Rodgers traded for extra first-round pick

85 days: PFF picks a pass rusher

86 days: Tight end in NFL Draft Bible Mock

87 days: Packers trade back, get extra second-rounder

88 days: Sorry, vacation day.

89 days: A “Eureka!” moment in two-round mock

90 days: Playmaking cornerback at PFF

91 days: Three defensive backs in seven-round mock

92 days: Kiper takes a tight end

93 days: Safety first for Bucky Brooks in NFL.com mock

94 days: College Football News mocks Mayer

95 days: Two firsts if Rodgers is traded

96 days: NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah goes back to Georgia

97 days: This pick would break a long drought

98 days: Stud tight end

99 days: Trading for outside linebacker

100 days: First-round quarterback?