Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Greg Jennings. All wide receivers that the Green Bay Packers have selected in the second round of the NFL Draft. Drafting wide receivers in the second round was the late great Ted Thompson’s bread and butter.
The Packers haven’t selected a wide receiver in the second round of the draft since selecting Adams with the 53rd overall pick in the 2014 draft.
With Adams, Allen Lazard, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all set to be free agents following this season, the Packers could select a wide receiver in round two of the 2022 NFL draft.
A player that they could target in the back end of the second round is Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce.
Pierce enters the College Football Playoff with 50 receptions for 867 yards and eight touchdowns. The former three-star recruit is averaging 17.3 yards per reception.
“At 6’3”, 213 pounds, Pierce has the size to box out defenders and extend for passes downfield,” Ian Cummings, an NFL draft analyst for Pro Football Network, said. “He’s very smooth, instinctive, and controlled when it comes to adjusting and contorting for throws, and he tracks the ball well in the air. And once he brings it in, he has very strong hands.”
Pierce is going to make a living at the next level as a vertical threat. With his quickness, he’s able to stack cornerbacks. Once the ball is in the air he does a great job of high pointing the ball. He has late hands and does a great job of tracking the ball in the air.
“Pierce’s size, play strength, and instincts at the catch point combine to provide ample value,” Cummings said. “The flashy plays downfield showcase that well, but he’s also great at simply moving the chains in the middle of the field as well. He’s a high-level catcher of the football. That’s a sustainable mode of success in the NFL.”
As a route runner, Pierce isn’t at the same tier as fellow wide receiver prospect Chris Olave. However, there are few wasted movements at the top of his routes. He does a good job of selling double moves to beat his man vertically.
“I think Pierce is an above-average route runner,” Cummings said. “Not quite a technician, but I like how efficient his footwork is on his breaks. Pierce doesn’t waste much movement on slants and outs, and he has good hip sink for his size. He can drop into and explode out of breaks. He has some nice, efficient releases off the line, and he’s physical in countering press corners.”
In terms of after-the-catch ability, Pierce is not going to wow anybody. It’s not something he’s been put in a position to showcase during his time at Cincinnati. He has the quickness and toughness, which could boom when he turns pro if he’s in the right system.
Pierce is a bit like former Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson. He’s not going to beat you with his YAC ability. He’s going to move the chains with back-shoulder throws. He’s going to outmuscle his defender at the catch point and beat you vertically.
“This is an area you don’t always see as much of from Pierce,” Cummings said. “A lot of his catches are either contested or in congested areas in the short and intermediate ranges, so he doesn’t always have a ton of space to work with. But in space, Pierce shows some exciting flashes.”
Pierce will put on a show at the combine and it’s a big reason why one could project him to be a YAC weapon at the next level. He’s an athletic freak and was No. 46 on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freak’s list.
“For his size, he’s actually pretty explosive downfield once he has a runway,” Cummings said. “He can gear up unexpectedly quickly, and he has enough speed to get into space and outlast safeties to lofted throws. Pierce’s testing numbers will open up some eyes, but if you watch the tape, it’s clear he’s not an average athlete. On top of his size and play strength, he’s explosive off the line, and he has the speed to extend space. Bruce Feldman wrote that Pierce has a 4.45 40 and a 40-inch vertical. That athleticism, in conjunction with the other traits, makes him a big-play threat on any given snap.”
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur has made it no secret that he likes his wide receivers to be good blockers out on the perimeter. Pierce works his tail off as a run blocker and may be the best blocking wide receiver in the 2022 draft.
“Pierce absolutely brings utility as a blocker,” Cummings said. “It’s an element that goes overlooked for receivers sometimes, but it’s important — especially for teams that employ a lot of outside runs. Pierce is already a blocking mismatch with his size and play strength, and he brings great effort, too.”
Will the Packers re-sign Adams and make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL? Even if they do bring Adams back, the Packers need to restock the talent inside the wide receiver cupboard at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
Pierce has the athleticism, size, hands, and big-play ability that teams covet. That combination could make him the next wide receiver that the Packers select in the second round.
“Pierce has a rare size-athleticism combination, as well as strong instincts at the catch point,” Cummings said. “Beyond that, he’s a functional route runner with surprising efficiency and nuance, and he also provides the good run-after-catch ability and blocking value. It’s hard to peg where his stock is at right now. But once he tests, there’s no chance he gets past day two. If I was a general manager I’d look at his physical upside, competitive toughness, and high-floor game as a receiver, and I’d potentially take him early on day two. He can be a starting X, but you can also move him into the slot and let his explosiveness breathe.”
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