There's no question that the Green Bay Packers will select a wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft, especially considering how Christian Watson is expected to miss a chunk of the upcoming season after tearing his ACL against the Chicago Bears this past January.
But even if Watson were healthy, Green Bay would likely still be looking at a wideout, as the team hasn't had a pass catcher of any kind hit the 1,000-yard mark since Davante Adams was traded three years ago.
In fact, the franchise has had only one receiver even reach 800 yards over the last three seasons, that being Jayden Reed this past year with 857.
So, again, the Packers will undoubtedly be drafting a receiver. It's just a matter of when.
Some believe Green Bay could end a 20-plus-year streak and take a wideout in the first round for the first time since 2002. However, as the team has some defensive needs at cornerback and edge rusher, there's a good chance that streak will continue.
But even if it does, the Packers could still be able to nab a solid wide receiver in the second round, one who could seemingly step in immediately and fill Watson's shoes.
Elic Ayomanor could be an intriguing option for the Packers in the 2025 NFL Draft
The receiver in question here is Stanford standout Elic Ayomanor, who caught 125 passes for 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Cardinal over the past two years.
While his stats may not match those of the top-tier prospects in this year's draft class, the Canada native is undoubtedly ready to make the jump to the pros.
Size isn't an issue, as Ayomanor stands 6-foot-2 and carries a solid 206 pounds. And speed isn't a problem either, as he clocked a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, also recording a 38.5-inch vertical leap and a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump.
He's a solid route runner with good (but not great) hands and is a solid threat after the catch.
Ayomanor isn't perfect by any means, as he lacks explosiveness off the line and has had issues with drops at times. Some teams may also still have concerns about the knee injury that kept him out of action his entire freshman year in 2022.
But the 21-year-old has held up just fine over the last two years. In fact, once he finally took the field for Stanford, it took him just six games to set the program's all-time single-game receiving record as he went for 294 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Colorado.
So, when all is said and done, he stands to benefit any team that drafts him, obviously including Green Bay. The only issue is whether the Second-Team All-ACC selection will still be there when the Packers go on the clock in Round 2 at No. 54 overall.
It'll likely be close, but if the Packers don't draft a wideout in the first round and Ayomanor is there in the second, they'd be wise to scoop him up.