Outlook of each position group for Packers and top draft prospects on Day 3

One of the challenges that comes with the draft is prioritizing, which needs to address while also balancing how the board is falling because, realistically, teams can’t tackle every need. However, in the Green Bay Packers’ case, with the sheer number of draft picks that they have, while it may not be high-end talent, Green Bay has the ability to put a check by just about every box with 13 draft picks.

After trading down twice in the second round, the Green Bay Packers enter Day 3 of the NFL Draft with nine draft picks remaining. With that many selections, there really isn’t a position that the Packers couldn’t add to.

Finding immediate impact players on Day obviously becomes more challenging but is still very much in play. Look at last year’s draft as a prime example of this, with the Packers taking Romeo Doubs and Zach Tom in Round 4, along with JJ Enagbare in Round 5. Oftentimes as Day 3 progresses, the typical thresholds and metrics that the Packers may adhere to early on, along with positional need, tend to be less important as they are simply trying to find the best football players.

So with four rounds to go and nine picks to be made, here is a position-by-position outlook of where the Packers stand and who some of the top remaining prospects are, according to ESPN.

Safety

I’m not surprised that the Packers didn’t address the safety position within the top 100 picks. In fact, that was one of my eight realistic predictions prior to the draft. Although there is certainly room for upgrades, Green Bay isn’t short on options either, with Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford, Dallin Leavitt, Tarvarius Moore, Innis Gaines, and James Wiggins. This also is not a strong safety class, and many who are at the top of it have spent more time in the slot than as a traditional safety, which is what the Packers should be searching for.

Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

Daniel Scott, Cal

JL Skinner, Boise State

Christopher Smith, Georgia

Jay Ward, LSU

Jammie Robinson, Florida State

Chamarri Conner, Virginia Tech

Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State

Jordan Howden, Minnesota

Brandon Hill, Pitt

Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State

Cornerback

Many considered the cornerback class to be the deepest in this year’s draft, so there will still be viable options on the board for Green Bay. As already mentioned, starting-caliber players can still be found at this portion of the draft. Addressing cornerback in the fourth or fifth round could be a creative way to solve the Packers need at safety, as it could allow them to move Rasul Douglas there, especially once Eric Stokes is back on the field.

Kelee Ringo, Georgia

Clark Phillips II, Utah

Darius Rush, South Carolina

Terell Smith, Minnesota

Cory Trice, Purdue

Jakorian Bennett, Maryland

Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU

Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama

Carrington Valentine, Kentucky

Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern

Rejzohn Wright, Oregon State

Linebacker

When it comes to needs that the Packers have to address, this is at the bottom of the list. Green Bay already has their defensive starters in Quay Walker and De’Vondre Campbell, along with three core special teamers in Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson, and Tariq Carpenter, who is making a position change. However, with only five players on the roster, the Packers do need additional bodies to get through training camp and offseason programs. Perhaps they address this need with undrafted rookies, or if the right player is available, a late Day 3 pick.

Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama

Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati

Owen Pappoe, Auburn

Noah Sewell, Oregon

SirVocea Dennis, Pitt

Dee Winters, TCU

Ventrell Miller, Florida

Jeremy Banks, Tennessee

Aubrey Miller Jr., Jackson State

Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt

Inteior Defensive Lineman

Adding to most other position groups is a luxury at this point, but Green Bay must add to the interior defensive line. At a position where four or five players see regular playing time, the Packers have just five on the roster, three of which have any playing experience. If the Packers can get more consistent play from this unit in 2023, the defense will greatly improve. The best way to slow an offense is with quick pressure up the middle, and when that’s happening, there isn’t a player on this side of the ball that doesn’t benefit. This is a position that we could see the Packers take two of on Day 3.

Scott Matlock, Boise State

Jaquelin Roy, LSU

Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma

Moro Ojomo, Texas

Karl Brooks, Bowling Green

Cameron Young, Mississippi State

Colby Wooden, Auburn

Jerrod Clark, Coastal Carolina

Keondre Coburn, Texas

PJ Mustipher, Penn State

Dante Stills, West Virginia

Edge Rusher

After taking Lukas Van Ness in the first round, the Packers don’t have to make another addition at this position. The one way that they would is likely in rounds six and seven when positional need goes out the window, and teams are very much looking for the best player available.

Nick Herbig, Wisconsin

Isaiah McGuire, Missouri

Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern

Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss

Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan

Yasir Abdullah, Louisville

Nick Hampton, Appalachian State

Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan

Andre Carter II, Army

Isaiah Land, Florida A&M

Offensive Tackle

After the first round, the talent at this position group dropped off. So it’s not likely that the Packers will find someone who can compete for playing time right away. However, making this pick at this stage of the draft is more about the future, with David Bakhtiari potentially being a salary cap casualty in 2024 and Yosh Nijman possibly playing elsewhere as a free agent. With that said, while there is not such thing as too much depth on the offensive line, with Caleb Jones and Rasheed Walker already on the roster, it’s not as if the Packers are lacking developmental talent.

Dawand Jones, Ohio State

Blake Freeland, BYU

Carter Warren, Pitt

Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland

Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion

Warren McClendon, Georgia

Ryan Hayes, Michigan

TJ Bass, Oregon

Jaxson Kirkland, Washington

Earl Bostick Jr., Kansas

Jake Witt, Northern Michigan

Interior Offensive lineman

A sneaky need for the Packers. It makes sense for the Packers to re-sign Jon Runyan either next offseason or perhaps to extend him beforehand, but there is no guarantee of that. Josh Myers, meanwhile, has been very up and down during his first two seasons. Other interior options include Royce Newman, Jake Hanson, and Sean Rhyan. Truthfully, the only player within this unit that we know will be a starter beyond 2023 is Elgton Jenkins if Zach Tom continues to play tackle.

Chandler Zavala, NC State

Braeden Daniels, Utah

Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan

Asim Richards, North Carolina

Atonio Mafi, UCLA

Nick Broeker, Ole Miss

Anthony Bradford, LSU

Luke Wypler, Ohio State

Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan

Alex Forsyth, Oregon

Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame

Jake Andrews, Troy

Quarterback

As Brian Gutekunst told us on Wednesday following the Aaron Rodgers trade, the Packers have to add at least one other quarterback to the roster, with only Jordan Love and Danny Etling on the team currently. Odds are that they will add a second quarterback as well to put four on the roster for the summer. My guess is that they bolster the quarterback position by drafting one and then either signing an undrafted rookie or a veteran free agent after the draft.

Jake Haener, Fresno State

Jaren Hall, BYU

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

Clayton Tune, Houston

Aidan O’Connell, Purdue

Tanner McKee, Stanford

Stetson Bennett, Georgia

Max Duggan, TCU

Tyson Bagent, Shepherd

Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

Running back

Selecting a running back would be another move for the future. Aaron Jones could be in his final season as he comes with a massive cap hit of over $17 million in 2023, while AJ Dillon is going to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Matt LaFleur has also previously mentioned how valuable having a third running back to lean on can be. In addition to what a running back can provide as a ball carrier, being able to impact the passing game, moving around the formation, and being a willing blocker are all important aspects to playing the position in the Packers’ offense.

Roschon Johnson, Texas

Israel Abanikanda, Pitt

Eric Gray, Oklahoma

DeWayne McBride, UAB

Chase Brown, Illinois

Zach Evans, Ole Miss

Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky

Kenny McIntosh, Georgia

Lew Nicholls, Central Michigan

Keaton Mitchell, ECU

Wide Receiver

With the selection of Jayden Reed, the Packers are now up to six receivers on the roster and have to add at least one more in the draft–although, with nine draft picks, I suspect they add more. Green Bay broke the mold by taking the undersized Reed, but typically what they look for at receiver are bigger-bodied athletes with elite athletic traits. It’s also important they have the ability to play both inside and out; however, at this stage of the draft, that becomes less of a requirement.

Tyler Scott, Cincinnati

Charlie Jones, Purdue

AT Perry, Wake Forest

Antoine Green, North Carolina

Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State

Parker Washington, Penn State

Elijah Higgins, Stanford

Trey Palmer, Nebraska

Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia

Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia

Andrei Iosivas, Princeton

Grant DuBose, Charlotte

Puka Nacua, BYU

Tight End

The Packers landed two of the top tight ends in this draft class, but I’m not so sure that they are done adding to this position group. Green Bay entered the draft with only four on the roster, two of which have no NFL experience, while Tyler Davis has been a special teams player more than anything else. In the 2018 and 2022 drafts at receiver and from 2020 to 2022 at offensive linemen, we saw Gutekunst add three players to each of those position groups, so him deciding to triple-dip at tight end this year would not be unheard of.

Will Mallory, Miami

Josh Whyle, Cincinnait

Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion

Davis Allen, Clemson

Payne Durham, Purdue

Joel Wilson, Central Michigan

Blake Whiteheart, Wake Forest

Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State

Brayden Willis, Oklahoma 

Ben Sims, Baylor

Kicker

Only Parker White is on the roster, and he doesn’t have any NFL experience. That in itself is enough reason to justify spending a draft pick on the kicker position.

Christopher Dunn, NC State

Jack Podlesny, Georgia

Chad Ryland, Maryland

Anders Carlson, Auburn

Danny Gutierrez, UNLV

Jonathan Cruz, Ole Miss