OK, so maybe the phrase “first-round receiver” doesn’t inspire as much excitement now that the Green Bay Packers used their first-round pick on a receiver for the first time in more than two decades in April.
Nonetheless, in a seven-round, “win-now” mock draft featuring current NFL stars, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein handed Green Bay’s quarterback – it’s not Jordan Love – a true stud receiver with Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase with the 23rd overall pick.
“Chase isn't far behind Justin Jefferson in terms of ability, and the Packers grab a receiver in the first round in this exercise, just as they did in when selecting Texas' Matthew Golden in the 2025 NFL Draft,” Zierlein wrote.
Chase, who was the second receiver off the board in this mock, has been a machine. The fifth pick of the 2021 draft, Chase has topped 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons. Last year, he won the Receiver Triple Crown by leading the NFL with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. He ranks second in NFL history with 87.5 receiving yards per game.
Once upon a time, the Packers passed over Wisconsin pass rusher T.J. Watt in the first round. They did in this draft, too, with Watt going to the Vikings at No. 24.
In the second round, the Packers drafted a quarterback. (To not steal all of the traffic, here’s that part of the story).
If this mock were reality, the Packers would have a rookie quarterback and a rookie pass rusher. In the third round, the choice was Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. The third pick of this year’s draft by the Giants, Carter had a monster final season with 12 sacks and a nation’s-best 24 tackles for losses in 2024.
In the fourth round, the Packers wound up with a familiar face, safety Xavier McKinney. Signed away from the Giants in free agency last offseason, McKinney was first-team All-Pro in 2024 with eight interceptions.
In the fifth round, Green Bay attacked the secondary again with cornerback Christian Benford. A sixth-round pick in the real draft in 2022, Benford is coming off back-to-back seasons of two interceptions and 10 passes defensed.
“Benford has shown the tools to be a top-notch cover corner with the Bills, and he should be a great fit in Green Bay,” Zierlein wrote.
In the sixth round, the choice was left tackle Bernhard Raimann. A third-round pick in 2022, he’s been on a steady progression with seven sacks and 27 pressures allowed in 2022, four sacks and 34 pressures allowed in 2023 and four sacks and 20 pressures allowed in 2024.
Finally, in the seventh round, with Aaron Jones off the board a handful of picks earlier, the Packers added running back Breece Hall.
A second-round pick in 2022, Hall had 994 rushing yards and 76 receptions in 2023 and 876 rushing yards and 57 receptions in 2024.
Packers players selected were quarterback Jordan Love in the first round, running back Josh Jacobs in the third round, right tackle Zach Tom in the fifth round, defensive end Rashan Gary in the fifth round and tight end Tucker Kraft in the seventh round.
Former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was taken 19th overall by the Buccaneers. Two more former Packers, receiver Davante Adams and cornerback Jaire Alexander, were Day 3 picks.
Using Zierlein’s mock as a guide and selecting only players that were available when Green Bay was on the clock, here’s how I would have done it:
First round: Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson, because all the top quarterbacks (and even some middle-of-the-road quarterbacks) were off the board.
Second round: Bears QB Caleb Williams. We’ll bet on the potential he showed at USC rather than the run-into-sacks disaster that was his rookie season.
Third round: Chiefs C Creed Humphrey. This makes up for the colossal draft blunder in 2021.
Fourth round: Packers S Xavier McKinney. We’ll stick with Zierlein’s pick by getting the ballhawk and leader.
Fifth round: Ravens OT Ronnie Stanley. With this offensive line, any running back would succeed.
Sixth round: Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard. He rushed for 1,195 yards and caught 43 passes last season.
Seventh round: Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper. Cooper wasn’t drafted in this mock; we’ll right that wrong.
