Packers Day 2 Mock Draft Roundup and Takeaways
By Paul Bretl
The NFL Draft may be underway for the Green Bay Packers, but mock drafts are still being made for the upcoming second and third rounds.
After taking Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness in the first round, the Packers now have a pair of second-round picks at 42nd and 45th overall, along with one third-round selection at pick 78. Green Bay still has a few pressing needs to address at receiver, edge rusher, and interior defensive lineman, while offensive tackle, cornerback, and safety are other needs we could see them try to fill on Day 2.
With that in mind, here is who a number of draft analysts have the Packers selecting on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, and as always, I’ll share my thoughts along the way.
Luke Easterling – SI
Pick 42: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
Pick 45: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Pick 78: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
Thoughts: LaPorta will give the Packers some help in the passing game at the tight end position, and while he is at least a willing blocker, that is a part of his game that has to improve. Branch did not test all that well, but perhaps at pick 45, the Packers would overlook that for who many consider the best safety in this class. It’s also worth noting that Branch took the majority of his snaps from the slot, and what Green Bay needs is a more traditional safety. Not to stay that Branch can’t do that, but I imagine that has to be a part of the Packers’ evaluation. With Scott, I just don’t think he’s on the Packers’ board. He measures in at 5’10” – 177 pounds, well below the typical big frame they prefer at receiver.
Chris Trapasso – CBS Sports
Pick 42: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Pick 45: Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
Pick 78: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
Thoughts: I’m a big fan of the Darnell Washington pick. In a deep tight end class, he has perhaps the highest floor because teams know what they will get out of him as a blocker. While his development in the passing game may take some time, his upside is tremendous with that upside. Mauch could be viewed by the Packers as a guard, in which case I’m not sure if they would address that position at this point in the draft, and I love the Stevenson pick at 78–great value. He would give Green Bay the flexibility to potentially move Rasul Douglas to safety.
Alex Ballentine – Bleacher Report
Pick 42: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
Pick 45: Keeanu Benton, IDL, Wisconsin
Pick 78: Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State
Thoughts: Downs is undersized and probably not on the Packers’ radar at this point in the draft. I love the Benton pick, but even with this being a deep tight end class, entering Round 4 without selecting at least one would be a big miss by Brian Gutekunst.
John Kosko – PFF
Pick 42: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Pick 45: Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
Pick 78: Nick Herbig, Edge, Wisconsin
Thoughts: I know everyone wants to check the safety box for the Packers, but the earlier I see them addressing that need is in Round 3, and I won’t be shocked if it’s not until later. Although there is room for upgrades, the Packers have options on the roster already to compete for playing time, and this is not a strong draft class. Johnson posted a RAS below 5.0. If Green Bay hadn’t taken Van Ness, I would be on board with Herbig in Round 3, but there are too many other needs to be spending two top 100 picks on edge rusher.
Lance Zierlein – NFL.com
Pick 42: Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
Pick 45: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
Pick 78: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
Thoughts: I like this mock draft a lot, and it feels like something the Packers would actually do–although it’s worth pointing out that Battle did post a RAS below 8.0. Tillman won at all three levels of the field while at Tennessee, and as already mentioned, LaPorta can bring some upside to the passing game at tight end. Battle, meanwhile, is one of the few safeties in this class at the top who fits what the Packers should be looking for, spending most of his time in the box or as a free safety.
Tyler Forness – Yahoo! Sports
Pick 42: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Pick 45: Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
Pick 78: Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
Thoughts: Musgrave can be a big play threat at tight end, but the sample size from college is small after he missed most of 2022 with an injury. His impact on this team will be in the passing game, and not so much as a blocker. Tillman fits what the Packers traditionally look for in a receiver, and while a third-round safety might be the sweet spot for this position, I think Brown is a bit undersized for what the Packers typically want.
Dan Brugler – The Athletic
Pick 42: Steve Avila, IOL, TCU
Pick 45: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Pick 78: Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
Thoughts: As I alluded to above, I’m not sure that the Packers are going to target an interior lineman at this stage of the draft, although a Day 3 pick makes a lot of sense. Musgrave would be a very Packers pick, and even in Round 3, I’m not sure Johnson is what Green Bay is looking for at safety between his athletic testing and playing most of his snaps from the slot.