Matt LaFleur may have just tipped off who the Green Bay Packers are targeting with their first draft pick
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur may have tipped off the player the Packers are targeting in the 2022 NFL Draft on Tuesday morning. LaFleur, who was speaking at the NFL owners meeting in Florida, admitted on Tuesday morning that Green Bay needs to add some speed to their wide receiver room after losing Marquez […]
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur may have tipped off the player the Packers are targeting in the 2022 NFL Draft on Tuesday morning.
LaFleur, who was speaking at the NFL owners meeting in Florida, admitted on Tuesday morning that Green Bay needs to add some speed to their wide receiver room after losing Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Kansas City Chiefs.
"We need a legit guy that can take the top off the coverage," said LaFleur.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said this week that Green Bay could still add some free agents, but only if it makes sense.
"I think we have some flexibility that if the right player was there, we could acquire him," said Gutekunst at the NFL owners meets.
Adding via the draft, however, is the more likely scenario for the Packers.
When you combine LaFleur's comment with general manager Brian Gutekunst's comments this week about free agency, it certainly seems to point toward Green Bay drafting a specific player with the No. 22 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave.
Olave is a speedy wide receiver (he ran an official 4.39 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine) and he might be the best route runner in the NFL.
Here's the scouting report on Olave via The Athletic's Dane Brugler:
The most pro-ready receiving prospect in this class, Chris Olavemight be the ideal fit at pick No. 22 (if he makes it there). He is skilled at tracking and adjusting to the football, especially when he has the defender in a trail position. He needs minimal gear-down to snap out of his breaks, and his linear route angles won’t drift. Ohio State has produced a fair share of productive NFL wide receivers, but none of them had more receiving touchdowns than Olave in college.
Olave has been going in the latter half of the first round of mock drafts, so it's definitely reaosmable to think he could fall to the Packers at No. 22.
Green Bay could also potentially move up to select Olave, since they have multiple first-round picks this year.
Olave has Pro-Bowl upside and he fits exactly what LaFleur wants in a wide receiver. He could be the type of wide receiver that convinces quarterback Aaron Rodgers to stick around in Green Bay for a few more seasons.
Featured image via Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
