100 Days of Mocks: Rodgers Traded for Jets’ First-Rounder?

With 12 days until the real NFL Draft, here are four fresh mock drafts, including one that assesses need vs. value.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – At some point, the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets will agree to a trade of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

What will they get in return for the four-time MVP? One of the Jets’ second-round picks? Both of them? Or is that first-round choice, No. 13 overall, still in play?

That’s what Patrick Conn of USA Today’s College Sports Wire thinks. In his new mock draft, the Packers landed Georgia edge defender Nolan Smith at No. 13 and Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 15.

“The Packers need to address wide receiver at some point but since history says they won’t use a first-round pick, we project them to double dip on the defensive line,” Conn wrote.

CBS Sports’ Kyle Stockpole, noting the Packers haven’t drafted a receiver or tight end in the first round since the Jurassic period, went with Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness “to strengthen” the defensive front. That meant bypassing Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the tight ends.

Not everyone ignored Jordan Love. The Score went with Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer at No. 15.

“The best all-around prospect in a very strong tight end class lands in Green Bay,” the authors wrote. “Mayer uses his body as well as anybody in the draft, boxing out defenders to present very clear targets for his quarterback. Jordan Love looks like the new quarterback for the Packers, and a reliable tight end like Mayer should be a huge benefit to him.”

Finally, in a light day in the mockosphere, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller and Jordan Reid put together competing drafts, with Miller picking for need and Reid picking for value.

Miller selected Boston College receiver Zay Flowers who would be a “dynamic deep threat” and YAC “menace.” However, Flowers falls below Green Bay’s historic receiver parameters on size and probably isn’t on the board.

Reid went with Clemson pass rusher Myles Murphy, who practically is the embodiment of Green Bay’s recent preferences on size among its outside linebackers at 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds.

Murphy, Reid wrote, is an “explosive pass-rushing prospect” who “checks a lot of the boxes” for Green Bay’s defense. Reid took Murphy over another edge who fits size-wise, Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness.

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.

A MAC receiver also visited the #Packers. The stats and workout numbers ranged from ho-hum to not very good, but the PFF numbers are strong.https://t.co/MYzqYxtmOZ

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) April 14, 2023

13 days: Packers trade back, pick tight end

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