The Green Bay Packers were originally supposed to pick at No. 53 and 59 in the second round of the 2022 draft. It didn’t take long for that to change on Friday evening — and now fans can shut up about drafting a wide receiver.
The draft started at 6 p.m. Central. Since it was pick No. 33, I decided to take the dog and family for a walk around the block, assuming I was safe. The kids went from wanting to walk to making us take them in strollers, so that added time. I was also dragging a Corgi mutt around the block.
As I opened the door and took off my shoes, my phone started to blow up. I ran into the living room, almost tripping over the dumb dog. That is when I saw it. The Packers were on the clock. And after an unsexy but solid first round of defensive picks, it had to mean they were going offense.
Packers Get Their WR
Green Bay moved up almost 20 spots and got the 34th pick. In return, the Packers sent both of their second-round picks to the Minnesota Vikings. After helping the Detroit Lions in the first round, Minnesota started the next day doing the same thing. Baffling.
When I saw Christian Watson from NDSU pop up, the first thing I thought was, “What about George Pickens?” Turns out, there was some locker room drama with Pickens at Georgia and possible character issues that made him drop. And after drafting two defensive players from Georgia, if Pickens isn’t friends with them, that’s a potential disaster waiting to happen.
At a glance, Watson is a great pick. At worst, he is Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s replacement. Technically, he had a 12% drop rate in college, but it’s not as bad as you think when you break that down.
At best, he’s the new Deebo Samuel. The dude is a perfect fit for this offense and a brand-new weapon for head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense. He can also return kicks on special teams.
As disappointing as it was the Packers didn’t pick a top receiver in the first round, Watson is now in good company. Other wideouts drafted by Green Bay in the second round have been players like Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb. I have a feeling this will be a great pick. Sure, Aaron Rodgers and the team would have loved Treylon Burks, but Watson might surprise a lot of people. Hopefully, teams are looking back and shaking their heads that they didn’t draft him earlier.
Third-Round Pick Adds Depth
Well, one sexy pick out of four ain’t bad. With the 92nd-overall pick, the Packers selected Sean Rhyan out of UCLA. He is an offensive tackle who filled another position of need. With plenty of picks left, the Packers should be able to add another receiver, a tight end, a few offensive linemen, and for goodness sake, a kick returner. Watson might fill that spot, but another wouldn’t hurt.
As a starter for three years, Ryan only allowed two sacks during his career. Two. The 6’5”, 321 lbs. OT is projected to be a guard but could also move over to tackle if needed. So basically, the perfect Packers pick. He’s a former rugby player and was first-team All-Pac 12 in 2021. It’s hard not to like him already.
The downside is that people are worried about him having shorter arms. I mean, I guess that could be an issue? He also has massive hands. When you hear stuff like that, you know they are just trying to find anything to use as a con in the analysis. The second- and third-round picks could end up being the reason the Packers win the Super Bowl next year.
They drafted players they needed. It’s obvious the front office has a plan, and with plenty of picks to go, there is more than enough time to add depth and still possibly trade for another wide receiver or draft a few. Anyone complaining about the Green Bay picks on Day 2 should not be trusted.
