The Green Bay Packers entered the 2023 NFL Draft with a lot of questions to answers and a lot of holes to fill. Fortunately they filled one hole with their first round pick, Lukas Van Ness.

It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the class pans out. There are some good-looking players in there, like Van Ness, Tucker Kraft, and Colby Wooden and then there are some head-scratchers like Sean Clifford and Lew Nichols III.



Regardless, the Packers entered the draft with 11 total draft picks, and ended up with 13 selections by the time it was all said and done. So, let's take a look at the Packers' 2023 draft class.

Green Bay Packers 2023 NFL Draft picks

Round 1, No. 13 overall: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

This was the exact pick projected in A to Z Sports’ final mock draft and it makes absolute sense. The Packers need a quality EDGE3 to fill in behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, but they also need someone who can immediately step in and allow Gary to take his time while recovering a torn ACL.

Van Ness is an absolute athlete and should immediately compete for a starting spot -assuming Gary isn't ready by Week 1- as soon as training camp starts.

Round 2, No. 42 overall: TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State

A lot of people expected Darnell Washington to be the pick, here, but a later report centering around Washington’s knee could’ve scared the Packers -as well as other teams- away.

Musgrave went through his own knee issue, but that's long gone, now. He's one of the more polished tight ends in this class and should be the favorite to win the startin job heading into training camp.

Round 2, No. 50 overall: WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State

Reed is an absolute baller and playmaker. He’s essentially everything the Packers wanted Amari Rodgers to be, except Reed has a much greater chance of living up to expectations.

That's because Reed simply has that "it" factor, despite not being the biggest and most athletically-gifted player on the field. He's tenacious in his route-running and his play speed, as well as his downfield playmaking ability, should have him in line to receive playing time in 2023 and beyond.

Round 3, No. 78 overall: TE Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State

The Packers’ decision to snag two tight ends on Day 2 isn’t very surprising when looking at the current crop of tight ends on the roster. 

It obviously didn't matter that general manager Brian Gutekunst said he liked what the Packers had on the roster – that wasn't the case. Either way, the Packers receive two upgrades in Musgrave and Kraft.

Kraft is going to need some time to develop, but the good news is he'll have that time in Green Bay. If things go as planned, the Packers could have a very solid tight end duo in 2024 and beyond.

Round 4, No. 116 overall: DL Colby Wooden, Auburn

Wooden is a big, versatile player that will be able to play up and down the Packers defensive line and is deemed as “an inside pass-rush threat” by Assistant Director of College Scouting Patrick Moore. When on the outside, he can help set the edge against the run and take up blocks so pass-rushers like Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, and Lukas Van Ness can get more 1-on-1 opportunities.

He needs to add some more weight and strength so he can continue to hold up against the run, but Wooden is a very intriguing prospect that should be able to work his way onto the field in some capacity.

Round 5, No. 149 overall: QB Sean Clifford, Penn State

This one is hard to wrap your head around. With all due respect, Clifford simply isn’t a very good prospect for the NFL level. He struggles with decision-making and ball placement, which are two key traits needed for signal-callers to have success in the pros.

The head-scratching decision is also compounded by the fact that a very talented safety in Antonio Johnson was also available. Sure enough, he was snagged just a few picks later by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It'll be borderline-shocking if Clifford makes any waves this offseason. He seems destined for the practice squad, at best.

Round 5, No. 159 overall: WR Dontayvion Wicks, Virgina

So, the Packers decided to take yet another wideout with a history of dropping the ball. But, just like with the previous selections, the talent is there for Wicks to become a starter in the NFL. Which makes him a potential steal based off his draft position.

He's not going to burn people, but he will beat people at the top of routes and he is good at adjusting to the ball. Round 5 is the worth the gamble because the sky is the limit for Wicks if the Packers can fix the concentration issues.

Round 6, No. 179 overall: DL Karl Brooks, Bowling Green

Brooks is quick, versatile player that should be able to play along the Packers’ defensive line, much like fifth-rounder Colby Wooden. Brooks can man the 3t/4i/5t spots on run downs and then slide more inside on passing downs.

Brooks is definitely a "tweener", but that shouldn't be an issue for the Packers. His versatility, quickness, and athleticism are exactly what the Packers are looking for in their defensive linemen.

The Packers now have a very good rotation on their hands in the form of Brooks, Wooden, Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, and Devonte Wyatt. They could probably stand to add just a little more beef at the nose tackle position, but it won't be a crime if they don't.

Round 6, No. 207 overall: K Anders Carlson, Auburn

The Mason Crosby era is officially over in Green Bay. I’m sure the Packers are hoping they can get another 15 years out of a sixth-round kicker, but obviously, it remains to be seen if Carlson can give that to them.

Carlson's best season came in 2020, when he completed more than 90% of his PAT and field goal attempts. He then tore his ACL the following season after making 35-of-36 PATs and 14-of-21 field goals.

He finished his collegiate career with an OK make rate of 71.4% on field goal attempts and 98.3% on PATs. He notoriously struggled from 40+ yards out, so it'll be interesting to see if he can overcome that demon in the pros. He'll have to if he wants to beat out Parker White in camp.

Round 7, No. 232 overall: CB Carrington Valentine, Kentucky

Valentine is long and athletic, but his ball production is very underwhelming coming out of college (just one career interception).

The Packers cornerback room is very, very crowded. Valentine is really going to have to step it up when it comes to improving his instincts and technique. He's still relatively new to playing corner, so there's room for improvement – it's just up to Valentine to get there.

Round 7, No. 235 overall: RB Lew Nichols III, Central Michigan

This is an interesting pick. The Packers obviously have two stud running backs in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon that do most of the heavy-lifting. A third running back is only needed in case of injury or the occassional water break/breather.

It was also a tightly-contested battle for the RB3 job last year between Patrick Taylor and Tyler Goodson. Nichols has some work to do if he wants to make the roster, but his workhorse mentality could get him there.

Round 7, No. 242 overall: S Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State

The Packers waited all the way until their penultimate pick of the draft to take a safety, which is pretty surprising. 

The team must have a lot of faith in Rudy Ford or, there could be an Adrian Amos reunion waiting in the wings. Regardless, Johnson Jr. is a very intriguing player. He has both size and speed and he works well in both man and zone coverages. 

He also has versatility, evidenced by the fact he played free safety and nickel in college. Johnson Jr. might just make some noise in 2023.

Round 7, No. 256 overall: WR Grant DuBose, Charlotte

And with their last pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Packers take another receiver.

DuBose is a good jump-ball receiver and he knows how to find the soft spots in zone coverage, but overall, there's a lot of work that needs to be done to his game.

He has a basic route tree and his play speed just isn't where it needs to be. Overall, he's going to be a project in a pretty crowded WR room.

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• Round 1, Pick 13: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
• Round 2, Pick 42: TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
• Round 2, Pick 50: WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State
• Round 3, Pick 78: TE Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
• Round 4, Pick 116: DL Colby Wooden, Auburn
• Round 5, Pick 149: QB Sean Clifford, Penn State
• Round 5, Pick 159: WR Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia
• Round 5, Pick 179: DL Karl Brooks, Bowling Green
• Round 6, Pick 207: K Anders Carlson, Auburn
• Round 7, Pick 232: CB Carrington Valentine, Kentucky
• Round 7, Pick 235: RB Lew Nichols III, Central Michigan
• Round 7, Pick 242: S Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State
• Round 7, Pick 256: WR Grant DuBose, Charlotte

The Packers beefed up the pass rush and defensive line, added some tight ends, and brought in a potential replacement for Mason Crosby. In all, it was a sensible draft with a few odd decisions. But in the end, the Packers should come away with some effective players that provide quality snaps throughout their respective careers.



The Van Ness pick, the Kraft pick, and the Brooks pick are the three picks to get most excited about. Those players have a ton of potential and should end up carving out starting roles in the coming years.



Don't underestimate Johnson Jr., either. He could very well surprise everyone, at the end of the day.