Packers draft kicker Anders Carlson with 207th pick of 2023 NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers have addressed a number of primary and ancillary needs on the third day of the 2023 NFL Draft, and that trend continued with the 207th pick in round six. With the pick that they acquired from the New York Jets as part of the Aaron Rodgers trade, Green Bay now has its successor to kicker Mason Crosby.

With that selection, the Packers have selected Anders Carlson from the University of Auburn.

Carlson had an exceptional season in 2020, when he made 20 of 22 field goal attempts. However, he has struggled somewhat over his other four years as the Tigers’ primary place-kicker, never making over 72 percent of his field goals in the other four seasons.

Additionally, although Carlson has a big leg and was offered the opportunity to kick a number of attempts from 50-plus yards, he has gone just 5-for-17 from that distance in his college career and has not hit from beyond 50 since that excellent 2020 season. However, those numbers are skewed by a 2-for-9 performance as a freshman. Furthermore, Carlson has gone 15-of-20 in the past three years from 40-49 yards, a solid hit rate from that distance.

Carlson is the younger brother of Daniel Carlson, who also went to Auburn and currently kicks for the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Packers currently have one other kicker on the roster, Parker White, who kicked for South Carolina from 2017 to 2021. Look for the Carlson pick to set up a kicking competition in training camp.

Green Bay will be back on the clock soon to make four picks in round seven, starting at #232.