Packers seven-round 2023 mock draft: Trading back edition
This Green Bay Packers seven-round 2023 NFL mock draft features defense early, but plenty of skill position help for 2023. Also, a trade back.
The 2023 NFL Draft process is underway.
Scouts are returning to headquarters to compile notes on players from this past fall’s games, and general managers not in the championship games will be turning to the all-star games in the next two weeks, the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl. Both games will feature plenty of senior draft prospects where teams can find a front-row seat.
As all that begins, it’s time to turn to the NFL Draft from a Green Bay Packers perspective. That means one of the most interesting parts of the process returns: mock drafts. It’s a fun process to get fans acquainted with prospects, and to give an idea of what direction teams could go in April. It’s never going to be perfect, but that’s part of the fun of fan-fiction.
The Packers have the 15th overall pick and a plethora of seventh-round selections as of now.
With needs at safety, tight end, and a few holes to fill elsewhere, Green Bay has enough picks to get things rolling again in 2023.
Packers seven-round 2023 NFL mock draft: A trade back
Let’s look at a possible scenario for the Packers in this seven-round 2023 NFL Draft, one that features defense early, offense-heavy in the middle rounds, and finding some potential special-teamers late.
Before we get into the picks, let’s look at the trade here. The Giants might be looking at bringing back both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Still, moving up for a quarterback is possible to raise the ceiling, but this one feels like a move to secure a (or the) top receiver in the draft. This gives the Packers some leverage, and they get the second-round pick from the Giants.
Round 1 (25): Brian Branch, S, Alabama
A move back for the Packers still sets them up well with talent in the top 25, and in this 2023 NFL mock draft, Green Bay lands a player that many analysts believe they’d consider at pick 15.
Brian Branch is the type of defender who would help the Packers on the back end of the defense.
He operated as a slot defender in the STAR position at Alabama, and made the most of every snap there. He’s comfortable in man coverage and spot-dropping in zone, and does well in off coverage reading the quarterback to quickly break on the ball. He can create turnovers and disrupt the catch point, and tackles well in space and near the box.
The biggest question is if he’ll succeed on the roof of a defense, but his knack for recognition and heightened instincts, combined with impressive functional athleticism and sufficient range, should project well to the back end.