It is finally draft week! The 2023 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night in Kansas City, and the Green Bay Packers currently have one pick in the first round. The Aaron Rodgers trade still has not been finalized. With a second-round pick likely being included in the trade package, could we see Rodgers getting traded on Friday? In our Packers mock draft below, we will project the Rodgers trade.
In our final Green Bay Packers mock draft, we will also project other draft day trades for the Packers. While it can be fun to pretend it’s Madden Franchise mode, we will keep these trades realistic.
If you missed my NFL Draft coverage on FlurrySports last year, I’ll get you up to speed. I have experience as a scout and actually know how to break down film and apply the knowledge, unlike many draft “experts.” The result was an incredibly accurate player analysis that was more than justified by the rookie seasons we saw. My expertise is in offensive line play. If you have any OL questions, ask me on Twitter and I will geek out about the trenches as much as you want.
Without further ado, let’s jump into our seven-round Green Bay Packers mock draft. I used the PFF NFL Mock Draft Simulator. While PFF is the furthest thing from accurate, we can get a very rough estimate about what types of players will be available at the given draft picks.
**Obviously, this article was written and published prior to the Aaron Rodgers trade.
Projected Aaron Rodgers Trade | Aaron Rodgers News
With it being draft week, the trade talks between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets started back up. The Packers know they have to make a trade before or during the draft. Green Bay has made zero effort to improve the team via free agency, so failing to gain draft assets to put Jordan Love in a semi-okay position to succeed would be the absolute worst way to handle this situation.
With this in mind, we still believe the 42nd pick will be the best draft pick the Packers get for this season. Green Bay wants a first next season. I am projecting the Jets give the Packers a conditional pick that can turn into a first. The Jets agree to this because Green Bay agrees to take on the Corey Davis contract for 2023.
Jets Get: Aaron Rodgers, the best QB to ever play the game of football
Packers Get: 2023 Round 2 Pick (No. 42), 2023 Round 4 Pick (No. 112), 2024 Conditional Pick (Rounds 1-2), WR Corey Davis
Green Bay Packers Draft Picks 2023
| ROUND | OVERALL |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 45 |
| 3 | 78 |
| 4 | 116 |
| 5 | 149 |
| 5 | 170 |
| 7 | 232 |
| 7 | 235 |
| 7 | 242 |
| 7 | 256 |
This is a list of the Green Bay Packers draft picks for the 2023 NFL Draft. We will also gain more Packers draft picks from the Aaron Rodgers trade.
Green Bay Packers Mock Draft
PACKERS TRADE
Packers Get: Round 1 (No. 21), Round 2 (No. 54), Round 4 (No. 125)
Chargers Get: Round 1 (No. 15), Round 5 (No. 149)
Round 1, Pick 21 — Lukas Van Ness, EDGE/DL, Iowa
Drafting 15th is an odd spot. If the Packers stay and let the draft come to them, they will likely miss out on top targets. If this happens, Green Bay could opt to move backward, acquire more picks, and still end up with the top player on their board.
Lukas Van Ness is listed as an EDGE by most analysts and sites, but he is much more than that. While Van Ness can line up as an edge rusher and thrive, especially early in the season when Rashan Gary could still be out, the Hawkeye thrived as a 3 Technique as well. With Dean Lowry gone, the Packers don’t lose an incredible talent, but they lose a player that served a large role for the team.
Lukas Van Ness will be a massive upgrade on the defensive front, serving multiple roles.
Round 2, Pick 42 — Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
Van Ness needed a bus buddy, so he will be joined in Green Bay by fellow Hawkeye Sam LaPorta. Sam LaPorta looks to be the next Hawkeye to take the NFL by storm.
In college, he was the top receiving weapon for his team, running great routes as both an in-line tight end and out of the slot. He possesses great speed and quickness, forcing 20 missed tackles on 58 receptions last season. LaPorta is going to be a problem for defenses up the seem and, well, pretty much anywhere, and he is capable of doing a ton of damage after the catch, which is good for Jordan Love’s skill set.
Additionally, he is a tight end from Iowa, so he is willing to throw his head around and block guys.
Round 2, Pick 45 — Steve Avila, IOL, TCU
The next pick in our Green Bay Packers mock draft is one that makes too much sense. The Packers value versatility over everything else on the offensive line. Yes, even over actual talent. But while Steve Avila is the most versatile interior offensive lineman in the draft, he’s also really damn good.
While Avila is an anchor on the offensive line, he also has tremendous get-off. He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s a killer. Avila has some things that can easily be cleaned up with good coaching, like angles and a couple of footwork details. One knock people are giving him is small hands, but that mostly comes from inadequate people.
Round 2, Pick 54 — Tank Dell, WR, Houston
The Packers use one of their acquired second-round picks to select Nathaniel Dell (Tank Dell). He is a second-round talent who is an incredibly quick, versatile weapon that would make any offense better. Tank Dell would give the Packers a wide receiver that can beat man coverage. His quickness out of the slot will be impossible for NFC North defenses to cover, as they currently stand.
The worry about Dell is his size. It is the reason he could fall to the Packers. Listed at 5’8″ and 165 pounds, there is certainly reason for concern.
Round 3, Pick 78 — Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
Being a defensive back under Nick Saban makes it pretty easy to be a smart football player, but Jordan Battle takes it to another level. Battle has a high football IQ, flies to the ball and is rarely out of position. He is one of the more pro-ready safeties in the NFL Draft and should immediately start, and play well, for whatever team drafts him. It would be nice if that team was Green Bay.
Round 4, Pick 112 —Moro Ojomo, DL, Texas
Moro Ojomo has the build and skills to be a 3-4 defensive end. He is one of the best run-stoppers on the defensive line in this draft, showing damn near perfect technique. The Packers need to learn how to stop the run first in order to have any kind of defensive consistency, and picking Ojomo could go a long way in helping this. He will be a Day 1 early-down player for the Packers.
Round 4, Pick 116 —Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State
In the second tight end pick of our Packers mock draft, Green Bay selects Brenton Strange. The PFF Mock Draft Simulator helped us out by having Strange slide a bit.
The Penn State tight end is more of an in-line tight end that is more than willing to throw his head around and block. He also has the athleticism to get up the field as well, so defenders will have to respect them if they don’t want Strange to be left alone for a big gain. Strange also looked great picking up yards after the catch.
He will be more of a blocker early on, as he could struggle with separation and completing plays. However, being the second tight end drafted for the Packers here, that works out perfectly.
Round 4, Pick 125 — K.J. Henry, EDGE, Clemson
With Rashan Gary likely still rehabbing to begin the season, the Packers essentially only have Preston Smith and Kingsley Enagbare as edge rushers. Van Ness is a nice addition in the first round, but Green Bay needs more depth. Getting a Clemson defensive lineman in the mid-rounds is always a good idea, and K.J. Henry is a solid player.
Henry really turned it on this past season, totaling 34 hurries and five sacks. He is really athletic, reads QB’s eyes well, shows great pursuit and is smooth on the edge. Henry is more of a face-up rusher currently, but NFL coaching will help him with his hands and moves on the edge.
PACKERS TRADE
Packers Get: Round 5 (No. 147)
Titans Get: Round 5 (No. 170), Round 7 (No. 235)
Round 5, Pick 147 — Anthony Johnson Jr., CB/S, Iowa State
Anthony Johnson Jr. switched from cornerback to safety for the Cyclones last year, and he performed really well with the position change. He spent half of his snaps in the slot and the other half as a box safety. For Green Bay, it would be great if he could immediately start at slot for the Packers defense.
Of course, this would likely require the Packers to check their ego and admit Eric Stokes isn’t the cornerback they hoped he would develop into. A CB trio of Alexander, Douglas and Johnson would be great, and Stokes as a CB4 also puts expectations where they should be.
Round 7, Pick 232 — Connor Galvin, OT, Baylor
Connor Galvin is an NFL Draft prospect that has gotten a lot of criticism. While some is deserved, it’s pretty obvious most of the “analysts” you hear from don’t understand what they are watching.
Galvin is a long, athletic offensive tackle that can develop into a solid swing tackle. He played a lot of good football for the Baylor Bears, and his best games last season came against Oklahoma, Kansas State, TCU and Texas, which is exactly what you’re looking for in a Big 12 prospect.
His run game is more developed than pass protection, but his deficiencies are all things that can be corrected with good coaching. Galvin’s hands and feet will be coached up, and he could develop into a great backup for the Packers, or possibly even a starter since we have seen plenty of backup tackles get extended run in Green Bay recently.
Round 7, Pick 242 — Hunter Luepke, FB, North Dakota State
You need some players on your team willing to do the dirty work and out-work is peers. That’s Hunter Luepke. From Spencer, Wisconsin, Luepke had a solid career as a versatile player in the NDSU backfield. He can run, catch and will hit people. The Packers could use him in a similar role to what Josiah Deguara has done for Green Bay, except also carry the ball a little.
Luepke also has a lot of special teams experience and would thrive in this area, making him a great seventh-round pick in this Packers mock draft.
Round 7, Pick 256 — Jake Moody, K, Michigan
The Packers should not bring back Mason Crosby. In order to stay cheap at the position, Green Bay should draft a kicker, and Jake Moody looks to be the best in the 2023 NFL Draft. He won the Lou Groza Award (best kicker) in 2021 and was a finalist last season as well.
Moody made a 59-yard field goal against TCU in the College Football Playoff, but people say he doesn’t have a “booming leg.” He also has kickoff experience, which is needed for the Packers’ kicker replacement.
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