Draft sleeper would give Packers everything Josiah Deguara was supposed to be

The Green Bay Packers had high hopes for Josiah Deguara when they drafted him in the third round four years ago.

He arrived in Green Bay with expectations of becoming the Kyle Juszczyk of Matt LaFleur's offense. Deguara offered the versatility to play in multiple spots with the ability to run block and catch passes. However, it never worked out that way.

Deguara lacked consistency as a blocker and barely made an impact as a receiver, with only 47 catches across four seasons.

The Packers moved on from Deguara in free agency, with the former third-round pick joining Darnell Savage by signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Green Bay doesn't need to prioritize the tight end position after impressive rookie campaigns from Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, but there is a perfect candidate to play the Deguara role.

Enter Kansas State's Ben Sinnott. LaFleur could finally get the Juszczyk for his offense.

Ben Sinnott could fill crucial role in Packers offense

Sinnott provides all of the skills Deguara was expected to add to Green Bay's offense, and then some.

"Fullback? Tight end? Pass-catcher? Blocker? Yeah, that's all here," writes Kyle Crabbs of Athlon Sports. "Some of the best offenses in the NFL feature hybrid tight end types who can align in the backfield or on the end of the formation; think of what San Francisco and Miami are doing with Kyle Juszczyk and Alec Ingold."

The Packers don't need a tight end who can stretch the field as a receiver—they have that with Musgrave. Sinnott could offer a bit of everything, which is what was expected from Deguara.

They could trust Sinnott to make plays as a run-blocker, but his underrated receiving ability would elevate the Packers' offense. He caught 49 passes for 676 yards and six touchdowns at Kansas State last season. Sinnott is strong after the catch, using his speed and athleticism to pick up additional yards, making him perfect for screens out of the backfield.

Let's talk about that athleticism. The correlation between Packers draft picks and Relative Athletic Score is no secret, and Sinnott passes this test. He dominated at the NFL Combine, leading all tight ends in the vertical jump, broad jump, and three-cone drill, helping him earn an RAS of 9.72 out of 10.

Versatility is Sinnott's biggest strength, allowing LaFleur to find favorable matchups.

"Sinnott is one of the most functionally versatile tight ends in this group. He can block or catch passes from just about anywhere," writes Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network.

And he does both at a high level, earning PFF receiving and run-blocking grades above 75, the only tight end in the class to do so.

If the Packers add to the tight end or wide receiver room this offseason, they must search for players who provide something different, as neither position is a significant need. Sinnott is exactly that. He can play almost anywhere in LaFleur's offense, and his combination of blocking and receiving ability would make him a useful addition who could make an immediate impact.

Sinnott can provide the value Deguara never could.

More Packers news and analysis