Final 2023 Packers Mock Draft Roundup & Takeaways
By Paul Bretl
We are now just hours away from the Green Bay Packers – presumably – being on the clock with the 13th overall pick.
Although there are a number of needs that they have to fill, including edge rusher, wide receiver, safety, tight end, interior defensive lineman, and others, the Packers do have some flexibility in the first round to go a few different directions, in part because of where the strengths of this year’s draft class lies, and the latest mock drafts reflect that.
So for one last time during this draft cycle, here is who several draft analysts have the Packers selecting in the first round of the 2023 draft.
Daniel Jereamiah – NFL.com
Pick 13: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
I covered this specific selection by Jeremiah in a separate article, but Kincaid is considered the best pass-catching option at the position in a deep tight end draft class and immediately would give the Packers a big slot presence while adding some needed dynamic abilities to the position.
Although blocking is important at tight end in Matt LaFleur’s offense, if selected, Kincaid will be in Green Bay to catch passes. Not only with Kincaid but with any first-round tight end selection, the value of that pick is brought into question, largely due to rookie tight ends rarely making a big impact. I explain in more detail here, but waiting until Day 2 to address this need might make more sense.
Charles McDonald – Yahoo! Sports
Pick 13: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
The Packers had Wright in for a pre-draft visit and with there being a quick dropoff in offensive tackle talent beyond the top three or four players on the board, if Green Bay wants immediate help, they’ll need to address this need in round one. In the short term, Wright could start at right tackle, allowing Zach Tom to play inside. Beyond 2023, he will be a fixture at offensive tackle, with David Bakhtiari and Yosh Nijman both potentially moving to new teams in 2024.
Chris Collinsworth – PFF
Pick 13: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
This is going to continue to be a popular pick in final mock drafts for the Packers. A top prospect at a position of need who will hopefully provide Jordan Love with some instant and needed help. The current pass-catching options that Love has are quite different than when Aaron Rodgers became the starter back in 2008 when he had Donald Lee, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings, and James Jones.
Chris Trapasso – CBS Sports
Pick 13: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Just like with Kincaid, you can question whether or not the Packers should be selecting a tight end at 13 overall, but Mayer is the most well-rounded tight end prospect in this class. With his ability to impact both running and passing games, he will add some predictability – a missing element at tight end in 2022 for the Packers – to the Green Bay offense. This will allow Matt LaFleur to get creative with how he utilizes him, and his presence will help create opportunities for others.
Mel Kiper Jr. – ESPN
Pick 13: Darnell Wright, OT Tennessee
In my shortlist of Packers first-round targets, where my goal was to narrow the potential options down to as few as possible using past draft trends and thresholds established under Brian Gutekunst, Wright was one of the six players remaining. He’s a great fit and plays an important position.
Todd McShay – ESPN
Pick 13: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Again, yes, Kincaid is a tight end, but he can win vertically, over the middle of the field, and pick up yards after the catch. He will give the Packers’ offense an element they just don’t have right now.
Dane Brugler – The Athletic
Pick 13: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
There it is! The pick that I’m sure many of you have been waiting for. By moving up to pick 13, the Packers have a better chance of taking Smith-Njigba, but considered by many as the top receiver in this draft class, does he make it to this point? In the other mock drafts, he didn’t. Smith-Njigba would be a terrific complement to Christian Watson, with refined route-running abilities that allow him to win quickly underneath. Although different positions, what the Packers would ask Smith-Njigba to do and what they’d ask Kincaid to do would very much have some overlap.
Peter Schrager – NFL.com
Pick 13: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
As I mentioned earlier, putting pass catchers around Love has to be a priority in this draft class. In order to best evaluate if he can or cannot be the quarterback of the future in Green Bay, Gutekunst needs to put the right players around him to give him a chance at being successful.
Albert Breer – SI
Pick 13: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Last season we saw the Packers go off-script and take linebacker Quay Walker in Round 1. Now, several very plugged-in analysts have them taking a tight end. Although I think they should wait to do so, or at least trade down, I also think this pick is very much in play. I mentioned earlier there was predictability at tight end last season for the Packers; what I meant by that was Robert Tonyan was really the only pass-catching threat, while Josiah Degaura and Marcdes Lewis were mainly blockers. Defenses largely knew what to expect from each of those players. You can’t necessarily say that about Mayer.
Trevor Sikkema – PFF
Pick 13: Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson
This is about the most Packers pick as you will see. A big-bodied edge rusher with elite athleticism. Murphy checks a lot of boxes that Green Bay looks for at the position. He totaled over 80 pressures the last two seasons, has some experience lining up inside, and will become an immediate member of the Packers’ edge rusher rotation, where they are in need of upgrades on the back end.
Brad Spielberger – PFF
Pick 13: Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
Similar to Murphy, Van Ness is the prototypical edge rusher that the Packers often covet from a size, weight, and athleticism standpoint. He was on the field for fewer than 900 snaps at Iowa and actually took more lined up along the interior than as a traditional edge rusher. It will be interesting to see how the Packers utilize him, but Van Ness will provide Green Bay with flexibility and could potentially bolster their interior defensive line depth as well–another need that should be addressed.