Green Bay Packers: WR Kadarius Toney Most Popular Pick in 2021 NFL Mock Drafts

It’s early, like extremely early in the pre-draft process. Things will undoubtedly change as they always do between now and draft night, but when it comes to who the Green Bay Packers could or should take in the first round, early on, wide receiver Kadarius Toney from Florida is the most popular choice.

Our friends over NFL Mock Draft Database track just about every mock draft that is released, and they put together thier consensus mock draft, showing the most popular pick for each team in Round 1. And for the Packers, Toney is selected in 10 percent of the mock drafts recorded so far–although it’s worth noting that this is down from 12 percent about a week ago as Toney’s stock rises.

The Green Bay Packers have several positions of need this offseason, most importantly — at least to me — is cornerback. But other positions include offensive tackle, interior defensive lineman, and edge rusher. However, adding another weapon to this offense for Aaron Rodgers will be on the to-do list for many as well.

And I tend to agree. Now, where they address that need can be debated, but adding more juice to the passing game isn’t a bad thing. Marquez Valdes-Scantling improved on short to intermediate routes this past season, but the deep ball is still his bread and butter. While alongside Davante Adams, it wouldn’t hurt to have another explosive player who can create for himself.

With 10 projected draft picks and another loaded wide receiver class, I do expect the Green Bay Packers to take a receiver this year–although I thought the same thing a year ago. However, the big question is, will they do so in the first round? Something they haven’t done since selecting Javon Walker in 2002.

Enter Kadarius Toney.

Listed at 6’0″ – 193 pounds, Toney would give the Packers a true slot receiver, something that they haven’t had during Matt LaFleur’s tenure and something they haven’t had since Randall Cobb left town. 505 of his 614 offensive snaps in 2020 came from the slot with an additional 80 out wide, five in-line, and 23 from the backfield.

During his first three years at Florida, Toney had just 66 total targets, and although the production wasn’t massive, many draft analysts note his improvement as a player from year to year. Then in 2020, Toney had a huge breakout season. He was targeted 84 times and caught an impressive 83 percent of them for 977 yards at 14 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns. When thrown to, his quarterback Kyle Trask had a passer rating of 139.8.

According to Pro Football Focus ($), Toney’s catch rate from the slot and total yards from the slot both ranked in the top-7 of all eligible college receivers last season. Not to mention that his overall offensive grade from PFF ranked 16th out of 200 receivers.

For a closer look at what Toney could bring to the Green Bay Packers, here is what The Draft Network’s Jordan Reid had to say about him in his pre-draft scouting report:

"“Toney is an electric slot receiver who’s continued to improve every season in Gainesville. He is much more satisfying than his size indicates because he’s electric with or without the ball in his grasp. His ceiling as a route-runner is a bit limited, but he was highly effective with the package that he was asked to run. Toney’s presence is always felt whether or not he has the ball, as he makes defenses account for him even if he’s strictly a motion player.”"

https://twitter.com/PFF_Mike/status/1354839841784160261

I know he drops an easy completion, but goodness, what a route. Toney had the defensive back spinning.

As Reid mentions, “Toney’s presence is always felt whether or not he has the ball,” so not only could he give the Packers a slot presence that they haven’t had in several years, but he could also be used as the pre-snap motion man in the Matt LaFleur offense. As we’ve seen, this is a key element to the Green Bay offense as it helps achieve that “illusion of complexity” that LaFleur desires.

Last season, Tyler Ervin was used in this role often prior to his injury. We then saw Tavon Austin used there as well, but LaFleur also sent Adams, Valdes-Scantling, and Allen Lazard in motion frequently when those two weren’t available. It’s an integral part of the offense, and on the rare occasion that LaFleur got away from it, the Packers weren’t nearly as efficient moving the ball.

So out of necessity, LaFleur will send just about any player in motion, but having Toney’s explosiveness — which may be unmatched in this draft class — in the mix would certainly be a welcomed sight and help keep defenses off-balance.

Toney is one of the more dynamic receivers in this year’s draft and in the LaFleur offense that does such a terrific job of scheming players open, getting him the ball in space on jet sweeps, screens, and over the middle could lead to some additional big plays for this offense.

As I mentioned in the beginning, there is a long way to go between where we currently stand and draft night. At this point, who even knows if Toney will be available as his stock is on the rise after his performance at the Senior Bowl. But for a Green Bay Packers team that traditionally doesn’t take a receiver in Round 1, I’m not sure they’ll be able to pass on Kadarius Toney if he’s still on the board.