Instant Takeaways: Packers select Oregon State TE Luke Musgrave

With the 42nd pick in the NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers get their much-needed tight end, selecting Luke Musgrave from Oregon State. Here are my instant takeaways from the selection.

– Tight end was without question the biggest need that the Packers had on the roster. They entered the draft with only four players on the roster at this position, with Josiah Deguara being an H-back, Tyler Davis a special teams player, along with practice squad players Nick Guggemos and Austin Allen.

– Musgrave is an excellent athlete with size at 6’6” – 253 pounds. At the Senior Bowl, he was clocked over 20 miles per hour while with the ball in his hands on the field. He posted an elite Relative Athletic Score of 9.78, which included a 4.61-second 40-yard dash.

– Musgrave isn’t the most experienced player with 1,128 career offensive snaps and just 76 targets. He would catch 44 of those passes at 13.4 yards per catch with two touchdowns. In typical Brian Gutekunst fashion, this is a high-ceiling selection.

– Musgrave appeared to be on the cusp of having a breakout season in 2022, before his year was cut short due to a knee injury. He appeared in only two games, but had 11 receptions and averaged 15.4 yards per catch with a touchdown.

– The Packers needed an additional slot presence on the roster and Musgrave can help add that element with over one-third of his career snaps coming lined up in the slot. In Matt LaFleur’s offense, the Packers don’t need a true slot receiver because he likes to be able to have players move around the formation. Musgrave will fit in well in that regard.

– Immediately, Musgrave becomes the go-to option in the passing game for the Packers at the tight end position. He will add a much-needed dynamic presence over the middle and down the seam that was missing last season. Although Robert Tonyan was reliable, he averaged just 8.9 yards per catch, which ranked 34th out of 43 eligible players. If you look around the NFL at last season’s playoff teams, many had a playmaking threat at tight end.

– Musgrave’s ability as a pass catcher is what stands out and what he’s known for but Brian Gutekunst reiterated a few times that the team believes he is a well-rounded prospect and a willing blocker. He does have over 500 career run-blocking snaps, and it’s worth noting that Oregon State utilizes a zone blocking scheme, similarly to the Packers.

– Throughout his career, Musgrave has accumulated 318 special teams snaps.

– For more on Musgrave’s game, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote this in his pre-draft report:

"“Between the abbreviated 2020 season and an injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Musgrave’s snaps have been somewhat limited, but it’s easy to like what he’s put on tape. His route running harkens back to his slalom days with nimble feet and smooth hips helping to generate rhythm and separation in and out of breaks. He needs a little more bulk for combat in the trenches, but he offers what evaluators are looking for in technique, strain and demeanor. Musgrave has starter potential and should gain a coveted slot on draft boards from teams looking to add versatility to their 12 personnel (two tight ends) packages.”"