Packers land star wide receiver in first round of CBS Sports mock draft

No matter who is at quarterback, the Green Bay Packers need to add another wide receiver this offseason.

Maybe that means finally drafting a receiver in the first round.

Now would be a good time to do it, especially if they plan to run it back with Aaron Rodgers.

A wide receiver corps featuring Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs is a great start, but the Packers need to keep adding talent, especially if they lose Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb in free agency.

Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports agrees in his latest 2023 mock draft. Fornelli has the Packers selecting talented Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 15th overall pick.

“Smith-Njigba was the best receiver on an Ohio State offense that included Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in 2021,” wrote Fornelli.

Hard to argue with that.

And Smith-Njigba could be the perfect complement to Christian Watson in the passing game.

Watson has great speed and athleticism. He can make plays deep downfield and stretch defenses vertically.

Smith-Njigba could be a go-to target in the slot, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he led the Packers in receptions.

He only played in three games due to injury last season, but Smith-Njigba dominated in 2021, catching 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns.

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com has Smith-Njigba top of his wide receiver rankings, writing that he can become a “big-play specialist from the slot.”

That’s exactly what the Packers need.

Will the Packers draft a wide receiver in the first round? Recent history suggests probably not. They will more than likely focus on defense for the 4,000th season in a row.

But if they do mix things up and draft a receiver in the first round, Smith-Njigba would be a great choice. Along with Watson and Doubs, the Packers would have an excellent wide receiver corps for the future.