Packers 2019 mock draft: Big trade in the first round
Round 2, Pick 44: Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama
After missing out on the two Iowa tight ends in the first round, the Packers find their long-term answer at tight end by selecting Alabama’s Irv Smith Jr. early on Day 2. Some mock drafts have Smith going late in the first round, but I think there’s a good chance he’ll still be on the board when the Packers pick at No. 44.
Either T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant would be great picks for Green Bay, but Smith isn’t far behind. Head coach Matt LaFleur could use Smith to block or catch passes, and the Alabama tight end finished 2018 with 710 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has Smith as the 28th best player in the draft class. Jeremiah wrote that “he should be a quality starting TE very early in his NFL career”.
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In this mock draft, the Packers make two huge additions on defense by selecting Devin Bush and Brian Burns, and they then address one of their biggest needs on offense by picking Irv Smith Jr. Even after the trade, they’d still have a total of nine picks with six more to go on Days 2 and 3. They’d be able to use those picks to add talent at safety and to the offensive line.