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Just because the first round of the draft is over doesn’t mean that the mocks have to stop. Writers continue to pump out football horoscopes to give you a glimpse at what the Green Bay Packers might do going into the second day of the draft. Let’s take you through a couple of them.
- #42: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
- #45: Cody Mauch, OG/OT, North Dakota State
- #78: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
Both Washington and Stevenson were brought in on visits to Green Bay, so there’s a good chance that they could end up Packers. As a reminder, the team drafted six players who were brought in on visits in the 2022 class and signed more as undrafted free agents or off of waivers during the regular season. Washington is a true Y (inline, hand in the dirt) tight end who would fill the vacancy of Marcedes Lewis very well. Cody Mauch played college football at left tackle but is projected to move inside to guard at the next level due to his size. He’s one of the few offensive linemen early on in the draft who fit the Packers’ perceived thresholds at the position. Stevenson was originally a Georgia Bulldog (oh good, another Georgia defender) who played in the slot before transferring to Miami to get a look as an outside cornerback.
- 42: Sam Laporta, TE, Iowa
- 45: Brian Branch, SAF, Alabama
- 78: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
Laporta is more of a pass-catching tight end than Washington, but very well could be in play in the second round depending on if Washington and Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer are off the board. Mayer, like Branch, is one of the highest-rated players in the draft who is still available on Day 2. Branch played the nickel position at Alabama but is expected to transition to safety full-time in the NFL, where he’s considered the top prospect in a weak safety class. Scott is a little small at receiver for the Packers under head coach Matt LaFleur, but if the team isn’t going to take a player at the position until the third round, maybe they start breaking some rules.
- 42: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
- 45: Antonio Johnson, SAF, Texas A&M
- 78: Nick Herbig, EDGE, Wisconsin
After Branch, Johnson is considered the second-best safety in this draft class. His calling card is his size, as he measured in at 6’2” and 198 pounds at the combine this offseason. I don’t know much about Herbig, as I never got around to watching him, but I’m sure some Wisconsin fans down in the comments can give you some information about him.
- 42: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
- 45: Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
- 78: Sydney Brown, SAF, Illinois
Musgrave is an F (mismatch) tight end who missed most of last season with an injury after being underutilized for the majority of his college career. His athleticism is through the roof, though, which should make him a top 50 pick. I wouldn’t be surprised if either Tennessee receiver, Tillman or Jalin Hyatt, end up in Green Bay tonight. The Packers have done a lot of work on the players in that offense, including bringing in quarterback Hendon Hooker and tackle Darnell Wright (now a Chicago Bear) in for visits and sending general manger Brian Gutekunst down to the Volunteers’ pro day. Tillman is a big-body receiver, which LaFleur should be a fan of. Brown, meanwhile, would be one of the shortest selections that Green Bay has made over the last two decades. I think Yahoo got the position right but the player wrong here.
- 42: Steve Avila, G/C, TCU
- 45: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
- 78: Antonio Johnson, SAF, Texas A&M
I don’t have much about Avila, since Green Bay typically only looks at players with a tackle background. Apparently, he’s played both center and guard and projects to both positions in the NFL.
- 42: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
- 45: Keeanu Benton, DL, Wisconsin
- 78: Jammie Robinson, SAF, Florida State
You can go ahead and file Downs as another receiver who is a little small for LaFleur’s offense. For what it’s worth, he’s going to make his living in the NFL as a slot receiver. Benton is one of my favorite prospects in this entire class and one of my three favorite players remaining (along with Washington and Florida DL Gervon Dexter.) Robinson is a safety on paper but is best suited as a nickel in the league. He was brought in by the Packers on a visit.
- 42: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
- 45: Antonio Johnson, SAF, Texas A&M
- 78: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
Hey, all familiar names!
- 42: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
- 45: Sam Laporta, TE, Iowa
- 78: Sydney Brown, SAF, Illinois
I think we’re about done here.
If you’re interested in more Day 2 content, we’ve written up the best players remaining after the first round (per the consensus draft board) and also made a Packers-specific big board that takes into account of their positions of need and historical preferences.
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