The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is Virginia WR Joe Reed:
What he can do
– Receiver in a running back’s body. 6-0, 224. Has shorter arms and not much length, but muscle-bound and built low to the ground
– Athletic and strong. Ran 4.47, hit 38″ in the vertical and 10-3 in the broad and did 23 reps on the bench. Another high RAS player
– Potentially explosive gadget player. Has experience catching the ball out of the slot, receiving manufactured touches in the passing game and runinng the ball in a variety of ways. Could thrive in the right scheme
– Maybe the best returner in the draft. Scored five kickoff return touchdowns and averaged almost 29 yards per return on over 100 career returns. Returned two kicks for scores in both 2017 and 2019. Excellent vision and open-field creativity. Could be a Pro Bowl returner at the next level
– Far from a polished receiver, but dangerous after the catch. Forced 15 missed tackles in 2019, per PFF. Running back skills shine through here. Runs through arm tackles and has plenty of wiggle in the open field
– Produced next to nothing down the field. Almost all of his receiving production came underneath, between 1-10 yards
– Not a precise route runner. Doesn’t really show physical traits getting into routes or getting out of breaks. Inexperienced running a full route tree. Needs a lot of development here if he wants to be anything more than a gadget player
– No wasted motion when the ball gets to him. Secures the ball and gets upfield. Not going to dance around
– Can change direction without losing much speed
– Caught 77 passes but averaged only 8.8 yards per catch in 2019
How he fits
Plug him as the new kick returner to start, and then let Matt LaFleur and his staff find creative ways of getting him the ball on manufactured touches, both as a runner and receiver. Reed may never be anything more than a niche player, but his versatility and playmaking ability with the ball in his hands can have value in the right situation. The Packers employ an offensive scheme that fits what Reed does well and can be molded to cater to playmakers, and Tyler Ervin’s emergence as a gadget player late in the 2019 season showed how an explosive athlete can create chunk plays and open up space for others. Reed fits the role. He projects as a special teams stud and specialized offensive weapon at the next level.
NFL comp
Ty Montgomery. Reed has a ton of kick return value and will be hard to tackle at the next level, but teams might want to skip the long development curve ahead of him at receiver and plug him in at running back. Like Montgomery, Reed’s skill set translates.
Where Packers could get him
On Day 3. Reed isn’t a highly refined player as a receiver and might not have a sure-fire position, but he’s athletic and versatile, and smart teams will find ways to get value out of his skillset. He could come off the board at any point between Rounds 4-7.
Highlights
Previous Prospects for the Pack
WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool
LB Zack Baun
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
OT Josh Jones
OT Austin Jackson
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
DL Raekwon Davis
DB Xavier McKinney
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
DL A.J. Epenesa
TE Hunter Bryant
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Zack Moss
WR Michael Pittman
WR K.J. Hamler
WR John Hightower
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Troy Dye
LB Willie Gay Jr.
OT Jack Driscoll
WR Devin Duvernay
OT Ezra Cleveland
WR Van Jefferson
OT Andrew Thomas
S Grant Delpit
TE Cole Kmet
OT Tristan Wirfs
QB Jordan Love
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
DB Jeremy Chinn
RB/WR Antonio Gibson
DL Jordan Elliott
DB K’Von Wallace
WR Bryan Edwards
DL Ross Blacklock
LB Logan Wilson
DL Justin Madubuike
RB Cam Akers
LB Malik Harrison
RB Darrynton Evans
WR Lynn Bowden Jr.
WR Gabriel Davis
LB Josh Uche
CB Trevon Diggs
DB Terrell Burgess
OLB Terrell Lewis
CB A.J. Terrell
WR Quintez Cephus
TE Albert Okwuegbunam
QB Jalen Hurts
WR Tyler Johnson
IOL Cesar Ruiz
DB Ashtyn Davis
WR Quez Watkins
OT Ben Bartch
IOL Matt Hennessy
WR Isaiah Coulter
RB J.K. Dobbins
OT Lucas Niang
RB A.J. Dillon
TE Dalton Keene
DL Jason Strowbridge
TE Adam Trautman
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