Green Bay Packers: 3 Players to Avoid Early in the Draft
By Paul Bretl
Chase Claypool WR/TE – Notre Dame
I promise, I’m not intentionally picking on the Notre Dame players but for a wide receiver needy team like the Green Bay Packers, they should stay away from Claypool for the first two rounds. If he happens to be available still in round three, then the value is much better.
If you looked up the term “Packers Prototypical Receiver” – I’m pretty sure we would see a picture of Claypool. He measured in at 6’4″ – 238 pounds and after putting on a show at the Combine, he posted a relative athletic score of 9.98.
Unfortunately, the tape does not reflect that athleticism. While Claypool could be a difficult matchup in the slot and a potential force in the red zone given his size, he doesn’t create much separation despite what his 40 time says, his route running needs work, and he doesn’t provide much upside in terms of picking up yards after the catch.
I can certainly see why a general manager – and maybe it is Brian Gutekunst – will fall in love with him. But with that said, in this deep receiver class, there are a number of other prospects that I would select before Claypool who are more pro-ready.