Green Bay Packers 2023 NFL Draft class: The good, bad and grade

By the end of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers added 13 selections to their roster, giving them a new layer of depth to build upon.

The gigantic draft class is an important step in rebuilding their roster after the Aaron Rodgers trade. They’ve become void of talent across their depth chart in recent years and desperately need to re-tool on the fly.

Here is their entire draft class, followed by the good, bad and grade,

• Round 1, Pick 13: Lukas Van Ness, Outside Linebacker
• Round 2, Pick 42: Luke Musgrave, Tight End
• Round 2, Pick 50: Jayden Reed, Wide Receiver
• Round 3, Pick 78: Tucker Kraft, Tight End
• Round 4, Pick 116: Colby Wooden, Defensive Line
• Round 5, Pick 149: Sean Clifford, Quarterback
• Round 5, Pick 159: Dontayvion Wicks, Wide Receiver
• Round 6, Pick 179: Karl Brooks, Defensive Line
• Round 6, Pick 207: Anders Carlson, Kicker
• Round 7, Pick 232: Carrington Valentine, Cornerback
• Round 7, Pick 235: Lew Nichols, Running Back
• Round 7, Pick 242: Anthony Johnson Jr., Safety
• Round 7, Pick 256: Grant DuBose, Wide Receiver

The Green Bay Packers made 13 selections in the 2023 NFL Draft. Here is the good, the bad, and the grade for their incoming class of rookies.

The Good

Although Van Ness doesn’t play offense, I like the upside he presents. He could easily take the same path Rashan Gary did on his way to becoming a stud, only faster. Van Ness is only scratching the surface and has all the physical tools to succeed.

Although I would’ve liked Green Bay to get a better wide receiver, this wasn’t the draft class for that. They still added two tight ends and a receiver on Day 2, and then two more receivers on Day 3. If they’re fortunate, they’ll have an additional first-round pick next year to try to add more quality playmakers.

The Packers addressed most of their needs, considering the constraints at some positions in this draft. They are re-tooling on the fly, and this class should have a chance to contribute immediately and have a long-term impact.

The Bad

Their most puzzling pick of the event came in the fifth round when they selected quarterback Sean Clifford out of Penn State. Clifford wasn’t projected to be a draft pick by most analysts and was thought to be available as an undrafted free agent. Apparently, Green Bay wanted him badly, as he was the only quarterback they selected, and they reached big time for him.

The Packers also needed a kicker with Mason Crosby’s future up in the air. They went with Anders Carlson in the sixth round, another confusing choice. He struggled in college and didn’t show that he’s ready to become a starting kicker in the NFL.

The only other question mark was the Packers not taking a safety until the seventh round. Adrian Amos remains a free agent and Darnell Savage has underwhelmed and is entering the last year of his deal. However, this is a weak safety class, and Green Bay doesn’t just need another body. They need a starter.

The Grade

Green Bay did a nice job addressing most of their needs in the draft. They added a high-reward prospect in Lukas Van Ness in the first round, and followed that up with three offensive playmakers on Day 2. On Day 3, they added depth at the defensive line, wide receiver, and secondary.

There are still a couple of holes remaining. The Packers will have to determine their long-term and immediate plans at safety. Anthony Johnson Jr. isn’t going to be ready to start in Year 1, and who knows how he’ll progress as a seventh-round pick.

Carlson and Parker White will also battle it out for the starting kicker position. Neither option inspires confidence, but it is what it is at this point.

Grade: B+