Green Bay Packers: Mock Draft Battle 2.0
By Paul Bretl
![LUBBOCK, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 16: Wide receiver Jalen Reagor #1 of the TCU Horned Frogs claps during the first half of the college football game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on November 16, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) LUBBOCK, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 16: Wide receiver Jalen Reagor #1 of the TCU Horned Frogs claps during the first half of the college football game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on November 16, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/1f7c123dde7a93c0f98210ca98ebeaf98094f4f3e30aecbd532f19a49621eb54.jpg)
Mike: Donovan Peoples-Jones WR – Michigan
A repeat pick from the first simulation, Peoples-Jones is starting to rise up boards after he put on a show in Indianapolis at the Combine. His performance has caused a lot of people to go back and suffer through watching the Michigan offense the past few years and they’ve seen an extremely talented receiver who never got the chance to truly shine while catching passes from quarterbacks that wouldn’t start in the AAF.
Peoples-Jones has shown a knack to get excellent separation in his routes and shows great ability after the catch to create big plays for his team. Plus, he has experience as a return man and isn’t afraid to get physical both in the run game and at the top of his routes. His explosiveness and big-play potential will pair well with Davante Adams and Allen Lazard.
Kenny: Tee Higgins WR – Clemson
This is a pure value pick. Tee Higgins has a good chance to go in the first round so to get him with the 62nd pick is a value that I simply couldn’t pass on.
I wasn’t so sure about Higgins until I watched his film from the ACC Championship Game against Virginia. He was absolutely dominant, scoring three times and making absolutely every single kind of catch you can think of.
First, scoring on a simple out route and using his speed and size to beat the corner to the edge, then using his RAC ability to turn a similar out route on second-and-18 into a 38-yard gain. Later in the second quarter, he made one of the most ridiculous sideline catches I’ve ever seen, getting a foot down while diving for a ball thrown well out of bounds.
Deep Ball? How about a 53-yard catch where he first used his speed to torch the corner then used his 6’4″ 215-pound frame and physicality to win the jump ball. Not to mention the two red zone touchdowns he scored using his rare combo of route running and physical prowess.
This guy can do it all. I know it was just one game against a team ranked 23rd in the nation, but he showed the ability to do anything that’s asked of him. He has a crazy nose for the end zone and scored 26 times in the past two years. That’s not just one good game. Higgins lining up across from Davante Adams with Jalen Reagor in the slot completely transforms this offense and gives Aaron Rodgers a lot of weapons to work with.
Paul: Brandon Aiyuk WR – Arizona State
It’s no secret that the Green Bay Packers receiving core as a whole was incredibly underwhelming last season and lacked any sort of dynamic, playmaking ability. Outside of Davante Adams of course. So the big playmaking, YAC monster that is Brandon Aiyuk would be a welcomed addition and he would give them a presence that they just didn’t have in 2019.
During his final season at Arizona State, Aiyuk would total just under 1,200 receiving yards and he has a career average of a whopping 17.0 yards per catch. Not to mention that according to Pro Football Focus, his career YAC average of 9.9 yards is the most in this loaded wide receiver draft class.
Give me Aiyuk in this Green Bay Packers’ offense.