Green Bay Packers Take WR in PFF Mock Draft–Is this the Year?

Year after year, hundreds of mock drafts — if not more — have the Green Bay Packers selecting a receiver in the first round. Yet as we all know, that hasn’t happened since 2002, when the team took Javon Walker.

But given the current state of the wide receiver room, depending on how free agency unfolds, selecting a receiver in Round 1 this year is probably as real of a possibility as it has even been in recent memory. At the moment, Amari Rodgers, Randall Cobb — a cut candidate — Chris Blair, Rico Gafford, and Juwann Winfree are the only receivers under contract for the 2022 season.

Now, a lot can change depending on what happens with Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Allen Lazard, but even if two of those three players are re-signed, I still wouldn’t be surprised to see the Packers spend a top-100 pick on the position. If just one of those players is brought back — which is a very real possibility — then we may finally see Green Bay select a receiver in the first round.

A recent mock draft from PFF’s Mike Renner has the Green Bay Packers doing just that, as they selected Treylon Burks from Arkansas at 28th overall.

"“Burks can be a better version of Allen Lazard as the Packers’ No. 2 wide receiver,” said Renner in his mock draft. “He’s big enough to get involved as a blocker, which Matt LaFleur loves, and he has a speed element to his game that the Packers may miss if Marquez Valdes-Scantling walks in free agency.”"

We know that the Green Bay Packers like big-bodied receivers who typically measure in at least 6’0″ and 200 pounds. Well, Burks certainly meets those requirements, standing 6’3″ and weighing 225 pounds.

Burks has been an integral part of the Arkansas offense for three seasons now. He had 211 total targets during that span and caught 68 percent of those passes while averaging 16.6 yards per catch along with 18 touchdowns, according to PFF ($$).

This past season was his most productive as Burks had 88 targets, hauling in an impressive 74 percent of those passes for 1,100 yards — or 16.9 yards per catch — and 11 touchdowns. All were career highs.

For what it’s worth to you, Burks finished the 2021 season as PFF’s 14th highest-graded receiver and he would finish 13th in 2020. In addition to the gaudy numbers he put up in 2021, Burks was one of the best with the ball in his hands, finishing sixth among all receivers in total YAC as well as third in YAC per catch.

Burks has taken a majority of his snaps at Arkansas from the slot, but about a quarter of them have come on the boundary as well–something that we know is important to the Matt LaFleur offense as he likes to move his receivers around.

Given the state of the Green Bay Packers special teams unit, it’s also important to note that Burks has 13 career punt return attempts in which he averaged 10.3 yards per return and 11 kick return attempts, with an average of 20.5 yards–although 12 of those punt returns and 10 of those kick returns happened during his freshman season in 2019.

For more on Burks’ game, here is what The Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs has to say about him in his pre-draft report:

"“Burks lines up as an X receiver, slot receiver, and in the backfield at times for the Arkansas offense. This allows for the coaching staff to find unique ways to get the ball into his hands. When he has the ball in his hands, Burks is a tough tackle for defenders. Burks uses his big frame to power through arm tackles and is rarely brought down by the first defender.“Burks also uses his big frame to shield defenders away from the ball and on in-breaking routes. Burke’s most dynamic trait is his natural ability to go up and over defenders to win 50/50 balls. He thrives at contested catches because he has an in-depth understanding of body positioning.”"

Is this the year that the Green Bay Packers finally take a receiver in Round 1? As is often the case, free agency is going to play a big role in determining how a team approaches the draft. But I will say, I certainly see it as much more of an option this year than in years past, just given the current makeup of the receiver room in Green Bay.