Pack-A-Day Podcast - Episode 2025 - A Closer Look at the Packers' Epic 2023 Draft
On today's show, Andy takes a look back at the Packers' 2023 draft, and how GM Brian Gutekunst navigated the team to a masterful draft class. Don't miss it!
By AndyHerman
On today's show, Andy takes a look back at the Packers' 2023 draft, and how GM Brian Gutekunst navigated the team to a masterful draft class. Don't miss it!
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Andy is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh and owns & operates the Pack-A-Day Podcast. Andy has taken multiple courses in NFL scouting and is an Editor for Packer Report. Andy grew up in Green Bay and is a lifelong season ticket holder - follow him on Twitter @AndyHermanNFL!
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Comments (37)
mrtundra
February 10, 2024 at 08:14 am
Loved this draft and how Gute moved around to get guys. I'm hoping the upcoming draft shows similar magic, from 1265.
golfpacker1
February 10, 2024 at 08:46 am
I wonder how the other top edge rushers did compared to Van Ness last year. Pre draft chatter had us interested in Miles Murphy-Clemson, Felix Uzoman-K State, and Nolan Smith-Georgia, who all were picked after Van Ness.
I also hope that we can work the trade-back magic again this year starting with the #25 pick. Unless Cooper DeJean, Jackson Powers Johnson, Nate Wiggins, or Fuaga falls to us, I would work the phones to trade back and get 2 extra high value picks, That would be 2 more holes to fill or add depth. The top 5 rated CBs are not head and shoulders better than the second 5 CBs that we can get in the 2nd round, while scoring at least another pick in rounds 2 & 3.
If GB doesn't get enamored with some name, we can take advantage of some team, like the Giants who have multiple 2nd round picks, and need a QB. Especially if Nix, Penix, and McCarthy are still available. There is always a New Orleans Saints clone that will move back inro the first round at a high cost. Lets take advantage of the greed and gain additional picks that will be in the middle of when our draft needs are coming off the board.
jannesbjornson
February 10, 2024 at 09:13 am
If Kinchens is there at #25, bag him.
PackEyedOptimist
February 10, 2024 at 10:09 am
I like Kinchens, but I have the feeling that the Packers would prefer to draft Quinyon Mitchell or Koolaid McKinstry at 25 and move them to single high safety, where their discipline and leadership might make them more attractive than Kinchens. I'd see Kinchens at 41 though.
jannesbjornson
February 10, 2024 at 10:17 am
Q. Mitchell is a shut-down corner. All three could be gone by #25, in any event. GMs should value CBs over Guards. Nixon should be able to roam as a FS with his speed. Does he have the savvy?
LLCHESTY
February 10, 2024 at 12:02 pm
After the Senior Bowl Mitchell will be gone by 20 unless he falls on his face running the 40 at the combine.
This idea of moving a player from CB to being a single high FS and expecting them to excel cracks me up. It's not about athleticism it's about the eyes and instincts. Kinchens and Bullock have played over 1000 snaps at deep safety, much of it in single high. Mitchell has played about 35, Kool Aid 5 and DeJean 1.
Enough of this.
jannesbjornson
February 10, 2024 at 01:25 pm
I watched him over the past couple seasons at Toledo. He stood out from the crowd. Very physical style of play and a 4.4 guy to control the perimeter release.
golfpacker1
February 11, 2024 at 08:33 am
Kinchens will be there @ #35, probably #45. Thats where the top Safety was picked last year. The second best one went in the 3rd round.
If one of the top 4 CBs is not available @ #25 we should trade back and get a top CB and Top Safety in round 2.
jannesbjornson
February 11, 2024 at 10:22 am
The only guys remaining there will be Cole Bishop, or Jaden Hicks. I like both guys. Bullard from Georgia is mentioned by scouts as the # 3 rated guy.
LLCHESTY
February 11, 2024 at 10:55 am
Bishop and Hicks aren't single high FSs. I'd have Bullock over Bullard.
jannesbjornson
February 11, 2024 at 11:12 am
Bishop is a deep guy. He and Sione Vaki played up and down, but Vaki was the strong safety for the Utes. Bishop is a heady guy like DeJean, in the Harrison Smith profile. Bishop: " He's an instinctual player with a high football IQ and the versatility to play all over the field. He has the physicality to be a box player and the movement skills to cover in space. While playing the run game, Bishop excels when he's close to the line of scrimmage."
PackEyedOptimist
February 10, 2024 at 09:59 am
I'm always in favor of trading down...for the right price.
Mt current prediction (pre-combine) is that the QBs and CBs will go higher than predicted. Any CB who tests well at the combine is going in the first round.
I actually expect the Giants to trade up for a QB, but unfortunately, I expect them to trade higher than our pick. I'm also wondering if San Francisco might be interested in Penix if he drops to them; he and Purdy are both left-handed, so he'd be an ideal backup for them.
I think the best value at both 25 and 41 will be OL and DL, and WR, OL and WR because the depth at those positions will drop their value, and DL because the top ones all have enough flaws to have GMs pass on them early.
The safeties and linebackers are going to drop too; I'll be shocked if any go in the first round. Luckily, we're in the market for both.
I think our best value will be an OL at 25 and a S at 41, or possibly one of those devalued DL. It won't surprise me if Gute takes an unexpected position early, because he has a hard time passing on someone he's in love with, maybe a WR or QB (or God help us, another Edge...)
jannesbjornson
February 10, 2024 at 10:34 am
Mach Six:
#25 Kinchens S Miami
#41 T'vondre Sweat DT Texas
#58 Caelen Carson CB Wake F.
#88 Sedrick Van Pran C Georgia
#91 Cade Stover HB/TE OSU
#126 Kitan Oladapo S OR State
#167 Eichenberg LB OSU
# 169 Blake Watson RB Memphis
#215 Omar Speights LB LSU
#242 Cody Schrader RB Mizzou
#250 Walter Rouse OT OKL.
Find FA edge guy with speed.
SicSemperTyrannis
February 10, 2024 at 09:14 pm
If only 7 O linemen return Gutey needs 3 and they all need to be good.
jannesbjornson
February 11, 2024 at 10:10 am
Van Pran can go to C/G w/out issues. Free agent backups are not high bucks. I would prefer Morgan @ #25 for the LT which they didn't select the past two drafts, but free safety is a big concern and KInchens grades out the best. He is better than Branch. The Miami crew controlled the back end the past couple of seasons. The Bears bagged Tyrique Steveson last year with a two pick. James Williams goes to LB from the SS position. Nubin is a bit bigger and knows how to patrol the hook zones, but not a deep guy. Why not try to draft both guys. Calling Ron Wolf on Line One...
golfpacker1
February 11, 2024 at 08:51 am
So with that draft we still don't have a Jones replacement @ RB. With all the good fits for GB in this draft @ RB, I hope we don't settle for these two. We will be looking again for RB in 2025 otherwise. The RB pick has to be @ #88 because we don't need another TE or HB. We are loaded @ that position.
Sedrick VanPran only plays center. There are multiple guys in the draft that play C/G. Puni from Kansas plays OT/G/C. Glaze plays all 3. Zac Zinter plays G/C. Or just draft the best OG in the draft, Cooper Beebe, and plug him in. If Rhyan takes another step forward and we get a good G for the other side, our center can't help but be better because of it.
Oladapo is a good one, I hope we get him.
Cody Schrader runs the 40 in the 4.6s. Nope.
jannesbjornson
February 11, 2024 at 10:15 am
Schrader knows how to cross the LOS and put the ball in the Endzone and earn time as a Sp teams guy. I like Bucky Irving ,but he doesn't leave rd Two. Jones is here in 2024 and Watson profiles to be a wide-zone runner who has wiggle and SEEs the opening. We have two more months of this speculation, more coffee, please....
golfpacker1
February 13, 2024 at 09:37 am
The only problem for GB in the draft is after round 2 all of our picks are late in the rounds. It essentially makes them a next round pick. I don't see us taking an RB in the 2nd round. Bucky would be fabulous for GB but I agree he will be gone. There still will be good choices for us, Dillon Johnson-Ore, Ray Davis-Kent, Braelon Allen-Wisc, Jaylen Wright-Tenn, Marshawn Lloyd-USC, Will Shipley-Clemson, Isaiah Davis-S Dak St, all should still be available.
Even later good ones are Rasheen Ali, Frank Gore, Blake Watson, George Holani.
golfpacker1
February 11, 2024 at 09:46 am
Todays first draft, even though I prefer to trade back from # 25 to ? for more picks
#25 Jackson Powers-Johnson -Oregon C/G - couldn't pass up the versatility. Day 1 starter
#41 T J Tampa-Iowa State CB 6'2 200lbs 4.4 40 Goodby to Eric Stokes- Day 1 starter
#58 Tyler Nubin-Minn-Safety-6'2 210- best available- Day 1 starter
#88 Bucky Irving-Oregon-RB most exciting RB in the draft-Day 1 starter if Jones isn't back
#91 Payton Wilson-N C State-ILB Best ILB in country this year-Campbell gone-Day 1 starter
#126 Dillon Johnson-Oregon-RB Thunder to Bucky's lightning and a complete bigger back
#167 Kitan Oladapo-Oregon State-Safety 6'2 215 and 4.5- Safety room almost rebuilt
#203 Jordan Jefferson-LSU-DT RUN STOPPER
#215 Brennan Jackson-Wash State-Edge good rushing passer and run stopper
#242 Josh Cephus-UTSA-WR 6'2 200lbs 4.5 40-over 3500 yards receiving & catches well
#250 Will Reichard-Alabama-K I am fixing the wasted pick from last year
Usually, I trade back to no later than #44 and pick up another 2nd rounder and a 4th.
Then I start with Tampa, then Cooper Beebe, then Kinchens or Nubin, then my favorite RB, then my favorite ILB and so on.
We can fill all the holes with this years draft with 6 picks in first 3 round. And if we get lucky in rounds 4,5,6,7. Look out for the Young Gun Packers.
stockholder
February 11, 2024 at 12:50 pm
Jackson Powers Johnson works if were done
moving OTs to Guard!
I like Jaylon Wright from Tenn over any back.
Nubin is still the better tackling safety.
But his 4.6 Time will get him dropped.
golfpacker1
February 12, 2024 at 09:48 am
It's funny Stock, Wright looks like a really good RB and is very fast. He is all over the place on the draft rating services. I have seen him as high as 2nd best and as low as 10th best. I have about 4 that I like better because my group, as well as Wright, all run and catch the ball great. Exactly what we need to eventually replace Jones.
Where Wright is a little behind the others is power running and blocking. Because of that I like Bucky Irving, Marshawn Lloyd, Braelon Allen, and Dillon Johnson better. Plus, I don't think Wright gets picked until the 4th round and the Packers are screwed there because we don't pick until late in the 4th, 5th,and 6th rounds. Anybody we really want we are going to have to overpick sooner than that guy would have gone in those rounds. Unless we miss on our top guys @ #25, and trade back for more picks.
I think either Nubin or Kinchen would be great for us as both are ball hawks and can tackle. I will bet Nubin will run faster at the combine or his pro day. 4.6 40 is still plenty good with everything else he brings to the table. Either one and add a decent, but not expensive, FA Safety like Jeremy Chinn, Xavier McKinney, or Jordan Whitehead would work. All would be under $10million per year. Our new DC can fix any tackling issues Whitehead has. Chinn would be my choice.
stockholder
February 12, 2024 at 10:14 am
I've seen Wright as high as 62 in some Mocks.
If he runs that 4.3. And does all the testing.
He'll be at the top of the RBs.
As far as trading back. # 58 for going back.
And #41 for going up. I'd stay and Reach.
But after Reed last year. No Guarantees.
#25 if he goes up for a CB. Not Safety.
Chinn is my choice too. He should have drafted him.
Untylu1968
February 10, 2024 at 11:00 am
When did Purdy start throwing left-handed?
BirdDogUni
February 10, 2024 at 02:36 pm
Lol... Purdy isn't left handed. Tua is though. Maybe Miami ought to draft Penix?
golfpacker1
February 11, 2024 at 08:35 am
Purdy is not a southpaw.
WD
February 10, 2024 at 01:26 pm
Lets face it we could use help at all the positions, especially on defense. Why not draft a CB who can play safety as well? Walter-football has the Pack taking CB/S Cooper De jean at 25. Kitchens CB/S goes to Eagles at 18. I think we should draft our first 3 picks on defense and pick up a RB and O-line in round 3, Look for diamonds in the rough in rounds 4-7. This assumes we do nothing but twiddle our thumbs in free agency. Try to negotiate with Patrick Queen or Antoine Winfield. Otherwise don't waste your time and money. This looks like a really good draft to me.
golfpacker1
February 12, 2024 at 10:12 am
Queen and Winfield are projected to get over $20 million per year each. Where in the world is GB coming up with that kind of cap room. No, we can do better than that.
How about instead @ LB we chase Josey Jewell-Broncos, Devin White-Bucs, Jordan Brooks-Minn, Willie Gay-Chiefs. They all will be under $7million a year.
Or bring in the biggest bargain of all in Bobby Wagner-Seahawks and his 183 tackles again last year. Projected $5million per year. He is a double whammy with his still great play shutting down the running game and think what Walker and our new draftee could learn from him for 2 years.
Or @ Safety we offer Xavier McKinney-Giants, projected @ $11 million per year, Jordan Whitehead-Jets, projected $7million per year, or Julian Blackmon-Colts @ $7 million.
The Packers have been linked to Jeremy Chinn-Panthers FA Saftey and he could be a steal as he fell out of favor in Carolina. 6'3 220lbs and 4.4 40, he would be an enforcer for us and probably less than what Savage would cost us.
Maybe with the savings we go after a cheap run stuffer, or 2nd tier edge rusher like A J Ebeneza from Buffalo. Three great FAs for the price of Queen alone.
BruceC1960
February 10, 2024 at 06:28 pm
Hard to do a mock draft without knowing what 69 is going to do? If he is back and healthy, I don’t think OL is a high priority early pick. If he’s gone, I think it is?
SicSemperTyrannis
February 10, 2024 at 09:20 pm
1 player does not fill 3 roster spots. If BOTH Bakh and JRJ return, maybe Gutey could get by with only drafting 1 O lineman, but I really don't expect that to happen. I do like the idea of bringing Bakh back at a cap hit of less than $2MM with his only guaranteed salary being what he'd get for an injury settlement anyway, and anything else earned on a play per full game basis. If he does that he helps everybody else in the room, and JRJ is needed less so Gutey needs to draft at least 2 and probably still 3 because how much do you trust Bakh to stay available?
Tundraboy
February 10, 2024 at 10:56 pm
I don't see how Bahktiari can be available. Another surgery, years off?
WD
February 11, 2024 at 09:54 am
Certainly Bahk's health condition is the unknown at this point. If he is good to go and is healthy there is no reason the Packers would not want to keep him. He is still under contract. Moreover if he is healthy and wants to play there is no need to use an early draft pick on OL. We had a solid line last year. But, step one is the current status of Bahk's health. Both in terms of his value to the Packers and/or another team that might be interested in a trade.
golfpacker1
February 13, 2024 at 09:23 am
It's a sad fact that players get older and their bodies wear out. I doubt that David has any regrets and he is rich too. Time to say goodby and GB can use the money they save to sign 3 decent FAs that can turn weaknesses into strengths.
Here are three:
Jeremy Chinn-Safety-Panthers Wow a DB that can tackle-Safety strength now $5mill for 3yrs
A J Epenesa-Edge-Bills a younger verson of Preston Smith projected $6 mill per year for 5 yrs
Bobby Wagner-ILB-Seahawks 183 tackles, Campbell gone & now run defense $5mill 2 years
egbertsouse
February 11, 2024 at 06:54 am
He is never going to play at his old level. He is almost 33 and he has the knee of a 50 year old. I think they know that.
golfpacker1
February 11, 2024 at 10:08 am
Bahktiari is 100% gone. The Packers just haven't said it out loud.
I would say Campbell probably is 90% gone too. After June 1st we can save $10 million.
We can sign Josy Jewell-Broncos for $7million per year projected. Solid and will cause no trouble like Campbell has.
Willie Gay-Chiefs is a FA too. Great athlete and fast. Was a head case in college. Maybe take a chance under $5mi.
Maybe take a cheap flier on Cashman from the Texans, He just had a breakout year. Ran 4.5 @ combine and killed the drills. I wanted GB to pick him in later rounds that year.
I say no to any expensive $20 million a year guys like Queen or Winfield. We have a chance to be decent in 2024, but 2025 is going to be the big expectation year. And our salary cap will be healthier. I saw where GB could be a good spot for Jeremy Chinn-S-Panthers, to sign this year. Tremendous athlete who fell out of favor last year in Carolina. He could solve our Safety problem. 6'3 220lbs run 4.4s. What is not to like.
WD
February 11, 2024 at 02:33 pm
As to Bahk's health we seem to have an abundance of amateur physicians out there rendering their free diagnosis. Luckily Gute doesn't pay any attention to the noise and drivel of the crowd.
golfpacker1
February 12, 2024 at 09:25 am
So I guess because we have only "Read" about 4 knee operations, that we have only "Imagined" David has played 9 games in 3 years, and "Misremembered" that he won't play on artificial turf because it hurts his knee that we must be liars and spout drivel.
I have a great idea. Hey, why don't we sign Bahk to a new 5 year contract for $150 million, all guaranteed. Because it's probably a conspiracy theory that me and a bunch of other Packers fans/drivalists are endorsing that Davids knee is shot and he needs to go.
Get a life and accept reality. David has been a great Packer, but he is used up.
Tundraboy
February 14, 2024 at 09:30 am
Yes he's missed all of the last run with Aaron and a year with Love. Contract was a curse to us, but he earned it. Time to move ahead and stop wasting time and money.