The Green Bay Packers will launch into the Jordan Love era with the help of what appears to be a stacked 2023 NFL Draft class on the surface. Here, we overview that class in detail.
Want to see how the Packers graded out during the 2023 NFL Draft? Come check out our full Green Bay Packers draft grades. You can also see the entire 2023 NFL Draft results.
Green Bay Packers Draft Picks by Round in 2023
- Round 1 | Pick 13 (from NYJ)
Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa - Round 2 | Pick 42 (from NYJ)
Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State - Round 2 | Pick 50 (from TB)
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State - Round 3 | Pick 78
Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State - Round 4 | Pick 116
Colby Wooden, EDGE | Auburn - Round 5 | Pick 149
Sean Clifford, QB, Penn State - Round 5 | Pick 159 (from DET, via JAX and ATL)
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia - Round 6 | Pick 179 (from HOU, via TB)
Karl Brooks, DT, Bowling Green - Round 6 | Pick 207 (from NYJ)
Anders Carlson, K, Auburn - Round 7 | Pick 232
Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky - Round 7 | Pick 235 (from DET via LAR)
Lew Nichols III, RB, Central Michigan - Round 7 | Pick 242 (from JAX)
Anthony Johnson Jr., S, Iowa State - Round 7 | Pick 256*
Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte
*Compensatory selection
How Many Draft Picks Did the Packers Have in the 2023 NFL Draft?
The Packers started the 2023 NFL Draft with 11 selections and ended it with 13. They received an impressive three picks in 2023 (picks 13, 42, and 207) in a trade with the New York Jets in exchange for QB Aaron Rodgers. In addition to those trade assets, the Packers had two picks in Rounds 5 and 6 each to pair with four seventh-round selections.
Green Bay, in recent history, has been one of the league’s most consistent organizations when it comes to acquiring and keeping capital. They’ve had at least seven selections in each draft since 2004. That steady stream of capital has enabled the Packers to sustain growth and development in-house, which in turn has allowed them to remain competitive in the NFC North across league eras.
On paper, at the very least, the Packers did what they needed to do to carry over that long-term success in the 2023 NFL Draft. They made use of their early-round capital, adding a rare defensive talent in Lukas Van Ness. On the offensive side of the ball, they built a formidable young TE tandem with Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. Then they added the perfect complement to Christian Watson with Jayden Reed — a natural separator, playmaker, and vertical threat.
On Day 3, the Packers had nine selections, and they made the most of them. There were a couple questionable decisions. Round 5 may have been a bit rich for Sean Clifford. And Green Bay’s kicker selection — Anders Carlson — wasn’t as efficient or as accurate as desired in college. Aside from those two picks, however, the Packers excelled on Day 3.
Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks both have appealing alignment versatility as rotational defenders early on. Dontayvion Wicks and Grant DuBose are both long, wiry receivers with short-area athleticism and plus catching instincts.
Anthony Johnson Jr. is an experienced DB with positional flexibility all across the defensive backfield, and Carrington Valentine has eventual starting potential with his high-energy traits and physical edge.
The Packers needed a strong 2023 NFL Draft class to springboard into the Jordan Love era and give the young QB a jolt of momentum. Time will tell if this class reaches its composite ceiling and helps bridge the gap for Green Bay, but based on pre-draft evaluations, the Packers did exceptionally well on all three days.