The Green Bay Packers could easily exit next week’s NFL draft with at least two new wide receivers. The class is ridiculously deep, and even if the Packers grab one of the top options early, dipping back in the talent pool and selecting a second receiver makes a lot of sense as GM Brian Gutekunst attempts to refill the cupboard in the passing game.
Here are eight mid-round receivers the Packers could target next week:
1. John Hightower, Boise State
Love the fit here. He’s not a big, physical receiver, but Hightower is fast, insanely quick off the line and a legit vertical threat, with great tracking skills and an ability to create late separation. He also handled a bunch of jet sweeps and created big plays on other manufactured touches, highlighting his ability to work in space. Boise State always had him on the move, including pre-snap, creating plus matchups. Matt LaFleur’s offense would do the same. If the Packers miss out on one of the vertical threats early, Hightower makes a lot of sense as a consolation prize in the middle rounds. He could be a more versatile form of Kenny Stills.
2. Gabriel Davis, UCF
Davis does a lot right at the position and is still young (just turned 21), but he’s mostly buried in this deep class of receivers, likely pushing him into the middle rounds. He has size (6-2, 216), speed (4.54) and a history of production (over 2,000 and 19 touchdowns the last two seasons). He can win at the line, track the ball downfield and succeed above the rim in contested situations, all translatable abilities for a vertical receiver in the Packers offense.
3. Lynn Bowden Jr., Kentucky
It almost feels lazy to compare Bowden to Randall Cobb, but the similarities run so deep they’re impossible to ignore. He’ll need time to develop more as a receiver at the next level, but Bowden’s electric playmaking skills and all-purpose versatility should have immediate value. Over time, he could be the quick, explosive player the Packers need to win in the slot, on manufactured touches and in the return game.
4. Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
Not knowing his full athletic profile is a bummer, but he doesn’t win with dynamic movements and likely wouldn’t have tested well in the various drills. That’s not a small thing, especially at receiver, but there’s something refreshing about getting to review a player strictly off the tape. And on tape, Johnson dominates, especially from the slot. He knows how to get off press, run a variety of routes with nuance and win battles against defenders at the catch point, and he’s comfortable operating in traffic, winning with body control and making plays down in the red zone. Johnson may not be as wildly productive at the next level as he was for the Golden Gophers, but many of his easy-to-see skills can have value in the slot in the NFL.
5. Quez Watkins, Southern Miss
Watkins is a long, lean receiver with deep speed, run-after-catch ability and a highlight reel of impressive catches on 50/50 balls downfield. He is eerily reminiscent of Paul Richardson, who was emerging as a vertical playmaker for the Seahawks before a long line of injuries struck. Watkins needs to improve his play strength, but he could develop into a threatening downfield threat at the next level. He’s an attractive option in the mid-to-later rounds.
6. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan
In this class of receivers, Peoples-Jones really should be a mid-round pick. He’s inconsistent in so many areas of playing the position and needs significant development at the line of scrimmage and running deceptive routes to unlock his full potential. His lack of production at Michigan wasn’t all quarterback and scheme related, and so many receivers in this class are more advanced players. Still, Peoples-Jones is a freaky athlete and his individual talent flashed infrequently but brilliantly at Michigan, giving him the potential to be a far more productive NFL receiver than college pass-catcher. Betting of athletes of his caliber can produce a tremendous return on investment, but the right time to buy this particular lotto ticket is probably after Day 2.
7. Darnell Mooney, Tulane
Want K.J. Hamler but aren’t willing to spend an early pick? No fear, Darnell Mooney is here. He has the same size deficiencies but almost all the same explosiveness and electricity as a playmaker. His tape is littered with plays he turned into long touchdowns with speed and burst in the open field. Mooney averaged over 20 yards per catch as a junior and then clocked in at 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. He’s explosive off the line and in short areas, and he carries the burst over distance. He could surprise as a big-play threat at the next level.
8. Antonio Gibson, Memphis
Quantifying Gibson as a “mid-round” prospect might be pushing it. He looks like a top-100 talent and could easily go in the first three rounds. However, he’s also a position-less player lacking refinement and polish at a single position. If he falls, the Packers should be one team willing to give him a landing. Gibson might be the most fun player in the entire class, with breathtaking ability to break tackles and make things happen with the ball in his hands. Call him a receiver, a running back, an offensive weapon, a Go Go Gadget, whatever. Just get him the ball in creative ways and let him do what he does best.
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