Until April 27th we are officially still in the mock draft season. And while no one knows what kind of compensation the Green Bay Packers will receive if Aaron Rodgers is traded to the New York Jets, that hasn’t stopped anyone from speculating.
Some reports say the Packers want their 13th overall win, and others say they recently did “receded” from this demand. At the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix last week, Brian Gutekunst said the Jets’ top picks weren’t a necessity.
“It’s not a necessity,” Gutekunst said. “But at the same time, the value of the player is, he’s a quality player. So I think getting top picks back for or for players is important.
Green Bay wants a deal in place before the draft begins. That way, they can use their picks to surround Jordan Love with as much talent as possible in his first season as a starting quarterback.
However, it’s still a guessing game for now. Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner recently released a three-round mock predicting the Packers will receive picks 42 and 43 in exchange for Rodgers, giving them five picks in the first two days of the draft.
Here’s a brief breakdown of each selection.
Smith has been a popular choice for Green Bay because he has drafted Georgia players in the past and needs an edge rusher. His stocks rose after an impressive performance at the NFL Combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds and hit a 41.5-inch vertical jump with a 10-8 long jump. Smith’s athleticism shows up on the tape as an impactful player despite being short (6-2, 238lbs).
Smith would be a great addition to the Packers’ running defense right off the bat. He’s strong at attack point when it comes to leaving blocks, and he’s excellent at tracking ball carriers. Smith has yet to develop as a pass rusher, but learning behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, who know how a thing or two come across the quarterback, should help. Overall, Smith would help fill Green Bay’s long-term edge rusher need and provide a future starter alongside Gary.
From PFF: “Smith fits into the Packers’ latest first-round form of ‘Georgia Elite Athletes.’ He’s exactly what a team should want from a modern undersized running defender with his ability to spot plays in space.”
First round contender for the pack: Georgia Edge rusher Nolan Smith
Would the Packers really take a quarterback on Day 2? PFF seems to think so. After all, this is the same general manager who took love instead of drafting Tee Higgins for Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay obviously has faith in love, but there are also a lot of unknowns. Hooker would be a nice insurance policy when love doesn’t work out, and would also give them a nice young back-up instead of spending money on a veteran in private hands.
The two things against Hooker are an ACL injury, which he’s still recovering from, and the fact that he’s 25 years old, which actually makes him older than Love. But even as an older prospect, there’s still a lot to like about Hooker. He’s a true dual threat quarterback who makes a splash in the first round thanks to his strong arm and ability to play with his legs. It’s worth noting that Hooker is expected to join the Packers for an official Top 30 visit later this week, according to ESPN’s Matt Miller.
From PFF: “Everyone remembers Packers future-proof Aaron Rodgers at the end of his career when they drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft. Not as many remember that the Packers future-proofed him early in his career when they drafted Brian Brohm in the second round of the 2008 draft. Hooker could easily be the same thought process for Jordan Love.”
Packers Host Official Pre-Draft Visit With Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker
LaPorta has a good chance of becoming the next great tight end from Iowa. In four seasons, he tallyed 153 receptions for 1,786 yards and five touchdowns. His catches and mileage surpassed those of George Kittle, TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant. That doesn’t mean Laporta is the next Kittle or Hockenson, but he could be an ideal fit for a tight, needy team like Green Bay.
The Packers desperately need a tight end to take the pressure off Love. LaPorta could be the answer in round two as he’s a good distance runner used to hitting a lot of goals. Add him to Matt LaFleur’s offense and you have a reliable pass catcher who can aid Love’s development.
From PFF: “Whatever the Packers wanted from Josiah Deguara and Jace Sternberger, LaPorta actually is. He ranked second among college football tight ends after the catch last season with 20 broken tackles.
It’s never a bad idea to build the trenches, and the defensive line happens to be a position that could get a little more depth in Green Bay. Kenny Clark needed help for years, so the Packers went out in 2022 and signed Jarran Reed and drafted Devonte Wyatt in the first round. However, Reed left the team after one season via free agency and was joined by longtime starter Dean Lowry, leaving Green Bay with several gaps to fill along the defensive line.
Luckily, Benton is a powerful defensive tackle that could help fill that gap. At 6-4, 309 lbs, Benton is surprisingly nimble for his size. He became known as one of the best run-stuffing nose tackles in the country, but is also a tenacious pass rusher, hitting 25 pressings last season, according to the PFF. Benton can play anywhere from 0-tech to 3-tech and would fit seamlessly into the Packers defensive line rotation.
From PFF: Benton is a versatile defensive tackle with all-around ability. The Packers were thin on the defensive line last year, losing to Dean Lowry in the offseason. Adding two top 50 picks to the mix is a good thing.
Green Bay desperately needs to find their next starting security in this year’s draft. It doesn’t look like Adrian Amos is coming back, leaving Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford as the only returning players from last season with starting experience. However, neither can be viewed as a long-term solution as Savage is coming off his worst year in the NFL and Ford was a career special teamer before joining the Packers.
If Green Bay could enlist a player like Johnson, it would give them an experienced perspective that could potentially make an immediate impact. Johnson, a 54-game starter at Iowa State, was a border corner before moving to a nickel last season. He responded with 60 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and four pass deflections. Johnson’s versatile athleticism and physical presence would be a welcome addition to Green Bay’s secondary school.
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 33, Iowa State DB Anthony Johnson Jr