Green Bay Packers: Taking a Mulligan on First Three Rounds of 2020 NFL Draft
The Green Bay Packers received low grades for their performance in the 2020 NFL Draft, so let’s fix it for them by redoing the first three rounds.
The Green Bay Packers had a rough three days of the 2020 NFL Draft and came away with a number of selections, especially early on, that surprised almost every analyst. The good news is they clearly have a plan in place about what they want their football team to look like, it just wasn’t the plan anyone else envisioned.
Green Bay appears headed toward a heavy dose of handoffs, as they targeted a big bruising running back in A.J. Dillon in the second round and followed that up with a fullback in Josiah Deguara in the third round. On Day 3, they used all three sixth round selections on offensive linemen as well.
However, they failed to address some of their biggest needs on Days 1 and 2 including wide receiver, offensive line and defensive line. Therefore, with hindsight being 20/20, I took the liberty of completing a mulligan on their first three rounds. I kept the trade intact, and drafted based on the Packers’ biggest needs and helping them win now instead of the long-term approach the team ended up taking.
Orginal 26th Overall Pick: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
New: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, USC
With their eye on the future, Green Bay moved up four spots and selected their quarterback of the future in Jordan Love. Although Love was very inconsistent in his senior year at Utah State, his ceiling is sky-high and he could take over for Aaron Rodgers in three to four years.
No matter what happens in the future, drafting a player who won’t have any impact in at least three to four years is a tough pill to swallow for a 13-3 squad who came within one game of advancing to the Super Bowl. In order to maximize the rest of Rodgers’ career, I snagged a wide receiver who can help them from Day 1.
Pittman was actually selected with the 34th overall pick, but would’ve immediately become Green Bay’s second-best receiver. He has excellent size at 6-foot-4 and has good enough speed even if it’s not great. He’s already adept at making back-shouldered catches and would’ve given the Pack another pass-catching weapon.
Original 62nd Overall Pick: A.J. Dillon, Running Back, Boston College
New: Justin Madubuike, DL, Texas A&M
The Packers appear ready to hand the ball off time and time again with a three-headed running back position that consists of Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and, now, Dillon. It’s easy to see they had an eye on the future with this pick as well, considering both Williams and Jones will be free agents in 2021.
Instead of looking forward to years from now, Justin Madubuike will be able to help immediately. Kenny Clark desperately needs help on the defensive line and that’s exactly what this mulligan pick gives them. Madubuike is a good blend of quickness and strength and can be a disruptor in the backfield. He slipped a bit in the draft to 71st overall, but this would’ve been a good selection for a team in need of more capable players on the front line.
Orginal 94th Overall Pick: Josiah Deguara, Fullback/Tight End, Cincinnati
New: Matt Peart, OT, UConn
Speaking of front lines, the Packers also have a lingering question mark at their long-term right tackle position. They allowed Bryan Bulaga to walk in free agency and replaced him with a short-term, stop-gap in Ricky Wagner.
3 Free Agents Packers Must Sign After NFL Draft. dark. Next
In their original selection, the Pack drafted a fullback who a lot of scouts had ranked as a priority free agent. This time around the add immediate depth to their offensive line and a high-reward player in Matt Peart. At 6-foot-7 and 318 pounds, Peart moves extremely well for a player his size. He played both tackle spots as a four-year starter in college. He could certainly use some time to develop his craft, which is exactly what the Packers could’ve offered him with Wagner holding down the starting spot for a year or two.