The time is now for the Jordan Love era in Green Bay and the 2023 NFL Draft is the first step to ensure he hits the ground running.
Change is ahead for the Green Bay Packers. Whether the Packers trade Aaron Rodgers or not before the draft doesn’t matter. The fact is, he will not be a Packer. Jordan Love will get the keys to a historic franchise that thought they could get one more Super Bowl out of Rodgers before his time was up. Can Jordan Love give Packer nation the same hope as Aaron Rodgers? Only time will tell. After a quiet free agency saw them sign long snapper Matt Orzech and safety Tarvarius Moore, everything starts with the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Packers have three picks in the top 100 and could have more if they pull off a Rodgers trade before or during the draft. However, the team has several needs they need to address in the draft, including their secondary, defensive tackle, and tight end positions.
One of their most pressing needs is in the secondary, where Adrian Amos likely won’t return, and Darnell Savage struggled last season. Another area that needs attention is the defensive tackle position, where the departures of Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed represent 1,187 combined snaps from last season on the interior of the defense. We do not know when the Rodgers trade will go down. Given the Packers haven’t had any of the Top 10 prospects in for visits, there’s a chance they could trade down.
No matter what they do, if the Packers want to insure Love has the best chance of early success, they should do something they haven’t done for Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay Packers 2023 mock draft
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
There will be a run on tight ends given the lack of wide receiver depth, specifically at the X position, teams will want to nab one of these tight ends. So, the Packers cannot wait. It’s a bit petty given they never did this for Rodgers, but this is the time for them to take a pass catcher in the first round. The Green Bay Packers need a big-bodied, traditional tight end to provide a passing target for quarterback Jordan Love, following the departure of Robert Tonyan. There is no tight end better than Michael Mayer.
Mayer is the best tight end in a class that is deep at the position and could be the answer at No. 15. Michael Mayer is widely regarded as the best tight end prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft class, for good reason.
Michael Mayer is the top-rated tight-end prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft class, and his versatility, size, athleticism, and intelligence make him an ideal candidate for the role. Mayer has excellent hands and can make tough catches in traffic, with great body control to adjust to off-target throws. He is also a reliable red-zone target and has the ability to line up in a variety of positions, making him a difficult matchup for defenses. With his combination of skills.
Mayer is expected to make a seamless transition to the NFL and become a top-tier tight end for years to come. With Christian Watkins and Romeo Doubs playing the vertical roles, Mayer will dominate the middle.
Another option is UGA’s Darnell Washington, a freak athlete, and specimen. Tucker Kraft and Luke Schoonmaker are possibilities later on in the draft. There are a few scenarios that make sense for the Packers, but Mayer is one of the best options for them.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Edge, Kansas State
Getting after the quarterback is the most important thing for any defense. In today’s NFL, a team can never have too many edge rushers. With a need for more edge rushers, a player like Felix Anudike-Uzomah from Kansas State is an ideal prospect they can get in the second round.
Anudike-Uzomah is a player with explosive power, plus-level functional strength, and good lateral agility, making him an ideal fit for the Packers’ defensive scheme. With multiple alignments along the defensive front, Anudike-Uzomah’s best position appears to be when he is aligned on the outside shoulder of the tackle. This allows him to showcase his impressive first step and get around offensive tackles to get to the quarterback.
But it’s not just his speed that makes him an attractive prospect. Anudike-Uzomah has a wide range of pass-rush moves, including a two-hand swipe, jab-swipe bull rush, and his most explosive move, an explosive rip move. He shows excellent hip flexibility and balance when executing his moves, making him a nightmare for offensive tackles to deal with.
When it comes to defending the run, Anudike-Uzomah has good functional strength and can set the edge of a defense. His length and strength make him a reliable edge defender, but he struggles to maintain the line of scrimmage when double-teamed. However, this is a minor concern as his primary role will be to rush the passer.
One of the most significant concerns with Anudike-Uzomah is his limited experience and position-specific skill set. He has primarily played on the outside, and when moved to the interior, his effectiveness decreases. However, with his pass-rush abilities, the Packers could use him as a rotational player to keep opposing quarterbacks on their toes.
Jartavius Martin, DB, Illinois
Darnell Savage needs help, and the Packers don’t need to rush to draft a safety. They are in a sweet spot, and Jartavius Martin would perfectly complement Savage’s abilities on the field.
Martin’s physicality in disrupting routes and finishing tackles would allow him to thrive in the slot, while also offering special teams value. The Packers have struggled in their coverage of tight ends in recent years, making Martin’s proficiency in man coverage against these larger players a valuable asset to the team.
While Martin’s short-area quickness may be a concern for some teams, his size and physicality make him a strong tackler against the run. The Packers have had some struggles in run defense in recent years, and Martin’s ability to fit the run could help to bolster this aspect of their defense.
With his boom in ball production in 2022, Martin has demonstrated that he is continually improving his game. And with his impressive athletic testing, including a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and a 44-inch vertical jump, he has the athleticism to succeed at the NFL level.
Martin would make an excellent addition to the Green Bay Packers as a Day 2 pick at No. 78 overall. His versatility, physicality, and ball skills make him an asset to any team, and his ability to fill the nickel role and play against tight ends would help to strengthen the Packers’ defense. So let’s hope the Packers see the potential in Martin and give him a chance to prove himself on the field in Green and Gold. Jordan Battle and Sidney Brown are two other ideal fits for the Packers.
Eku Leota, Edge, Aubrun
Doubling down on a position of need is something the Packers will do. They should take an edge rusher early on and another early on Day 3. Eku Leota out of Auburn is ready to make an impact as a rotational rusher on 3rd and long, at worse, he’s a special teams ace.
Leota spent three seasons in the Big Ten with the Northwestern Wildcats, but his real potential was unlocked in his limited starts with Auburn this season. In just five games, Leota accounted for 10 pressures and four sacks, showing off his active pass-rushing abilities and strong motor.
But it’s not just his pass-rushing that makes Leota a great prospect for the Packers. He’s got a good build and length to set the edge when defending the run game, and his hand power is sufficient to soften edges and angles, making it easier to get to the football. Plus, his quick burst allows him to affect the outside arc of offensive tackles.
Sure, Leota may lack ideal bend around the edges and a wide array of pass-rush moves, but his size, length, and athleticism more than make up for it. And while he may still be raw from a technical standpoint, his potential is sky-high, especially if he can refine his game and continue to get more reps.
So why not take a chance on this former three-star recruit who’s ready to prove himself on the big stage? With a quick first step and functional play strength at the point of attack, Leota is a perfect prospect for the Packers in the fourth round. Who knows, with a little development, he could become a valuable asset in the team’s defensive pass rush package. So let’s all raise a glass to Eku Leota, and hope he can help bring a Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay.
Elijah Higgins, WR, Stanford
Attention Green Bay Packers fans: have you heard about Elijah Higgins, the 6’3″, 235-pound wide receiver out of Stanford? If you haven’t, you should definitely pay attention. Higgins is exactly the type of player that the Packers love at the wide receiver position. He’s big, he’s physical, and he can create mismatches all over the field.
When it comes to his skill set, Higgins is a middle-of-the-field specialist. He excels at running in-breaking routes and crossers, which makes him a perfect fit for the slot receiver position. He has a good understanding of how to use his size and leverage to box out defenders and create separation. Higgins also has strong hands and a nice-sized catch radius, which allows him to make tough catches away from his body.
While Higgins may not be the most explosive receiver in this year’s draft class, he can make plays after the catch. He’s a physical runner who can break tackles and gain extra yardage. He’s also a willing blocker in the run game, which is something that the Packers value highly.
Of course, like any prospect, there are concerns about Higgins’ game. He’s not a sudden or immediate vertical threat, and his speed is more of the build-up variety. He also needs to work on his technique as a blocker in order to maximize his potential in that area. There are questions about what position he will play in the NFL. Some believe he could be a potential tight end convert.
Despite these concerns, the Packers would be wise to take a chance on Higgins. He has the size, athleticism, and skill set to be a productive player in the NFL. And with the Packers’ track record of success with developing wide receivers, there’s reason to believe that Higgins could thrive in Green Bay.
Higgins is a nice project for the Packers to have. He could be a boundary threat running big man routes, a red zone threat, or a big slot receiver. He’s worth a pick in the 5th round and could turn out to be a steal for Green Bay. So keep your eyes on this intriguing prospect as the draft approaches.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
Late Day 3 is the time for the Packers to take a flyer on a developmental quarterback who could provide a spark for the team, should Jordan Love get hurt — enter Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Thompson-Robinson is a quarterback out of UCLA who possesses immense athleticism and the potential to develop into a solid backup quarterback. While he’s not without his flaws, his strengths make him an intriguing prospect for the Packers.
One of Thompson-Robinson’s biggest strengths is his explosiveness and high-energy athleticism. He has elite creation capacity and can make plays with his legs that most quarterbacks can only dream of. This athleticism would provide a spark for the Packers’ offense and give them a new dimension that they haven’t had in a while.
In addition to his athleticism, Thompson-Robinson has above-average arm strength and velocity in the short and intermediate ranges. He can adjust his throwing angles and generate velocity off-platform, which allows him to make throws that other quarterbacks can’t. He also shows glimpses of quality anticipation over the middle of the field, which is a trait that is highly coveted in the NFL.
While Thompson-Robinson’s accuracy is just average, he does have a degree of natural accuracy and can lead receivers in stride with velocity. His ball placement can be improved, but with the right coaching, he could develop into a more accurate passer.
Thompson-Robinson is also a steely competitor with great toughness. He has shown flashes of good pressure detection, navigation, and escapability in the pocket, which are all traits that are essential for NFL quarterbacks.
Now, it’s true that Thompson-Robinson is a developmental prospect and may not be ready to step in and start for the Packers right away. However, if the Packers take a flyer on him and develop him properly, he could provide a spark for the team and become a solid backup quarterback who can come in and provide a change of pace when needed.