If I Were The GM: 2023 Draft

I hate when people say they would’ve drafted this guy instead of that guy a year or two after the fact. It’s too easy. So I decided to choose along with GM Brian Gutekunst and make my selections right before he made his. Here were my picks:

Round 1 – For weeks, I expected Gutekunst to choose between Van Ness, Jones, and Myles Murphy at No. 15 and then No. 13, so I had no problem with this pick. My preference was Jones for a couple of reasons. He would add another elite talent to an O-line that will almost certainly be losing David Bakhtiari next spring, and I thought he was the best player available.

Round 2a – Before the draft, I opined that Musgrave would be a steal late in the first round, so I obviously thought this was a no-brainer at No. 42. Apparently, so did Gutekunst. Only two things can keep the former Oregon State star from becoming one of the best tight ends in the league within two or three years – injuries and/or ineffective quarterback play.

Round 2b – I wanted to take a wide receiver here, so while I understand Gutekunst going with Reed, the opportunity to add the best interior offensive lineman in the draft was too tempting. Torrence would supplant steady but limited Jon Runyan Jr. at right guard and add much-needed size and athleticism between center Josh Myers and right tackle Yosh Nijman.

Round 3 – I was very high on Kraft prior to the draft but didn’t think Gutekunst would take another tight end on Day 2. Johnson is a raw player who didn’t take snaps at outside linebacker until 2021. The former Oregon showed flashes of brilliance last season and ran sub-4.5 at 260 pounds at the Combine. In time, he could develop into a dynamic pass rusher.

Round 4 – I thought Perry was one of the top handful of bigger wide receivers heading into the draft, so I couldn’t pass him up at this point in the proceedings. People paid to scout thought differently since he wasn’t selected until the sixth round. Gutekunst went with Wooden, which is difficult to argue with, considering how thin the Packers were on the D-line.

Round 5a – I probably watched at least 20 of Clifford’s starts at Penn State and never once imagined him going in the fifth round of the NFL draft. I get that quarterbacks were flying off the board, but there were too many better players available to settle for, at best, a career understudy. One of those better players was Morris, who was productive in big games.

Round 5b – I studied Wicks before the draft and wasn’t impressed. To be fair, I watched tape from last season, and he was much better in 2021. Regardless, I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to select arguably the most physically talented safety in the draft. Johnson is far from a perfect prospect, but he’s exactly the type of player you take late in round 5.

Round 6a – It’s impossible to argue with this pick. Brooks was dominant in the MAC, and even with Wooden going two rounds earlier, the Packers needed another D-lineman. I chose Palmer because he was one of my favorite “under-the-radar” offensive players going into the draft, and there’s no harm in adding another body to the depleted wide receiver room.

Round 6b – Drafting a kicker here wasn’t a big surprise; the surprise was the kicker. Carlson’s field goal percentage in college was only 71%. Gutekunst blamed injuries. We’ll see. I went with Winters, an undersized inside linebacker who always seemed to be around the ball in college. I figure, at worst, he’ll be a really good special teams player at the next level.

Round 7a – I knew Gutekunst had already drafted a quarterback a few rounds earlier, but the thought of Duggan and Clifford battling it out in training camp was intriguing. Besides, I preferred the former TCU star and Heisman Trophy finalist heading into the weekend. Gutekunst made the more predictable choice and finally added a cornerback to his haul.

Round 7b – Ricks was my best available player, so I had no problem taking him three spots after Valentine. The Packers will need a No. 5 cornerback, so why not let the two former SEC rivals duke it out in training camp? While Ricks never lived up to his potential in college, first at LSU and then at Bama, he’s blessed with prototypical size and length for the position.

Round 7c – Gutekunst finally got around to filling arguably the team’s biggest need heading into the draft, but I didn’t see Johnson as any better than some of the young safeties already on the Packers’ roster. Plus, adding a big body in the seventh round always makes sense. Ojoro flashed more than enough times in college to merit being the 242nd player selected.

Round 7d – The more I watched tape of DuBose after the draft, the more I liked this pick. But at the time, Carter was my preference. The former Army standout was considered a potential Day 2 pick heading into 2022, but a disappointing season and a slow 40 sent him careening down draft boards. This choice might’ve been made more with my heart than my head.