Green Bay Packers: Mock Draft Battle 1.0

Mike: Donovan Peoples-Jones WR – Michigan

This came down to two picks. It was either going to be Peoples-Jones or quarterback Jacob Eason out of Washington. But the need for a talented receiver outweighs the need for a young quarterback right now.

Peoples-Jones didn’t have the production that people expected of him at Michigan, but that was largely a product of abysmal quarterback play. When he got throws that gave him a chance to make plays, he did, showing explosive ability after the catch and a knack for getting open deep.

One of the better route runners in this class, Peoples-Jones is physical, quick, and fiercely competitive. He uses his body well and is likely to be a better pro than he was as a college receiver. Plus, he handled return duties and was sure-handed and intelligent in that phase.

Kenny: Denzel Mims WR – Baylor

Not taking a receiver in the first round might be absolute blasphemy for a lot of people who watched Aaron Rodgers struggle to find anyone to throw the ball to other than Davante Adams and Aaron Jones last season. That’s why I needed to take a receiver in round two.

The fact is that the Packers need some more weapons, and Denzel Mims could be the answer. At Baylor, he went over 1000 yards receiving twice while averaging 15.7 yards per catch in his four years there.

Mims has some of the best hands that I’ve seen. He very rarely, if ever, body catches anything and the ball seems to just stick to his hands. He can grab a ball on the sideline, go up over a defensive back, or haul in an over the shoulder ball over the top.

He doesn’t have quite the raw speed or YAC ability of Brandon Aiyuk or Jalen Reagor, but he has good speed and solid ability to create separation. He also has shown that he can be shifty in the open field and make multiple defenders miss with a series of jukes. That potential for big plays mixed with his elite ability to make contested catches makes him an ideal candidate to become the number two receiver in Green Bay.

Paul: Troy Dye LB – Oregon

Troy Dye may be a lesser-known name when it comes to this year’s linebacker class, but the Green Bay Packers need some speed and athleticism in the middle of their defense and that is exactly what he can provide.

At 6’4″ – 225 pounds, Dye has very good size, he’s explosive and displayed great sideline-to-sideline range while at Oregon. On top of that, he’s shown that he has the ability to stick with running backs and tight ends while in coverage. But perhaps most importantly, he works well in space.

A popular name as far second-round linebackers go, is Malik Harrison out of Ohio State. He was available as well but his impact, at least early on, will likely be made more so in the run game than the passing game. I wanted to break that mold and add the athleticism of Troy Dye to this defense.