Green Bay Packers 2022 Mock Draft Roundup & Takeaways 3.0

This will be our first Mock Draft Roundup & Takeaways since the Green Bay Packers season came to a screeching halt. We have also learned since the last edition came out last month that Green Bay will be selecting 28th overall in the first round.

As the offseason unfolds and we get through free agency, the positions of need for this Packers team will likely change, but at this moment, some of the big needs that Green Bay has are at wide receiver, linebacker, edge rusher, tight end, offensive tackle, and interior defensive lineman.

So with that in mind, I will be taking a look at who several draft analysts have the Green Bay Packers selecting in some recent mock drafts, along with their reasoning behind the pick, and I’ll share my thoughts as well.

Dalton Miller – Pro Football Network

Pick 28: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

"“Jameson Williams is effectively a mix between the slightness of Jerry Jeudy with the speed of Jaylen Waddle, just in a 6-foot-2 frame. He’s not very powerful, but he possesses endless reserves of explosion. He averaged nearly 20 yards per catch in his one season at Alabama and returned 2 of his 10 kickoffs for touchdowns in 2021.”"

Takeaway: Depending on what happens with Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Green Bay Packers receiver room could look much different than what it does now. At the moment, however, Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, and Chris Blair are the only receivers under contract. So perhaps this could be the year that Green Bay takes a receiver in Round 1.

The 6’2″ – 189 pound Williams meets the height requirement that the Green Bay Packers typically covet but is a bit on the lighter side. 2021 was when Williams saw the bulk of his snaps, catching 61 of his 93 targets at a ridiculous 20.6 yards per catch with 13 touchdowns per PFF ($$). He primarily lined up on the boundary but does have slot experience as well.

Josh Edwards – CBS Sports

Pick 28: Trevor Penning, OT, UNI

"“David Bakhtiari missed essentially the entire season and right tackle has been an issue since Bryan Bulaga departed. A team that is so reliant on its run game needs an offensive line. Penning is good value at this stage of the first round.”"

Takeaway: What the Green Bay Packers decide to do at right tackle in 2022 will be something to monitor. Do they bring Billy Turner back, or do they cut him for the cap space? Will they move Elgton Jenkins there once healthy? Or perhaps Yosh Nijman? Maybe they look to the draft instead.

Penning, who stands 6’7″  and weighs 321 pounds, plays with a mean streak, something you love to see from an offensive lineman and he has been a three-year starter for the Panthers at left tackle. Over the last two seasons, he has allowed just two sacks, 21 total pressures, and he was one of PFF’s highest-graded tackles.

Zach Patraw – SI

Pick 28: Drake London, WR, USC

"“Natural catcher of the ball. Tough runner after the catch and runs with an edge to him. Possesses good body control and a large catch radius to haul in passes in his relative area. Excellent concentration in traffic and over the middle of the field to keep his eye on the ball throughout the catch process.”"

Takeaway: Get used to seeing a lot of receivers mocked to Green Bay in the coming months–although now that I think about it, that’s usually what happens.

London has terrific size at 6’5″ – 210 pounds and is coming off a season where he suffered an ankle injury and only played in eight games. However, he was still targeted a whopping 119 times, making 88 receptions for 1,084 yards with seven touchdowns. London had 60 total targets between 2019 and 2020; he also has experience both from the slot and the boundary.

Luke Easterling – Draft Wire

Pick 28: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

"“The future of this offense is a huge question mark, and especially if Davante Adams lands elsewhere in free agency, the Packers will need an immediate replacement. Olave is as polished and pro-ready as any prospect in this draft, at any position, and would make an instant impact regardless of who is throwing him the ball.”"

Takeaway: Primarily a boundary receiver, Olave had 101 targets in 2021 and caught 64 percent of them at 14.4 yards per catch with 13 touchdowns. During the 2019 and 2020 seasons, he was targeted a combined 103 times and caught 75 percent of those passes at nearly 16 yards per catch with 16 total touchdowns.

Bucky Brooks – NFL.com

Pick 28: DeMarvin Leal, IDL, Texas A&M

"“The ultra-athletic Leal possesses the length, athleticism, and versatility to thrive in the Packers’ defense. Given the team’s success in developing raw prototypes, Leal could be a perfect fit as a gifted prospect with huge upside.”"

Takeaway: There’s no such thing as too much depth along the interior defensive line, and although the play next to Kenny Clark was better overall this season, there is still certainly room for improvement and added depth.

Leal played up and down the defensive line at Texas A&M and saw significant playing time during each of his three college seasons. For his career, Leal has recorded 79 pressures, 13 of which were sacks, along with 133 tackles, including 25 for a loss.

Kyle Stackpole – CBS Sports

Pick 28: Devonte Wyatt, IDL, Georgia

"“Kenny Clark was awesome this year in making his second Pro Bowl, but his counterparts were underwhelming. Wyatt, coming off a dominant showing during Senior Bowl week, is a solid run defender and a quality pass-rusher who can basically line up anywhere across the front.”"

Takeaway: Once again, the interior defensive line is a position that could be addressed, but for the most part, it’s one that hasn’t been–outside of Green Bay selecting TJ Slaton in Round 5 last year.

At 315 pounds, Wyatt occupies space and defenders, which would help free up Kenny Clark to move around more. He has four years of experience at Georgia, with most of his snaps coming in the last three. Wyatt has recorded 70 pressures, four sacks, and he’s been very stout against the run.

Vinnie Iyer – Sporting News

Pick 28: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

"“The Packers should use this pick to upgrade their wide receiver corps, either to better complement Davante Adams outside and please Aaron Rodgers or to protect themselves in case they can’t re-sign Adams, a pending free agent, to a long-term deal after franchise-tagging him. Burks is a huge target with big hands to match. He can dominate smaller, less physical corners and has deceptive speed.”"

Takeaway: Burks is another big-bodied receiver at 6’3″ – 225 pounds — just like the Green Bay Packers like — and he has been a focal point in the Arkansas offense for three seasons now. Over his career, he has 211 targets, catching an impressive 68 percent of them at 16.6 yards per catch with 18 touchdowns. Burks has taken 77 percent of his college snaps from the slot, according to PFF.