Green Bay Packers: Three players to target at pick No. 30

With three picks in the top 50 the Green Bay Packers have the opportunity to infuse this roster with playmakers, to do so, these are three players they should consider taking at pick 30.

The Green Bay Packers have two first round picks for the first time since 2009. That year they came away with B.J. Raji, and eventually traded up for Clay Matthews. Both players became key cogs in the Packers’ Super Bowl run in 2010.

This year, the Packers will not have to work as hard to get the additional first round pick as they did in 2009. The Green Bay Packers made a trade last season with the New Orleans Saints for an extra first-round pick for this year. The Saints ultimately selected EDGE rusher Marcus Davenport.

Thanks to the extra pick, the Packers have some flexibility in the first-round. They can go a multitude of ways with their first-round selections, and these are three players that should be on their radar at pick number 30.

A.J. Brown, Wide Receiver – Ole Miss

Brown is often overshadowed by his former teammate D.K. Metcalf who blew up the combine with impressive numbers in just about every drill that did not measure agility. He’s an impressive physical specimen, but Brown is the more polished player. He has the ability to play both inside and on the boundary. He can win vertically, and make plays after the catch. The ability he has once the ball is in his hands is what jumps off the tape the most.  He is a creative runner and able to make guys miss. His positional versatility is something that likely will attract the Packers to him as well.

Both Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur expressed a desire to get bigger and more explosive at the slot position. Brown fits the billing for that description as opposed to smaller guys like Deebo Samuel or Andy Isabella. Typically the Green Bay Packers have had plenty of success in drafting receivers in the second round, but it seems unlikely that Brown would drop that far. If the Packers want him, he will have to be their first receiver selected in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002.

Chase Winovich, EDGE – Michigan

Widely known as the “other” Michigan pass rusher, Winovich had been a bit of a forgotten man before he went to the combine. Prior to which he was dismissed as a high motor player and he was not seen as a good enough athlete. His combine numbers blew that assumption out of the water.

Winovich is a good enough athlete to win on the edge against tackles in the NFL. He’s good with his hands and is able to pursue the quarterback with relative ease. He may have been dismissed previously, but he has plenty of eyes on him now. Winovich is not only a more polished player than Michigan teammate Rashan Gary, but he’s also a better prospect.

Dalton Risner, Offensive Lineman – Kansas State

Think Cody Whitehair from 2015, but better. Whitehair was a flexible offensive line prospect from Kansas State that was loved by a lot of NFL teams. Ultimately he ended up in Chicago and has been a starter since his rookie year for the Bears. Risner represents the same versatility, but with more upside.

He has the ability to be an above average guard on either side of the line. He also has the ability to play right tackle. If the Green Bay Packers were to select him, it’s likely they would groom him to be Bryan Bulaga’s replacement in 2020. For his rookie season, he could fill in at any spot other than left tackle in case of an injury. His leadership and nastiness along the offensive line would fill a void that hasn’t been in Green Bay since T.J. Lang departed for Detroit.

There are plenty of other players who Green Bay could select at pick 30, but if one of these three is available, they shouldn’t hesitate to call one of their names on draft night.