Cwood is a nerd and so are all the Packer Favorite Prospects: 2023 Draft Discussion Thread

[VonKarman]

25 minutes ago, Packerraymond said:

Now that I can actually post again, here's mine:

1. Peter Skoronski: In December I said if we went all in for one last year with Aaron, Skoronski helps us most. Bakh-Jenkins-Myers-Skoronski-Nijman is elite, the best past blocking OL in the NFL for sure. Tom first off the bench with JRJ and Newman still around for depth is crazy good.

2. JSN: Trusty slot receiver, should be open a ton with the threat of Watson on the outside.

3. Darnell Washington: Makes us potentially dynamic in 11 personnel. I've said all along Washington should be far and away TE1 on our board. Let's us tempo a defense while having a guy who could be looked at as TE1 and OL6 on the field at the same time. If we take TE in round 1, it should be Washington.

4. Zay Flowers: Wont happen, but Flowers, Watson, Doubs is a dynamic start to a WR group.

5. Dalton Kincaid: Don't love him at 15, but no question he helps the seam passing game.

If we get Skoronski I'd think moving Tom to C (or Jenkins for that matter) and put Myers on the bench. Or at least give him a real chance at that spot.

[TheEagle]

4 hours ago, incognito_man said:

Rank your top 5 players in this draft that would help Love the most in 2022. And why.

1. Peter Skoronski - The OL are better prospects than WRs and TEs. Long term need.

2. Paris Johnson - The OL are better prospects than WRs and TEs. Long term need.

3. JSN - Good fit between Watson and Doubs--even though I don't think he's a top 15 player in a normal draft.

4. Dalton Kincaid - I like him slightly more than Mayer. Probably not worth #15 though. Trade back.

5. Bijan Robinson - special player

I suspect there will be many defensive players that are higher on GB's board than most of these guys though.

Edited April 19, 2023 by TheEagle

[Kampfgeist]

1 hour ago, Leader said:

Could HOU be talking to SF?

 

Just wondering when the last draft was that wasn't hyped as the craziest draft we've ever seen?   Think that claim is made literally every year.      I hear "We've made every mock combination possible for the 1st round and have beaten the top 10 into submission ...and so we really, really need you to keep tuning in.......... Cuz this thing is going to get crazy!........Please keep tuning in......please?"

[packfanfb]

4 hours ago, incognito_man said:

Exercise for y'all...

Rank your top 5 players in this draft that would help Love the most in 2022. And why.

My list:

(1) Michael Mayer. He would be a day 1 starter at our weakest position.

(2) JSN. He would be a day 1 contributor at slot. He's behind Mayer for me due to current roster depth. I think our staff is REALLY high on the Watson/Doubs duo, but JSN would step in immediately on slot snaps.

(3) Darnell Washington. Same reasoning as Mayer, but Washington won't offer the same receiving threat immediately as Mayer. I think Washington has some real ability here, but he's not as polished. But he's a day 1 starter/contributor at TE.

(4) Zay Flowers. I think long-term he's the second best value on this list behind only Wright below. He'd step in at slot immediately and add more juice to this offense. I think he's a tick behind JSN on day 1, however.

(5) Darnell Wright + Yosh Nijman trade. Wright is the best long-term value in this group, but I think the other 3 offer more of a day 1 improvement over their replacements. But I think the added value of trading Nijman boosts the value Wright would add by locking down the RT spot.

The top 2 on your list are in their own tier IMO in terms of "helping Love." Mayer and JSN are plug and play players at their respective positions and both are ahead of the typical rookie curve in terms of understanding route running and other aspects of the NFL game. 

I'm not nearly as high on Washington, especially as a receiving option. 

I'd probably put a few of the OL after JSN/Mayer (Paris, Skoronski and Wright, with Jones as a distant 4th).

[incognito_man]

3 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

The top 2 on your list are in their own tier IMO in terms of "helping Love." Mayer and JSN are plug and play players at their respective positions and both are ahead of the typical rookie curve in terms of understanding route running and other aspects of the NFL game. 

I'm not nearly as high on Washington, especially as a receiving option. 

I'd probably put a few of the OL after JSN/Mayer (Paris, Skoronski and Wright, with Jones as a distant 4th).

TE >>> OL for 2023 though. The improvement of any rookie OL over any of our vets is much smaller than the improvement of Mayer or Washington over Tyler Davis.

[packfanfb]

6 minutes ago, incognito_man said:

TE >>> OL for 2023 though. The improvement of any rookie OL over any of our vets is much smaller than the improvement of Mayer or Washington over Tyler Davis.

Which is why I fully agree on Mayer. But frankly, I'd probably put Kincaid and LaPorta ahead of Washington if we're talking about TEs helping Love. I'm not as high on Wash, especially in the short term, as a receiving option. 

[incognito_man]

1 minute ago, packfanfb said:

Which is why I fully agree on Mayer. But frankly, I'd probably put Kincaid and LaPorta ahead of Washington if we're talking about TEs helping Love. I'm not as high on Wash, especially in the short term, as a receiving option. 

Kincaid isn't even close to ready to take significant NFL snaps. LaPorta probably is, but he's well behind Washington and Mayer for me

[packfanfb]

1 minute ago, incognito_man said:

Kincaid isn't even close to ready to take significant NFL snaps. LaPorta probably is, but he's well behind Washington and Mayer for me

I know a lot of people might disagree with me, but I basically view Washington as Marcedes Lewis (the current version) as a pass catcher right now, just for different reasons (one is super old and one is super raw). Production wise, I don't see a whole lot of difference for 2023. That isn't to say Washington couldn't eventually get there, but if you're trying to give Love a pass catching TE, Washington probably isn't in my top 5-6 guys. He just moves up that list because he's big and can block. 

[ThatJerkDave]

1 hour ago, DWhitehurst said:

?? Is it beyond ludicrous to wonder if Gutekunst prioritizes offense in this draft to give Love as much of a conducive situation for success as he can, even though it means that the defense will be a sieve, give up alot of points, and lose alot of games??? I mean, they are at the start of a rebuild, which can take 2-3 good drafts minimum. I think 2023 is a losing season. There are 2 great QB prospects in the 2024 draft. So say they go 4-13 this coming season and end up picking #2 in the 2024 Draft. If Love showed enough promise during this trial season, then you trade down from #2 and collect ALOT of draft collateral for your rebuild. If Love does not pan out, then you're in a position to take one of those top QB prospects without having to give up valuable draft picks to move up. 

It may be ludicrous or it may be logical why Gute might go all in on offense in this draft at the expense of the defense. But I do wonder...

I think in our position, you still just take the guy that makes the team better long term.  I don't think it is too difficult to see if the QB is struggling, what the issue is.  We should have one of the better offensive lines, again, this season.  We know what we have with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.  Watson, Doubs, and I would argue even Toure, have shown what they can do with at the very least competent QB play.  Now, the best long term answer very well could be an offensive weapon, I am not selling that short.  But I do think that if we were to draft:  TE, TE, WR; with our first three picks, we are probably not taking the best value for the team regardless of whether or not it fills a need.  

[squire12]

1 hour ago, PackFan13 said:

2 hours ago, squire12 said:

Kincaid comes off to me as someone that is smallish on the field.  looks small, plays small.  I know he is listed height and weighed in pretty similar to some other TE, but that is my feel/look on him.  mice for round 2-3, but i'd have a hard time using round 1 pick on him

Completely disagree. The guy is violent fighting for yards. I get blocking isn't his specialty but he's serviceable to say the least.

It is more of how I see him relative to others on the field.  Kincaid just seems smaller/ish than other players at the position.  It's not about his blocking.  I just don't see a physical/physically imposing player that is worthy of a top 20-25 pick.  

If we are talking 40's or 50's, I am on board

[ThatJerkDave]

5 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

I know a lot of people might disagree with me, but I basically view Washington as Marcedes Lewis (the current version) as a pass catcher right now, just for different reasons (one is super old and one is super raw). Production wise, I don't see a whole lot of difference for 2023. That isn't to say Washington couldn't eventually get there, but if you're trying to give Love a pass catching TE, Washington probably isn't in my top 5-6 guys. He just moves up that list because he's big and can block. 

I also look at Washington as a Lewis type.  But his better blocking helps the run game.  A better run game gets more attention from the defense.  More attention to the run makes passing the ball easier for Love.  

[HighCalebR]

Washington has athleticism that Marcedes never did. No reason to think Darnell can't pick up 300-500 yards ~5 TDs from just being ready to see the field and slip/short routes.

[packfanfb]

5 minutes ago, ThatJerkDave said:

I also look at Washington as a Lewis type.  But his better blocking helps the run game.  A better run game gets more attention from the defense.  More attention to the run makes passing the ball easier for Love.  

I agree, but I'm not dumping a premium pick for a blocker. I can get Schoonmaker in the 3rd-4th or Parham in the 4th-6th and get a good blocker. 

If GB wants to spend a high pick on a "complete" TE, IMO, that guy is Mayer, not Washington. Both are good blockers but Mayer is lightyears ahead of Washington as a receiver. That being said, Washington is a freak athlete so Gute will probably favor him anyways lol. 

[HighCalebR]

5 minutes ago, packfanfb said:

I agree, but I'm not dumping a premium pick for a blocker. I can get Schoonmaker in the 3rd-4th or Parham in the 4th-6th and get a good blocker. 

If GB wants to spend a high pick on a "complete" TE, IMO, that guy is Mayer, not Washington. Both are good blockers but Mayer is lightyears ahead of Washington as a receiver. That being said, Washington is a freak athlete so Gute will probably favor him anyways lol. 

Whats the target, realistically, for a high end for kincaid 700 yards year 1? 

Its not like we're having our TEs doing complicated ****. Block, leak, find a soft spot in the zone. Washington can run a seam route just fine to clear a zone.

[ThatJerkDave]

9 minutes ago, HighCalebR said:

Washington has athleticism that Marcedes never did. No reason to think Darnell can't pick up 300-500 yards ~5 TDs from just being ready to see the field and slip/short routes.

I don't know about that.  Marcedes was always slower than Washington just ran, but he also did 2 more bench reps, and had a vertical 6" higher.  Marcedes was a very good athlete.  It is a lot closer than you think.