Justin Jefferson Most Popular Pick at 30 for Green Bay Packers

There are a lot of mock drafts out there and according to the NFL Mock Draft Database, Justin Jefferson is the most popular selection for the Green Bay Packers at No. 30.

We are in full-blown mock draft season and it is only going to continue to ramp up as we get closer to draft night in April. With hundreds if not thousands of mock drafts available, naturally, we’ve seen a wide variety of selections for the Green Bay Packers’ at 30th overall.

However, for the most part, there is a common theme. And that is that many expect Green Bay to take either a wide receiver or a linebacker in the first round. Some names that we’ve seen linked to the Packers quite often includes, Jalen Reagor, Laviska Shenault, Patrick Queen, and Kenneth Murray.

But according to the NFL Mock Draft Database, where they have compiled many of the mock drafts that have been released in an easy to view format for fans, it shows that wide receiver Justin Jefferson of LSU has been the most popular player mocked to the Green Bay Packers up to this point.

Out of all of the mock drafts that the Database has compiled, Jefferson has been selected nearly 14 percent of the time. The second most is Reagor at 12.7 percent and he is followed closely by Shenault at 11 percent. But it is Jefferson who is most likely to be selected by Green Bay and it’s easy to see why.

Jefferson is coming off of a monster year at LSU and I mean a monster year. Over their 15 games, he would total 1,540 receiving yards at nearly 14 yards per catch with a whopping 18 touchdowns. And this includes an incredible performance in the College Football Playoffs against Oklahoma, where Jefferson tallied 227 receiving yards with four touchdowns.

With the Green Bay Packers, Jefferson would step in and be the team’s go-to slot receiver from Day 1. In 2019 that role belonged to Geronimo Allison but he struggled with drops and when the ball is in his hands, he struggles to create on his own.

Well, that won’t be the case with Jefferson who was the most productive receiver in this loaded class from the slot.

Among the draft-eligible receivers, according to Pro Football Focus, Jefferson leads them all in receptions from the slot with 109, all 18 of his touchdowns came from the slot as well, and the combination of him and Rodgers in the red zone could form a very formidable one-two punch.

On top of his production from the slot, overall Jefferson has just been uber-reliable. In 2019 he caught 83.6 percent of the passes thrown his way, which was the highest percentage among players with at least 65 targets. He also had 72 first down receptions, once again, the most of any receiver in this draft class. And lastly, Jefferson caught 12 of his 13 contested targets, which as I’m sure you’ll guess, is the highest rate in this draft class.

Yet even with all of his success from the slot at LSU, because he is such a refined route runner with incredibly reliable hands, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network believes that Jefferson can be more than just a slot receiver at the NFL level:

"“Justin Jefferson projects as an impact starter at the NFL level. Jefferson brings size, quickness, route running polish, reliable hands to the slot — but don’t mistake him for *just* a slot receiver. Jefferson has the physicality and footwork to win on the boundary against press coverage as well, he’ll be a sufficient weapon for any starting quarterback.”"

In the end, if the actual draft plays out the way that many mock drafts think it will, Green Bay Packers fans should be thrilled with the idea of Jefferson coming to Titletown. His reliability and overall ability to win from the slot will be a welcomed sight and he would certainly give this passing attack some much-added juice from Day 1.