The immediate assessment of a draft class is often based on what can be assumed is instant impact potential.
The Packers’ 2021 draft does not suffer from this problem.
– In the first round, the Packers added an elite athlete with two years of high-level play in the receiver-rich SEC.
– In the second round, the Packers took a center from a program with a rich history of producing NFL centers and provided a potential Day 1 replacement for the team’s biggest loss in free agency, All-Pro Corey Linsley.
– In the third round, the Packers traded up to get a slot/gadget weapon that both fits the Matt LaFleur offense nicely and adds a threat on special teams. Amari Rodgers is exactly the type of player the Packers offense has been missing over LaFleur’s two seasons.
Getting a potential future starter at right tackle and slot cornerback on in the middle rounds could really make this a nice class.
– Many analysts saw offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver as the three deepest positions in the draft class.
– There was hardly a surprising pick in the bunch.
The fourth-round pick was a steep price to pay, but it’s also not if the Packers thought they were getting a top-60 player at 85.
But also consider Newman-Rick Wagner, Cole Van Lanen-Lane Taylor, Isaiah McDuffie-Christian Kirksey and Kylin Hill-Jamaal Williams. This class did a nice job of filling in the cracks leftover from free agency.