Brian Gutekunst is no stranger to draft-day surprises, and drafting a wide receiver at No. 52 would certainly be another.
But perhaps it shouldn't be. After all, we know how much the Green Bay Packers like to plan for a year in advance, and as things stand, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams are the only receivers under contract beyond this season. Wide receiver is quietly a need.
The Packers lost Romeo Doubs in free agency and traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles. Even if we assume they will extend Christian Watson, the Packers will likely add to their wide receiver room in this week's draft. At No. 52? It would be a stunning decision, but one that shouldn't be ruled out.
Packers land wide receiver Chris Brazzell II at No. 52 in four-round mock draft
Round 1: Traded to the Cowboys
Barring another trade, the Packers won't pick in the first round. Their selection, which is No. 20 overall, belongs to the Dallas Cowboys as part of the Micah Parsons trade.
Round 2 (52): Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee
History shows we should pay attention to the Packers' pre-draft visits, as a surprisingly high percentage of them end up on the roster. Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II was among the visitors to Green Bay this spring.
The Packers may have more pressing needs on defense, but Brazzell would undoubtedly improve Matt LaFleur's offense. With elite size, athleticism, and lightning speed, Brazzell has understandably drawn comparisons to Christian Watson.
He was a big-play machine at Tennessee. According to PFF's Lauren Gray, Brazzell's 99.0 receiving grade on deep passes ranked second in the class, as he hauled in 13 deep targets for 509 yards and six scores.
He wouldn't necessarily be Watson's long-term replacement, either. Watson terrifies defensive coordinators with his ability to stretch defenses vertically, which opens everything up for the offense. Brazzell would give cornerbacks another nightmare matchup on the outside.
A Watson-Brazzell-Matthew Golden trio would be a ton of fun.
Round 3 (84): Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
We know how much Gutekunst loves to draft Georgia Bulldogs to build his defense, and Daylen Everette could become the latest. Everette is one of the best athletes in the class. His 9.82 Relative Athletic Score ranks 50th among 2,779 cornerback prospects since 1987.
The Packers have entered the chat.
Everette could immediately compete for a starting job in Jonathan Gannon's defense, especially given his experience in the Georgia defense. Everette featured in 55 games across four seasons. Last year, he broke up 10 passes and intercepted one.
The Packers would also love his willingness as a run defender. His 85.4 PFF run defense grade ranked 41st among 897 cornerbacks last season.
Keisean Nixon is likely locked into a starting spot. Everette could quickly jump ahead of Carrington Valentine and Benjamin St-Juste for the other.
Round 4 (120): Chris McClellan, DL, Missouri
Green Bay needs to add to the defensive line, even if it's not until Day 3. The Packers signed Javon Hargrave in free agency but traded away Colby Wooden.
Missouri's Chris McClellan could immediately help. He is a solid run defender but thrives as an interior pass-rusher, an area where the Packers should look to improve. McClellan made six sacks and eight tackles for loss in his final season at Missouri.
The Packers may prefer to address their interior defensive line earlier, but McClellan falling to No. 120 would be a perfect scenario.
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