Few early round options at WR who meet Packers usual thresholds
By Paul Bretl
The wide receiver position is very much one that the Green Bay Packers will have to address again this offseason. However, unlike the last few years, the 2023 draft class isn’t nearly as deep, nor does it have as much star power at wide receiver. Add in the height, weight, and athleticism thresholds that the Packers typically stick to, and the pool of high-end players to choose from is rather small.
When it comes to Brian Gutekunst and the selection of wide receivers, there are two elements that we need to be aware of beyond what the tape shows. The first is how they register on the Relative Athletic Scale (RAS). Since taking over as GM, 30 of Gutey’s 42 draft picks that registered a score on the RAS scale scored above 8.0, with 18 of them above the 9.0 mark.
Additionally, when discussing the receiver position, specifically, the Packers covet big-bodied pass-catchers that are at least 6’0″ tall and weigh over 200 pounds. As Daire Carragher of Packer Report would write in a recent article of his, Gutey has selected seven receivers during his tenure, and only Samori Toure, at 191 pounds, has been below 200, and Amari Rodgers, listed at 5’9″, has been below the height requirement. One was a seventh-round pick, where a team is more willing to take a flier, and Rodgers, who didn’t test all that well athletically either, is no longer on the team. This height-weight requirement is also not only a trend that Gutekunst has had, but it goes back to the Ted Thompson days as well.
If we look at this year’s receivers who were at the NFL Combine, 18 scored at least 8.0 on the RAS scale, with 11 of those 18 above 9.0. However, when we eliminate those who aren’t at least 6’0″ tall and weigh, at a minimum, 200 pounds, that list of players shrinks to just 10.
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia
Andrei Ioivas, Princeton
Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
Matt Landers, Arkansas
Rashee Rice, SMU
Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Michael Wilson, Stanford
Elijah Higgins, Stanford
Joseph Ngata, Clemson
Grant Dubose, Charlotte
In PFF’s rankings, they have 10 receivers listed in their top 100 prospects, but only two players from that list, Rashee Rice and Michael Wilson, meet both the RAS and measurement requirements.
There is the potential that this list could expand, with Quentin Johnston of TCU not registering a RAS, but he is someone who is expected to test well. Also, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Antoine Green, and AT Perry were all within just a few pounds of 200. But based on the data we currently have, if the Packers are looking to make an early-round selection at receiver, only two fit their usually strict criteria.
In addition to looking for a receiver in the draft, the Packers should also be addressing the need in free agency as well. For one, finding an immediate impact player in this year’s class could be challenging for the reasons just discussed. But also, this is a very young receiver room that Green Bay has, with Romeo Doubs and his 529 total snaps the most on the team at the moment.
Although more playmaking is certainly needed, and that in part could come from Doubs, Christian Watson, and Toure making Year 2 jumps, there is value in having a veteran presence to provide some stability as there could still very well be some ups and downs with such a young roster.
The Packers currently hold three picks within the top 100, at 15, 45, and 78 overall. Other positions of need include safety, tight end, edge rusher, and, yes, offensive tackle.