Packers 7 round mock draft with pre-draft visits as blueprint

With Brian Gutekunst at the helm as General Manager, official pre-draft visits have given us some insight into who the Green Bay Packers might select in the upcoming draft or what their plan is.

Last year alone, nine pre-draft visits ended up on the team in some capacity, including six as draft picks. In 2018, Gutekunst’s first draft as GM, there were again six pre-draft visits that ended up as draft picks. In 2019, there were three. In 2020, it was two, and then none in 2021.

Based on this year’s reported pre-draft visits, along with the strengths and weaknesses of the draft class, I believe that who the Packers brought in provides us with the blueprint for how they are going to approach this year’s draft, in regards to when they want to address each position group.

You can read how I came to this conclusion here, but in short, this is how I see the Packers attempting to attack the 2023 NFL draft from a positional perspective:

Round 1: OT, Edge, TE

Round 2: Edge, TE, IDL, WR, CB

Rounds 3-4: TE, WR, IDL, S

Rounds 5-7: S, TE, QB, RB, OL

With this outline as my north star, I put together my own seven-round mock draft using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator–and I have to say, the outcome did feel like a very Packers-esque type of draft.

Of course, I wasn’t able to address all positions listed at specific points, as I still had to prioritize needs, along with who was available. I also double-dipped at a few positions where that is very much a necessity. Lastly, I again acquired the 42nd pick from the New York Jets as part of the eventual Aaron Rodgers’ trade.

Pick 15: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

In terms of positional value, waiting until Day 2 of the draft to address tight end may be the prudent move for the Packers. But in this instance, I decided to address it right away because I felt that it freed me up to tackle other needs on Day 2. In a deep tight end class, Mayer is the most well-rounded, able to impact both the running and passing games. He will bring some needed unpredictability to the offense.

Pick 42: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Edge, Kansas State

In adhering to the guideline that I laid out above, since I didn’t take an edge rusher in Round 1, if I was going to at all, it had to be in Round 2. With how good this draft class is and the added depth that the Packers need at an important position, taking an edge rusher at some point feels like a near must. With that said, whether I was sticking to this outline or not, if Anudike-Uzomah is on the board in Round 2, the Packers should be running that card up to the podium. Over the last two seasons, Anudike-Uzomah totaled 82 pressures and 20 sacks.

Pick 45: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU

Rice is one of my favorite players in this entire draft class. His game is a terrific fit for the Matt LaFleur offense. Rice was a high-volume target at SMU. He can play both inside and out, was a YAC monster, and is a willing and capable run blocker.

Pick 78: Gervon Dexter, IDL, Florida

At a position where teams have four or five players seeing snaps each week, the Packers have just five interior defensive linemen on the roster, with only three having taken NFL snaps. Dexter is a high-ceiling player with his athleticism and, right away, should see some rotational snaps. There are parts of his game that need development, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have a rookie season similar to that of Devonte Wyatt in terms of playing time.

Pick 116: Anthony Johnson Jr., S, Iowa State

A former boundary cornerback turned safety in 2022, Johnson has the versatility to play all over the field and is a capable run defender, although he did struggle with missed tackles at times. With how the Packers have the safety room currently set up, they do have options at the position–not to say that upgrades can’t be found. However, my point is, Green Bay doesn’t need Johnson to be a starter right away, either.

Pick 149: Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati

This would be a very Packers pick. For two seasons, Whyle graded out as one of PFF’s best run-blocking tight ends. He was also reliable in the passing game, often moved around the formation, and has special teams experience, with over 400 career snaps. Like Mayer, the Packers could use him in a variety of ways.

Pick 170: Nick Saldiveri, OT/OG, Old Dominion

Saldiveri has over 2,000 collegiate snaps at right tackle but could be a candidate to move inside. We’ve often seen the Packers find success on Day 3 by selecting offensive tackles and moving them to guard. As of now, the only offensive linemen who have seen regular playing time and we know for sure they will be here in 2024 are Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, and Zach Tom.

Pick 232: Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern

Hull rushed for nearly 2,000 yards at over 4.5 yards per carry over the last two seasons. In 2022 specifically, he totaled the most receiving yards out of any running back in college football, with 536 at 9.9 yards per catch. This includes experience playing from the slot and outside. This pass-catching ability, along with being able to be moved around the formation, are important aspects of playing running back in LaFleur’s offense.

Pick 235: Matt Landers, WR, Arkansas

If there is one thing I wanted to do differently, it would have been adding a second receiver earlier than in Round 7. However, Landers is exactly what the Packers look for at receiver from a size and athleticism standpoint, and he would add another vertical presence. This would give Green Bay a receiver room of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Rashee Rice as the top three, Landers, Samori Toure, and perhaps a veteran addition battling for wide receiver four. The Packers would also have Michael Mayer, Josh Whyle, Josiah Deguara, Aaron Jones, and AJ Dillon around Jordan Love as well.

Pick 242: Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan

A raw and inexperienced offensive tackle prospect, but Witt tested very well and possesses the upside teams look for in the seventh round. As already mentioned, the offensive line depth beyond 2023 is in question, and with Gutekunst having taken three offensive linemen in each of the last three drafts, this is a position I wanted to double-dip at.

Pick 256: Holton Ahlers, QB, ECU

The Packers didn’t have Ahlers in for an official visit, but they reportedly have met with him on a few occasions. The lefty has a good arm and the ability to extend plays. The Packers need to find a backup option for Jordan Love, along with simply needing to add two quarterbacks to the roster to get through training camp and the preseason.