GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Green Bay Packers are entering a brave new world, without a Hall of Fame or soon to be Hall of Fame quarterback for the first time in 31 years. Going into the 2023 NFL Draft, General Manager Brian Gutekunst, orchestrating his sixth selection meeting, knew he would have to bolster a roster that not only is without Aaron Rodgers, but several more veteran players and it was time to restock with brand new talent on a very young team. He had 10 picks going in and came out with 13 players, the largest draft class since a baker’s dozen was chosen in Ron Wolf’s final year as GM in 2000. Here’s a look at all 13.
Round 1 (13th overall) Lukas Van Ness DE/Edge Iowa
The high energy defensive linemen never started a single game for the Hawkeyes yet played in over 1000 snaps and was an extremely productive player no matter where he lined up. After putting on 60 pounds during his red-shirt freshman year, he got down and dirty on the interior defensive line before moving to the end and edge positions where he showed relentless pursuit to the football. Van Ness may be counted on from day one with Rashan Gary mending from his torn ACL and it’s almost a given he’ll supplant Preston Smith and become a full timer on defense in 2024.
Round 2 (42) Luke Musgrave TE Oregon State
In the pick acquired by the Packers in the Aaron Rodgers trade to the Jets, they grabbed a huge target with speed at a position of extreme need who comes to Green Bay even though he suffered a serious MCL tear in Oregon State’s second game last season. Against doctor’s advice, he rehabbed fast enough to take part in the Senior Bowl in January. While catching only 47 balls for 633 yards in his career, Musgrave, if completely right, will give the Packers an excellent downfield option for their brand new quarterback. Some scouts believe he’ll become the most productive tight end in what was a very strong class at the position.
Round 2 (50) Jayden Reed WR Michigan State
He may be small (5-11, 195) but he plays big. Reed has take the top off speed and celebrated his 23rd birthday Friday night when the Packers called. He caught 203 passes for 2866 yards and 26 touchdowns for Sparty. While primarily a slot receiver, he handled routes outside just fine and he’s also an accomplished and dangerous punt returner. He has fun making big plays everywhere, just ask the Wisconsin Badgers who watched him not only catch a deep touchdown pass, but throw one as well. Reed will jump right into the mix with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs as the wideouts of the future.
Round 3 (78) Tucker Kraft TE South Dakota State
Could Brian Gutekunst be hoping to pull off what Bill Belicheck did in 2010 by taking a pair of tight ends to transform the room? The Patriots got huge dividends with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Kraft joins forces with Musgrave to give the Packers a double dose of seam stretching speed and enough brawn to handle in the in-line dirty work of blocking as well. Kraft is 6-5 and 255 pounds and never goes down easily.
Round 4 (114) Colby Wooden DL Auburn
Another line up anywhere defensive lineman who will provide immediate depth to a room that lost Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed to free agency. Wooden was a three year SEC starter for the Tigers and at 6-5, 285 pounds, proved to be a powerful player inside against the run and quick enough to beat gaps and chase down quarterbacks in the pocket or backs in pursuit. He put up 17 sacks in his career.
Round 5 (149) Sean Clifford QB Penn State
Having only two quarterbacks in town with the big name now in the Big Apple, the Packers brought in a Big Ten quarterback who went 31-14 as the starter in Happy Valley. Some scouts dissed Clifford who wasn’t even invited to the Combine but the Packers brought him in for a pre-draft visit and liked what they saw and heard. He’s competitive and smart and left Penn State as the school’s all-time leader in attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns, capping his career as the MVP of the Rose Bowl last January.
Round 5 (159) Dontayvion Wicks WR Virginia
A step up in size for wide receiver number two. Wicks is 6-2 and 208 pounds and played in 8 games last season, one filled with tragedy at the Virginia campus after last November’s shooting left three players on the team dead and two others injured. Wicks’ numbers understandably dropped and has had drop issues but as a sophomore he set the single season school record with 1203 yards on 57 receptions in 2021.
Round 6 (179) Karl Brooks DT Bowling Green
There was plenty of big school talent taken before Brooks but Pro Football Focus still gave him it’s highest grade as an edge defender among all FBS schools. Brooks is 6-4 and 300 pounds who explodes on every snap until the whistle. He piled up 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss as an interior lineman. He had 49 hurries of quarterbacks and 69 first pressures as a rusher too. The Lansing native was courted by major schools, offering a lot of money through the transfer portal but stayed loyal to the Falcons, captaining the squad, earning first team All MAC and getting in a whopping 52 games over a five year career at Bowling Green.
Round 6 (207) Anders Carlson K Auburn
Maybe the most eye opening pick of the weekend, almost certain to bring the outstanding career of Mason Crosby, the franchise record holder across the board in points and kicks, to a close. Carlson is the younger brother of Raiders Pro Bowl kicker Daniel who had a four year run with the Pack’s current Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Anders, at 6-5, carries a strong right leg even though his left leg was damaged seriously with a torn ACL in 2021. He also suffered a shoulder injury last year but finished his Auburn career as their second leading scorer with 410 points. He was 79/110 on field goals.
Round 7 (232) Carrington Valentine CB Kentucky
To add depth to the secondary with Eric Stokes foot recovery still an issue, not to mention delivering special teams help, Valentine brings a 6 foot frame with long arms and a love to mix it up in press coverage and track star speed to close things down. He led the team with 10 pass break-ups last season playing 35 games for the Wildcats.
Round 7 (242) Lew Nichols III RB Central Michigan
A three down back from the MAC. Nichols slid down the board after gaining 616 yards last season but in 2021, he led the FBS with 1848 rushing yards. A stocky 5-11 and 222 pounds, the Detroit native also handled balls in the air, catching 71 passes for 525 yards in his career.
Round 7 (242) Anthony Johnson Jr. S Iowa State
Johnson played his first four years in Ames on the corner before getting switched to safety last season where he earned second team All Big 12 honors. He made 52 straight starts for the Cyclones and becomes the third, 7th round safety taken by the Packers in the last four years, joining Vernon Scott and Tariq Carpenter. Like those two, he’ll make the team on special teams first and could enter the secondary mix if Adrian Amos is not re-signed.
Round 7 (256) Grant Dubose WR Charlotte
It’s the second straight year the Packers have taken three receivers. Dubose only played two years at Charlotte after starting his college career at Miles College. His first season was wiped out by the pandemic and Dubose had to work three jobs, including at Wal-Mart to make ends meet. With the 49ers, the 6-3, 200 pounder caught 126 passes for 1684 yards and 26 touchdowns. That hard work paid off earning 2nd team All Conference USA honors.
Gutekunst wrapped up the draft Saturday night by saying the need to deliver more playmakers to Jordan Love and the offense was top of mind, and he brought in half the class with a pair of tight ends, three wideouts and a running back.
As for Head Coach Matt LaFleur, he made his only appearance of the weekend after the seventh round wrapped up with his biggest class yet and said now it’s time to coach ’em up.
There will be even more additions over the next 24-48 hours with undrafted rookie free agents signed and players invited in for tryouts. The new arrivals will hit Green Bay to start their professional lives next weekend for rookie orientation.
