Packers give Jordan Love a new weapon with first pick on Day 2 of NFL Draft
Everyone and their mom knew the Green Bay Packers were going to draft a tight end on Day 2 of the NFL Draft and most suspected it would be in the second round. Not many suspected it to be the former Oregon State Beaver, Luke Musgrave, however.That's no slight to Musgrave – he's a good […]
Everyone and their mom knew the Green Bay Packers were going to draft a tight end on Day 2 of the NFL Draft and most suspected it would be in the second round.
Not many suspected it to be the former Oregon State Beaver, Luke Musgrave, however.
That's no slight to Musgrave – he's a good player. In fact, he's a very good player. But at the end of the day, he's a safer player with a lower ceiling than Darnell Washington, whom many thought was a future Packer and still on the board when the Packers took Musgrave at No. 42.
Musgrave is a good pick, but Washington would've been a better pick
The difference between the two, and the likely reason Musgrave was drafted first, is Washington needs a little more time to refine his craft compared to Musgrave. The latter will come in and shouldn't have much chance of growing pains/experiencing a learning curve, whereas Washington has a further road to travel to get to NFL greatness.
But at the same time, Washington isn't that far off. And, he has elite traits that will not only help him reach his ceiling, but they could also help him become one of the best tight ends we've ever seen.
Washington's presence as basically a sixth offensive lineman is also a major factor in his on-field play. The dude is unlike any other when it comes to moving defenders off the line of scrimmage and there's little doubt it won't translate to the NFL level.
I know, "ifs and buts and yadda yadda". The Musgrave selection is a good one. It's just that picking Washington would've been a better one. And in a game of inches, that degree of separation matters way more than one may think.
