The 2020 NFL draft will present Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst with an opportunity to pick his flavor at wide receiver, one of the top need positions on his roster.
National mock drafts point out this fact clearly. In four recent mock drafts, the Packers picked five different receivers in the first round. Jefferson,
Here’s a breakdown of who the Packers are taking at No. 30 overall in mocks from Pro Football Focus, ESPN, Touchdown Wire and NFL.com:
Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
From Palazzolo: “There are some questions to Jefferson’s game after he dominated zone coverage in the middle of the field at LSU, but he’s a crafty route runner with excellent ball skills. His middle-of-the-field prowess could be perfect for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who could stand to take more chances over the middle.”
Our take: Jefferson is the perfect complement to Davante Adams, the perfect slot for Matt LaFleur’s offense and, as Palazzolo mentioned, the perfect intermediate target in the middle of the field for Aaron Rodgers. He is athletic, catches everything and makes things happen after the catch. He was Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow’s favorite target for a reason. This will be a home run pick if he’s still there at 30.
Todd McShay, ESPN: WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
From McShay: “Logic points toward the Packers finally getting Aaron Rodgers a playmaker on the outside opposite Davante Adams this year. The class is deep in wide receiver talent, and the Packers’ depth chart is screaming out for some help. Higgins makes tough, contested catches and then can make defenders miss with his strength.”
Our take: Higgins is a terrific player who emerged as a consistent playmaker and a trusted target for Trevor Lawrence. The guess here is Aaron Rodgers would really appreciate the consistency to his game. He also has great size (6-4) and tremendous ball skills. Two potential issues: Is Higgins athletic enough for the Packers, who stick to well-defined athletic thresholds, especially at receiver? And is he too redundant to what the Packers already have at receiver?
Mark Schofield, Touchdown Wire: WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado
From Schofield: “When healthy, he is a weapon all over the field, as Colorado used him at boundary wide receiver, in the slot, in the backfield, at quarterback and even at tight end. He is dynamic with the football in his hands, and he broke 29 tackles in 2018 and 15 tackles in 2019.”
Our take: There’s no doubting Shenault’s potential to be a versatile, game-breaking offensive weapon. The idea of adding him to LaFleur’s offense is especially appealing after watching Deebo Samuel do so much damage as a rookie in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. But the injury and durability issues are really concerning, especially for a potential first-round pick, and there are legitimate concerns about Shenault’s ability to develop into a well-rounded receiver at the next level.
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: WR Jalen Reagor, TCU
From Zierlein: “Reagor has explosive field speed and is a sudden target underneath. He could become an early favorite of Aaron Rodgers.”
Our take: It’s tough to find a scouting report on Reagor that doesn’t include the word “explosive.” He is explosive running in a straight line, an explosive jumper, and explosive with the football in his hands. Reagor ran 4.47 in the 40 (a disappointing time for him) and missed the mark in the three-cone drill (7.31 seconds, well below the Packers’ threshold), but he plays so fast on tape and is a terrific fit as a vertical weapon and gadget-like player for LaFleur.