Packers NFL Draft Recap: The Best and Worst Pick of the Draft for the Packers

The 2023 NFL draft has officially come to an end. It was evident this was a weaker class than in previous years, but that doesn't mean there weren't some gems to be found. Like every draft, this one came with winners and losers. While I would not be quick to put the Green Bay Packers in the winners category, I definitely think they came away with a decent pool of players out of the 13 athletes they drafted. Let’s do a quick recap of draft weekend to see how this team performed:

1.13 - Lukas Van Ness (EDGE, Iowa)

2.42 - Luke Musgrave (TE, Oregon St.)

2.50 - Jayden Reed (WR, Michigan St.)

3.78 - Tucker Kraft (TE, South Dakota St.)

4.116 - Colby Wooden (DL, Auburn)

5.149 - Sean Clifford (QB, Penn St.)

5.159 - Dontayvion Wicks (WR, Virginia)

6.179 - Karl Brooks (DL, Bowling Green)

6.207 - Anders Carlson (K, Auburn)

7.232 - Carrington Valentine (CB, Kentucky)

7.235 - Lew Nichols (RB, Central Michigan)

7.242 - Anthony Johnson Jr. (S, Iowa St.)

7.256 - Grant Dubose (WR, Charlotte)

Favorite Pick

Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, but it's close. I love the speed and the route running of Luke Musgrave, but Van Ness took the spot here due to his potential. Most will point out that he played in a backup position at Iowa, but in the draft I value potential over production. In his backup role, he tallied 6.5 sacks, the same amount as Clemson edge rusher Myles Murphy who also went in the first round. Many people disliked the Rashan Gary pick a few years back for the same reasons they hate this pick, but Gary has developed into quite a talented player and I expect Van Ness to do the same. The Packers love developmental players, and Van Ness fits the bill.

Least Favorite Pick

Anders Carlson, K. I mainly dislike this pick because it implies Mason Crosby will not be returning next year. From a more logical perspective, I don’t love Carlson. The biggest issue with Crosby the past few seasons was his inability to make +50 yard kicks, and Carlson seems to have the same problem. He is 5/17 on +50 yarders and 0/4 since 2021. He only had a 66.7 field goal percentage in 2021, which increased to 70.6 in 2022. The Packers most likely drafted him because of his 2020 season where he made 90.9% of his field goals. Rich Bisaccia may be able to help him return to form, but this isn't a pick I'm crazy about.

Biggest Steal

Carrington Valentine, CB. The Packers excelled in the second half of the draft with a lot of players to get excited about. Karl Brooks and Grant Dubose were also candidates for this award, but I settled on Valentine. By round seven, teams are kind of just throwing darts in the dark. You are likely not going to find many starters here, but I love the potential with Valentine. In some mocks this guy was projected to go as high as a fifth round pick, and it's not too hard to see why. Valentine has impressive athleticism, starting as a WR and kick returner in high school. Although he struggled with tackling and press man coverage, the packers don’t need an immediate impact player. With the right coaching, sitting behind some great corners in Alexander and Stokes, Valentine might be able to develop into a high caliber player.

Biggest Reach

Sean Clifford, QB. I’m all for drafting a quarterback to backup Jordan Love, but in the fifth round? This is a guy that wasn't on too many people’s radar and was projected to go undrafted. He did beat out Will Levis for a starting job at Kentucky, but my guess is we could have gotten him way later.

Most Surprising Pick

Jayden Reed, WR. In some ways this pick is not too surprising. Once again Gutekunst goes defense in the first and receiver in the second. What surprises me about this pick is not the position, but the type of receiver Green Bay selected. Reed is a small player, standing at 5’11” weighing 187 pounds. He goes up for the ball well despite his small stature, making tons of contested grabs in college. He struggles with drops on short and intermediate throws, but has solid speed and acceleration. Small receivers can still succeed in the NFL, but Reed is not the type of guy Gutekunst usually goes for. The fact that he is willing to sacrifice “his type” to get Reed might mean he sees something we don’t. I wouldn’t call the pick bad given Reed’s college stats and his NFL potential, it just wasn't the receiver I expected us to draft here.

Most Wisconsin Pick

Tucker Kraft. I made this category only to remind everyone of when Kraft tripped over his words during his post draft interview, only to justify it by saying he had taken a few drinks waiting to be drafted. This is a Wisconsin kid.

If I had to describe this draft in one word it would be potential. This class has guys in every round that could make their way to a starting spot one day. From Lukas Van Ness all the way to Grant Dubose, you can tell Gutekunst drafted guys he wants to develop. The Packers were able to draft multiple offensive weapons for Jordan Love, and grab several defensive players that could be key pieces in a few years. This is good news for Packers fans. You don’t have to love this draft, but it's one you should be satisfied with.