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Packers Draft Wish List: Putting together Brian Gutekunst’s “hot list” by round

Not every team wants to draft every player. In fact, teams often draft players with lower “grades” than available prospects because the team likes the fit or the athletic makeup better. So who are the Packers' guys in this draft?

By Peter_Bukowski
NCAA Football: Louisiana State at Missouri
Terrace Marshall Jr has all the traits of a Packers type
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Teams don’t put 300 players on the board. They leave that to us idiots in the media. When they go through the process, they’re identifying the players they really like, guys who fit their system, who fit a certain athletic model, or who could fill a role on their team. And sometimes that means passing on guys with higher tape grades because of fit or athletic profile, or just because the guys in the building were left feeling cold by him.

Instead, teams put together a “hot list,” a group of their guys in the draft. That task becomes easier when the Packers clearly demonstrate a type. Brian Gutekunst has said they’re sticking with many of the “types” from the Ron Wolf era in terms of preferred size for positions like cornerback and receiver, but they’re not above going outside that model.

Still, their preference toward size/speed players relative to position can’t be denied. As GM, Gutekunst brought in 28 draft picks. Of those 28, we have Relative Athletic Scores for 25 of them and of those 25, a whopping 22 have an 8+ RAS. Your best friend has a type when it comes to dating. The Packers have a type when it comes to players.

Let’s use that type, mixed with The Athletic’s consensus board, to tier those players, eliminating those who don’t fit the type unless there are real reasons, scheme fit for example, to keep them on the list. Suddenly 300 players drops down in the 100’s.

Green Bay most prizes athleticism at the premium positions: cornerback, receiver, offensive line, and on the edge. We have long assumed they also care about 3-cone, and there’s good evidence they do, so we’re also going to keep some of our long-held thresholds in place, particularly at these positions, but will make exceptions for the high-end RAS players.

Even without athletic measurements, the quarterbacks were relatively easy: Unless the Trevor Lawrence facemask bong video drops, the Packers won’t be in a position to draft him and would be unlikely to have interest in a quarterback until Day 3 when it would be a more developmental backup situation.

Linebacker, safety, interior defensive line and tight end are positions the Packers haven’t traditionally prioritized elite athletic traits as much as reflected in RAS. Still, let’s err on the side of no below average athletes even if we don’t focus solely on the high, high end guys.

Running back appears to be more about feel, though Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon were 9+ RAS players. Jamaal Williams was a perfect scheme fit, but a below-average athlete. Is there a reason one is still with the team and one isn’t? Perhaps. So let’s also treat running back like these aforementioned positions and prefer above-average athletes, but be willing to make some exceptions.

And in the 7th round, we threw out the qualifiers. It’s QBs, and 9+ athletes only (with a few exceptions). Relative Athletic Score is in parenthesis where it matters along with additional comments.

If history is any indicator, nearly every pick the Packers make next weekend will come off this list. This list will make it easy to follow on draft night, providing a useful guide, even if the Packers board looks different. When the round tiers run out, that’s when we could see Green Bay trade back, or if they particularly like someone, move up to ensure they don’t run out of players in that round worth taking.

  1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
  2. Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon (8.98)
  3. Kyle Pitts, TE/WR, Florida (9.66)
  4. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (9.81)
  5. Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern (9.71)
  6. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
  7. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama (9.96)
  8. Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina (9.99)
  9. Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan (9.34)
  10. Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech (N/A)
  11. Alijah Vera-Tucker, iOL, USC (9.79)
  12. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame (8.72)
  13. Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech (N/A)
  14. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (FL) (9.87)
  15. Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
  16. Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State (9.74)
  17. Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
  18. Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern (9.66)
  19. Christian Barmore, iDL, Alabama
  20. Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota (8.04)
  21. Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida (9.0)
  22. Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State (9.92)
  23. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
  24. (ROUND 2) Landon Dickerson, iOL, Alabama (N/A)
  25. Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU (9.77)
  26. Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss (8.68) (Undersized but scheme fit)
  27. Rondale Moore (9.33) (see above)
  28. Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
  29. Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama (9.68)
  30. Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas (9.99)
  31. Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky
  32. Asante Samuel Jr.* (6.42 RAS but scheme fit)
  33. Creed Humphrey, iOL, Oklahoma (10)
  34. Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas (9.49)
  35. Carlos Basham Jr., Edge, Wake Forest (9.38)
  36. Levi Onwuzurike, iDL, Washington
  37. Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State (9.28)
  38. Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame (8.56)
  39. Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia (9.37)
  40. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State (Projected qualifier)
  41. Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
  42. Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington (9.29)
  43. Richie Grant, S, UCF
  44. Ifeatu Melifonwu* (9.69) (RAS qualifier and scheme fit)
  45. Daviyon Nixon, iDL, Iowa
  46. Jabril Cox, LB, LSU
  47. Aaron Robinson, DB, UCF (8.37)
  48. Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina (8.38)
  49. Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
  50. ROUND 3 Quinn Meinerz, iOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater (9.99)
  51. Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston 9.74
  52. Josh Myers, iOL, (N/A)
  53. D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan (Undersized but Scheme fit)
  54. Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
  55. Trey Smith, iOL, Tennessee (9.91)
  56. Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State
  57. Alim McNeill, iDL, North Carolina State
  58. Tommy Togiai, iDL, Ohio State
  59. Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse (N/A)
  60. Nico Collins, WR, Michigan (9.56)
  61. Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa (10)
  62. Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State
  63. Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford (9.55)
  64. Kenneth Gainwell* (Size/testing but scheme fit)
  65. Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame (8.91)
  66. Milton Williams, iDL, Louisiana Tech
  67. Brady Christensen, OT, BYU (9.84)
  68. Hunter Long, TE, Boston College (8.60)
  69. Walker Little, OT, Stanford (8.90)
  70. Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan (N/A)
  71. ROUND 4 Ben Cleveland, iOL, Georgia (9.63)
  72. Shaun Wade, DB, Ohio State (9.59 RAS)
  73. Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State
  74. Davis Mills, QB, Stanford
  75. Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
  76. Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas (9.65)
  77. Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota (8.12)
  78. Stone Forsythe, OT, Florida (8.78)
  79. Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech
  80. Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan (8.97)
  81. Caden Sterns, S, Texas
  82. Khalil Herbert* (undersized by a scheme fit)
  83. Trill Williams, DB, Syracuse (borderline qualifier and scheme fit)
  84. Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas (undersized but a scheme fit)
  85. Bobby Brown III, iDL, Texas A&M
  86. Shaka Toney, EDGE, Penn State (9.47)
  87. ROUND 5 Demetric Felton*(Scheme fit)
  88. Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa (9.74)
  89. Robert Hainsey, OT, Notre Dame (8.06)
  90. Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford (9.17)
  91. James Wiggins, S, Cincinnati
  92. Janarius Robinson, EDGE, Florida State (9.33)
  93. Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue
  94. Marco Wilson, CB. Florida (9.99)
  95. Rodarius Williams, CB Oklahoma State (8.14)
  96. Charles Snowden, LB, Virginia (N/A)
  97. Jamie Newman, QB, Wake Forest
  98. Daelin Hayes, EDGE, Notre Dame (7.93) (Borderline)
  99. Kenny Yeboah, TE, Ole Miss
  100. Javian Hawkins* (Undersized but a scheme fit)
  101. Darius Stills, iDL, West Virginia
  102. Garret Wallow, LB, TCU
  103. ROUND 6 Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana-Lafeyette
  104. Jack Anderson, iOL, Texas Tech (8.58)
  105. Trevon Grimes, WR, Florida (8.45)
  106. Drew Dalman, iOL, Stanford (9.90)
  107. Chauncey Golston* (7.58) (Fits edge profile)
  108. Joshua Kaindoh, EDGE, Florida State (9.58)
  109. Tommy Doyle, OT, Miami (OH) (9.90)
  110. Khyiris Tonga, iDL, BYU
  111. Sadarius Hutcherson, iOL, South Carolina (9.89)
  112. Chris Evans, RB, Michigan
  113. Dan Moore Jr., OT, TExas A&M (8.97)
  114. Darrick Forrest, DB, Cincinnati
  115. Royce Newman, iOL, Ole Miss
  116. Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville (8.82)
  117. Ernest Jones, LB South Carolina
  118. Brenden Jaimes, OT, Nebraska (8.54)
  119. Michal Menet, iOL, Penn State (N/A)
  120. Shawn Davis, S, Florida (N/A)
  121. Jonathan Marshall, DL, Arkansas
  122. Tommy Kraemer, iOL, Notre DAme (N/A)
  123. Christian Uphoff, S, Illinois State
  124. ROUND 7/UDDA Sam Ehlinger
  125. Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech (9.56)
  126. Ben Mason, FB, Michigan (8.97)
  127. Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR, Illinois (8.97)
  128. Ian Book, QB. Notre Dame
  129. Ta’Quon Graham, iDL, Texas (9.68)
  130. William Bradley-King, EDGE, Baylor (9.17)
  131. Jimmy Morrissey, iOL, Pittsburgh (9.01)
  132. Feleipe Franks, QB, Arkansas
  133. Cole Van Lanen, OT, Wisconsin (8.49)
  134. Carson Green, OT, Texas A&M (8.28)
  135. Buddy Johnson, LB, Texas A&M (9.23)
  136. Shane Buechele, QB, SMU
  137. Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri (8.8)
  138. Brandon Stephens, CB, SMU (9.20)
  139. Jacob Harris, WR/TE, UCF (9.88)
  140. Nate Hobbs, CB, Illinois (9.61)
  141. Jose Borregales, K, Miami (FL)
  142. Brandin Echols, CB. Kentucky* (9.15)
  143. Jared Hocker, IOL, Texas A&M (8.65)
  144. Nick Niemann, LB, Iowa (9.52)
  145. Mike Strachan, WR, Charleston (9.22)
  146. T.J. Vasher, WR, Texas Tech (N/A)
  147. Drew Himmelman, OT, Illinois (N/A)
  148. Jalen Camp, WR Georgia Tech (9.75)
  149. Briley Moore, TE, Kansas State (9.03)

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