Green Bay Packers: Trading Back in 7 Round Mock Draft Pays Off Big

Trading back in this seven-round mock draft pays off in a big way for the Green Bay Packers.

Brian Gutekunst has only been through two drafts as the Green Bay Packers’ general manager, but we’ve already seen that he is very willing to make trades up or down the draft board.

In 2018 he would trade back in Round 1 before trading back up to select Jaire Alexander. Then in Round 3 that same year, he would move up to take Oren Burks. And just last offseason he would trade up once again in the first round, this time to select Darnell Savage.

Now as we look ahead to this year’s draft which is just about a week and a half away, there is certainly the possibility that Gutey makes another trade.

This is a Green Bay Packers team that has plenty of areas to attend to and fortunately for them, it is a fairly deep draft class at a number of those positions of need. Meaning, trading out of the first round and accumulating an additional top-100 pick is a move that should absolutely be in play.

So this was something that I kept in mind as I was putting together my own seven-round mock draft. For me, outside of the high-end players who will likely be long gone before pick No. 30, there are two prospects, in particular, that I would select over trading back. And those two players are receiver Justin Jefferson and offensive tackle Josh Jones.

However, in this mock draft both were already off the board, so trading back was the best option in my eyes. Utilizing Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, I would end up striking a deal with the New York Giants where I gave them pick No. 30 and they gave me picks 36 and 99 in return.

Overall I think this draft turned out very well as I was able to hit on quite a few of those positions of need, while also landing some immediate impact players.

Without further ado, here is how it all turned out.

Round 2, Pick 36: Brandon Aiyuk WR – Arizona State

As I mentioned above, Justin Jefferson was off the board as was Jalen Reagor, but if you’ve read any of my work or previous mock drafts then you know how big of a fan that I am of Brandon Aiyuk.

His ability to pick up yards after the catch will be a welcomed sight in Green Bay and he will provide a skill-set that they just don’t have at the receiver position at the moment.

Round 2, Pick 62: Ross Blacklock IDL – TCU

While the Green Bay Packers’ defense was much improved last season, they were still very vulnerable against the run. It’s time to find Kenny Clark some help inside and the addition of the versatile and athletic Ross Blacklock will fit well in Mike Pettine’s defense.

Round 3, Pick 94: Ben Bartch OT – St. John

I didn’t like waiting until Round 3 to find my right tackle of the future but it ended up working out well with Bartch being available. Although he played college at the DIII level, he has many of the attributes that NFL teams look for in their tackles. Not to mention that he held his own very well at the Senior Bowl and a year of learning behind David Bakhtiari and Rick Wagner will certainly help his development.

Round 3, Pick 99: Troy Dye LB – Oregon

With the additional pick that I received from the New York Giants, I was able to address the linebacker position. This Packers’ defense needs more speed in the middle, so may I present to you Troy Dye who has very good sideline-to-sideline range and is a player who held his own quite well in coverage against running backs and tight ends.

Round 4, Pick 136: Darrynton Evans RB – Appalachian State

With both Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams free agents after the 2020 season, it is time for the Green Bay Packers to start planning ahead at the running back position, you know, just in case. Enter Darrynton Evans who will be an ideal fit for Matt LaFleur’s outside-zone running scheme and while he only had 33 receptions during his final two years, in those reps you can see that he has the potential to be a factor in the passing game at the NFL level.

Round 5, Pick 175: Antonio Gibson WR/RB – Memphis

You might see Gibson listed as a running back but don’t be mistaken, he is a versatile chess piece that if used correctly will be able to create and exploit plenty of mismatches. Last season at Memphis he had over 700 receiving yards at nearly 20 yards per catch while also totaling 369 yards on the ground with 12 total touchdowns.

Round 6, Pick 192: Danny Pinter G – Ball State

I certainly don’t think that it is a given that Billy Turner will be back for the 2021 season and on top of that, Corey Linsley is a free agent next offseason as well. So selecting Pinter in Round 6 made a lot of sense. He’s a very good athlete and will fit best in a zone-blocking scheme as either a guard or a center and he’s another player to add to the mix inside.

Round 6, Pick 208: Tanner Muse S – Clemson

Mike Pettine primarily uses three safeties on the field at a time so having some more depth at this position is never a bad thing. At Clemson, Muse often lined up as the deep safety but he has also shown that he can play down in the box as well and even cover the slot.

Round 6, Pick 209: Stanford Samuels III CB – Florida State

In a perfect world I would have addressed the cornerback position much earlier than this but the opportunity never really presented itself. Instead, I ended up with Samuels who I do think is a good fit for the Green Bay Packers with his man coverage abilities and he has the potential to play significant snaps one day. And you can’t really ask for much more than that in Round 6.

Round 7, Pick 236: Bravvion Roy IDL – Baylor

With this pick I went with more help for Kenny Clark inside. Roy may never develop into a reliable pass-rusher but at 6’1″ – 333 pounds, he can take up space in the middle, occupy double teams, and provide some help in the run game.

Round 7, Pick 242: Cheyenne O’Grady TE – Arkansas

O’Grady may never develop into a player that you can count and he left Arkansas before the season was even over in 2019. But he’s athletic and he has reliable hands with the potential to affect the passing game in a positive way. At pick 242 I’ll take a swing for the fences and if it doesn’t work out, then oh well.