Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Michigan State TE Daniel Barker.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
The only tight end on Green Bay’s roster under contract for next season is Josiah Deguara. Brian Gutekunst will have to address the position via free agency or the 2023 NFL Draft.
With the team being strapped for cash, it’s far more likely that Green Bay’s general manager addresses the position multiple times in the upcoming draft.
A player that Gutekunst could target on day three of the 2023 NFL Draft is Daniel Barker. The Michigan State tight end checks in at No. 99 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A graduate transfer from Illinois, Barker finished his lone season at Michigan State with 21 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns. During his time at Illinois, Barker recorded 11 receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.
“Barker came to East Lansing with a lot of hype,” Cory Linsner of Spartanswire.com said. “A highly regarded transfer from a fellow Big Ten member, Barker was expected to be a major contributor for the Spartans this season. While he didn’t fully live up to the hype, Barker was a solid addition to the Spartans’ passing attack in 2022.”
At 6-4, 250 pounds, Barker has the size and speed to be a mismatch in the passing game. The former three-star recruit has easy acceleration off the line of scrimmage to quickly enter his routes. He has the speed to threaten the seam and be a downfield threat.
The Illinois transfer does a good job of catching the ball away from his frame and has strong, reliable hands. According to Pro Football Focus, Barker only had four drops this past season and he looks comfortable making catches in a crowd.
Barker didn’t get a lot of passes thrown his way during his time at East Lansing, but when they did come his way, he made them count. The Michigan State tight end finished his lone season as a Spartan with 21 receptions, with 14 of them going for first downs.
“His greatest strength is providing an athletic mismatch at the tight end position, possessing strong receiving skills,” Linsner said. “In the passing game, he has sure hands, while being very good at running routes. He can be a good safety valve for a quarterback from his end spot.”
Barker has the frame to develop into a reliable blocker, both in the ground game and in pass protection. There are reps as a blocker (Washington game) where he gets edge rushers on the ground. A team will have to be patient with him in this department. According to PFF, Barker earned a run-blocking grade of 62.1 and a pass-blocking grade of 46.2.
“Unfortunately, Barker struggled as a blocker for MSU and it is what kept him off of the field throughout the season,” Linsner said. “His struggles in run blocking left the door open for other tight ends on the roster to earn equal to more snaps than Barker.”
Fit with the Packers
Barker is an athletic and versatile tight end. At Michigan State, Barker lined up all over for the Spartans. He saw snaps out wide, in the slot, in-line, and in the backfield.
With his size and athleticism, Barker could carve out a role as a weapon in the passing game for the Packers as a rookie.
“Barker possesses strong receiving skills and the athleticism to create a mismatch,” Linsner said. “He has shown flashes of being a good blocker at Illinois, and even though it didn’t come fully to fruition in East Lansing, it is still an attainable skill for the tight end. I believe he has the tools to provide upside being a late-round selection in the draft.”
There are limitations with Barker as a blocker and that’s an obvious concern. Look past those concerns and a team will see a big-bodied tight end with the quickness to be a weapon in the passing game.
The Packers will likely be in the market for multiple tight ends in the upcoming draft and with his ability as a pass-catcher, Barker would be a solid addition on day three of the draft.
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