2023 NFL Draft WR rankings: Can Jordan Addison be first off the board ahead of Packers target Jaxon Smith-Njigba?
The Green Bay Packers are rumored to be interested in selecting a wide receiver in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Targeting this position makes sense for the Packers, especially considering their transitional situation during the 2023 NFL offseason.
They are expected to enter the 2023 NFL season with a new quarterback and will need new weapons to support him.
Aaron Rodgers is fully expected to be traded at some point during the offseason, opening the door for Jordan Love to take over as their starting quarterback. The Packers parted ways with Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb during the free agency period, so they have a need to improve their wide receivers. The best way to support Love is by surrounding him with talent.
Recent reports suggest that the Packers may be targeting Jaxon Smith-Njigba, one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft, with their 15th overall pick in the first round.
The Ohio State Buckeyes superstar carries a ton of upside, while also coming with more risk than some of the other top prospects in the position. The same can be said about USC Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison. He is in a similar situation but for different reasons.
Weighing the risk versus reward with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jordan Addison could result in either being the first wide receiver selected on draft day, while also presenting the possibility of slipping down the board. It may come down to a matter of preference when it comes to who will be selected first based on their positves and negatives.
The Packers are apparently hoping Jaxon Smith-Njigba is still available when they are on the clock. His high rating is a result of his historic 2021 college football season. He set a single-season receiving record for the Buckeyes, despite playing in a loaded group of receivers, including Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.
Based on his 2021 season alone, he is highly unlikely to be available when the Packers pick 15th overall. What opens the possibility of him slipping down the draft board is his devastating hamstring injury in 2022 that ended his season early. This factor might be enough to scare some teams away.
The chances of him being available at 15th increase if Jordan Addison is selected before him. The Packers should potentially be hoping that other teams in need of help at their wide receiver position are targeting Addison before Smith-Njigba. While he comes with a level of risk as well, it's certainly possible that some teams have Addison ranked higher.
The USC Triojans wide receiver was one of the most-hyped prospects entering the 2022 season, but his stock fell a bit when his production was basically cut in half in comparison to his 2021 campaign. He also further hurt his stock when he showed up to the 2023 NFL Combine, measuring smaller and running slower than initially expected.
Both players' upside is the result of their excellent 2021 season, while their risks are a result of how the 2022 college football season played out. This suggests that either one could be selected with one of the top picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, while each also has a chance of falling.
The Packers are allegedly hoping that there are more Addison believers, giving them a better shot at Smith-Njigba.
Alternate plan for Packers in Round 1 if they miss out on top WR targets
The Packers' primary focus in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft should be supporting their potential new quarterback Jordan Love. This should be the plan, even if they miss out on their top-rated wide receiver prospects.
Green Bay is loaded at running back with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. They also have a solid offensive line, though it never hurts to draft additional pieces here in the draft. Where they can significantly improve offensively is at tight end.
Tight end was one of their weaknesses last season, but they took another major hit when Robert Tonyan departed during free agency in 2023. He was their leading tight end last year, so a glaring hole just got bigger.
Fortunately for the Packers, the tight end position is strong among the 2023 NFL Draft prospects. Michael Mayer, Dalton Kincaid, and Sam LaPorta all profile as first-round talents. Any of them could give Love another weapon in the passing game.