Four wide receiver prospects stand above the others when it comes to identifying the right combination of talent, fit and need for the Green Bay Packers in the 2020 NFL draft.
This exercise will assume CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs are out of the Packers’ realistic range and will be gone by the time GM Brian Gutekunst is on the clock in the first round later this month.
If that’s the case, these should be the “Big 4” receiver prospects for the Packers (not listed in any order):
– LSU’s Justin Jefferson
– TCU’s Jalen Reagor
– Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk
– Baylor’s Denzel Mims
Coming out of the 2020 draft with one of the four could put the Packers’ passing game back on track.
Let’s be clear: This offense needs help at receiver. Aaron Rodgers is still a very good quarterback, and Matt LaFleur’s scheme often maximized the talent available in 2019, but the passing game won’t take another step until another legitimate and consistent playmaker is acquired and integrated into the offense.
Jefferson, Reagor, Aiyuk and Mims are individually talented and capable of becoming a borderline No. 1 receiver or high-quality No. 2 receiver over time, and they all could play a specific role or fill a specific need within the current Packers offense.
Jefferson is a dynamic pass-catcher who could dominate in the slot, after the catch and in the scoring area. He projects as a high-volume target who is going to move the chains, create for himself and turn trips inside the 20-yard line into touchdowns. The fit in Green Bay is easy; plug him in as the new slot receiver and let him slowly but surely become a favorite target for Aaron Rodgers.
[lawrence-related id=40684,40006]
Reagor would bring an explosive element that’s currently missing within the receiver group. He is juiced up in every way. His ability to separate late in vertical routes with a burst of speed is rare. He’s also an incredible jumper and a playmaker with the ball in his hands. Give him opportunities to stretch the field vertically while also manufacturing touches and Reagor could be a dynamic pro, especially as a complementary weapon to Davante Adams.
[lawrence-related id=40228,39990]
Aiyuk might be exactly what the Packers are looking for at the position. He’s a quick-twitch player who wins vertically, turns easy completions into big plays and hits a crazy high average as a tackle-breaker after the catch. Give him the ball on in-breaking routes, quick screens and gadget plays and let him go to work, much like how Kyle Shanahan unleashed Deebo Samuel in San Francisco in 2019.
[lawrence-related id=40174,39199]
Mims has flashes of both James Jones and Jordy Nelson to his game. He’s an athletic, physical and technically-sound receiver who has balanced ridiculous contested-catch successes with some drop issues. Shades of Nelson arrive when he’s working the sideline or using double moves or subtle hand-fighting tactics to separate deep.
[lawrence-related id=42275,40389,40175]
It’s not clear if the Packers will use the 30th pick on a receiver, or if they’re willing to maneuver around the board – up or down – before picking a receiver with their first pick. Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur know they need help in the passing game, but the Packers haven’t taken a receiver in the first round since 2003. Although the receiver class is deep, this might be the year to break the streak. Any of the four listed above make a lot of sense at 30.
A few just miss the cut for the “Big 4,” for various reasons.
– Michael Pittman is a polished receiver with size and athletic traits, and he does just about everything right, but his skillset would be redundant in Green Bay.
– Laviska Shenault could be a dynamic pro, but he’s underdeveloped as a receiver and brings major injury concerns to the next level. He’s the very definition of boom-bust.
– Tee Higgins has all the reliability, ball skills, toughness and playmaking ability of a big-time player, but he lacks the athletic profile of a standout receiver – and some of his testing numbers might scare the Packers away. Like Pittman, he could be a bit redundant.
[polldaddy poll=10535361]
[vertical-gallery id=42320]