Packers prefer Senior Bowl wide receivers under Brian Gutekunst
The Green Bay Packers have specific size, athleticism and past production metrics they take into account when drafting certain positions, and arguably no position is better defined than wide receiver.
It might be time to add another piece to the pre-draft puzzle at receiver: Senior Bowl participation.
Consider this: the Packers have drafted or signed 10 wide receivers (including all three from the 2023 draft) who participated during the Senior Bowl since 2018, the first year under general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Here’s the list:
Jayden Reed
Dontayvion Wicks
Grant DuBose
Christian Watson
Romeo Doubs
Bo Melton
Amari Rodgers
Travis Fulgham
J’Mon Moore
Allen Lazard
The list includes seven of the team’s 10 draft picks at wide receiver since 2018. The only misses are Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown (early entrant) and Samori Toure.
Senior Bowl standout might be another layer. In just the last two years, Reed, Wicks and Watson were all voted the “receiver of the week” by opposing defensive backs at the Senior Bowl. The Packers took Reed and Watson in the second round, a sweet spot for the team at receiver.
Why might the Senior Bowl matter? For starters, it’s a collection of the most experienced players in the class. They all were in college programs for four years. More importantly, getting a bunch of experienced and talented players together in one spot for practices and a game provides a terrific evaluation opportunity. At receiver, players get a chance to go one-on-one vs. NFL-level cornerback prospects and showcase a variety of routes.
Other past and notable Packers receivers to play in the Senior Bowl include Jordy Nelson, Antonio Freeman, Robert Brooks, Sterling Sharpe and James Lofton.
We could even take this idea into the Ted Thompson era. Nelson was a Senior Bowl pick, and so was Jeff Janis, Ty Montgomery, Geronimo Allison and David Clowney.
Part of what makes the NFL draft so fun is the predictive value (see: mock drafts). Gutekunst and the Packers have a well-defined process that leaves little bread crumbs every so often. The Senior Bowl appears to be another possible one.
