Green Bay Packers: 2022 Mock Draft Roundup & Takeaways 1.0

The Green Bay Packers are on their bye week, and the college football season is winding down, so why not take a look at some recent mock drafts and who several draft analysts have the Packers selecting.

Now, obviously, there is quite a bit of time between today and the 2022 NFL Draft, and a lot — and I mean a lot — is going to change. But early on in the process, this will at least provide us with some names to keep our eyes on.

Here is a look at six Green Bay Packers mock drafts, along with my thoughts on each pick.

Chris Trapasso – CBS Sports

Pick 30: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

"“Burks is a similar prospect to London, but is a little more physical and not as twitched up. But he plays as physical of a brand as football as you’ll see at receiver.”"

Takeaway: Is this the year that the Green Bay Packers take a receiver in the first round? I’d say the odds are likely a bit higher than what they have been in years past. Currently, Amari Rodgers and Randall Cobb are the only receivers under contract beyond 2021, and I imagine that Cobb will be cut in favor of the salary cap savings that come with that move.

Standing 6’3” and weighing 223 pounds, Burks has that big frame that Green Bay covets at the WR position. Burks has 211 targets over his three years, and in 2021 specifically, he has caught 74 percent of his 88 targets at 16.9 yards per catch along with 11 touchdowns. He has taken a majority of his career snaps from the slot, according to PFF ($$).

Mark Schofield – Touchdown Wire

Pick 30: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

"“George Pickens was expected to be one of the top receivers this season, and in the 2022 NFL draft as a result. But he tore his ACL in the preseason, putting those thoughts on hold…Or so we thought. Pickens returned to the field this weekend against Georgia Tech, and while he caught just a single pass, a five-yard gain on a screen, his return from the injury is impressive.While we wait to see what Pickens does the rest of the way, and if he even enters the draft, the Green Bay Packers do have a need at receiver. A number of their current options are set to hit free agency, including Davante Adams, and depending on how things shake out, Pickens might be an incredible consolation prize.”"

Takeaway: Another receiver, and as we dive into mock drafts, there is once again going to be a lot of this. But as mentioned above, Green Bay is going to be in need.

As Mark mentioned, Pickens appeared in only one game this season after an offseason ACL injury. Prior to that, Pickens had 131 targets over two seasons and hauled in 66 percent of those passes. He averaged 14.5 yards per catch, tallied 14 touchdowns, and did most of his damage from the boundary.

Ryan Wilson – CBS Sports

Pick 30: DeMarvin Leal, IDL, Texas A&M

"“Leal hasn’t been as dominant in ’21 as he was in ’20 but not only does he easily pass the eye test, he’s proven he can take over games against some of the best players in the country. Originally a defensive end, Leal, at 6-foot-4, 290, has the versatility and athleticism to play up and down the line, he just needs to play with more consistency from one play to the next.”"

Takeaway: A credit to Dean Lowry, Kingsley Keke, Tyler Lancaster, and TJ Slaton, all of whom have provided Kenny Clark with some much-needed help this season—and we are seeing the results on the field. With that said, there are limits to what these players can do, and there is no such thing as too much interior depth.

Leal can line up just about anywhere along the defensive front, and over the last two seasons, he has recorded 69 pressures, 13 sacks — 8.5 of which came in 2021 — and 19.5 tackles for loss, including 12.5 this season.

Brandon Coyle – SI

Pick 30: Drake Jackson, Edge, USC

"“The Packers’ defense has been better this season, but they aren’t winning off the edge enough. Drake Jackson can step in and create pressure as a stand-up rusher in this Packers scheme. He’s long and twitchy, with more refinement as a pass rusher. Jackson could be a double-digit sack guy.”"

Takeaway: Edge rusher is absolutely a position that should be on the Green Bay Packers’ radar in this upcoming draft. At this time, we just don’t know what the future holds for Za’Darius Smith or Preston Smith beyond this season.

In his three seasons at USC, Jackson has tallied 69 pressures, 13 sacks, and 25 tackles for loss. He has also graded out well as a run defender by PFF’s metrics.

Joe Marino – The Draft Network

Pick 30: Thayer Munford, IOL, Ohio State

"“The Green Bay Packers’ offensive line has been stressed in consecutive seasons due to injuries and players leaving via free agency, so the need to replenish things up front is obvious.Thayer Munford enters the NFL with more than 3,000 snaps played in college with time spent at right tackle, left tackle, and left guard. He has the upside to play either tackle or guard in the NFL, which will allow his NFL team get their best five on the field. Munford is long, athletic, powerful, and technically-refined.”"

Takeaway: Will the Green Bay Packers take an interior offensive lineman in the first round? Admittedly, I have my doubts. It’s historically not been a position they draft that high, they’ve had quite a bit of success finding Day 3 tackles and moving them inside, and they’ve selected Jon Runyan, Royce Newman, and Cole Van Lanen in the last two drafts.

Munford is in his fifth season at Ohio State and fourth as a starter. He is, however, not strictly a guard as he was the Buckeyes starting left tackle from 2018 to 2020. In fact, last season he was PFF’s fourth-highest graded tackle—allowing no sacks and three pressures during the shortened season.

This year at guard — his first — Munford has allowed just one sack and 15 pressures. While I have my doubts about the Packers taking a pure interior lineman in Round 1, if Munford tests well athletically and the Packers view him as a potential option at tackle, I’ll feel a bit differently.

Dane Brugler – The Athletic ($$)

Pick 30: Darian Kinnard, OT/G, Kentucky

"“The Packers’ offensive line is holding up well considering they are without several injured starters. But there is no such thing as too much depth, and Kinnard will eventually break into the starting lineup, either at tackle or guard.”"

Takeaway: The 6’5” – 345 pound Kinnard is a three-year starter at right tackle for the Wildcats. During that span, Kinnard has allowed just seven sacks, 30 pressures, and been called for five penalties in his 940 pass-blocking snaps. He has also finished each of those seasons as one of PFF’s top-10 tackles by overall grade, including finishing in the top-5 in 2020 and 2021.

We know David Bakhtiari will be at left tackle for the next few years, but right tackle is a bit of a question mark. Billy Turner has been rock solid, but what does his future hold—will he receive an extension this offseason? Also, is Yosh Nijman a future option at right tackle?

Like the interior defensive line, I have no problem in bolstering the offensive tackle depth.