Packers mock draft

We are a little more than a week away from the NFL Draft and the first wave of free agency has come and gone. Out are Aaron Jones, David Bakhtiari, Aaron Jones, Jon Runyan Jr. and Darnell Savage and in are Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney. While the Packers still have a number of holes, they also have 11 picks in the NFL Draft, including five in the first two days. Green Bay could still add people before the draft, but I imagine Brian Gutekunst will wait to see how the draft falls before re-evaluating his team and see what positions need to be upgraded and who is out there on the market. Here is my first stab at a post-free agency Packers mock:

1. Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Going into the offseason, the Packers needed to revamp their secondary. Jaire Alexander is a top cornerback, but injury concerns are always there. We can’t really count on Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine is still a young player. However, all of those guys are boundary corners. What Green Bay really lacks is a slot corner. In the divisional round at San Francisco, the 49ers really didn’t test Alexander and Valentine much, but picked on slot corner Keisean Nixon and the suspect safety group. Green Bay added a big piece to the safety room with McKinney, but now it needs an upgrade over Nixon. If Keisean is the backup at slot, then the Packers are in great shape.

DeJean can play in the slot or at safety. He is a versatile chess piece new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley can use. He is a great athlete with tremendous ball skills. DeJean also possesses tremendous special teams ability. Adding DeJean in addition to McKinney would give Green Bay a lot of firepower in the secondary.

2a. Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

The Packers need an off-ball linebacker in the worst way. After Quay Walker, who likely will be an outside linebacker in Jeff Hafley’s new 4-3, Green Bay has Isaiah McDuffie and then…..not much. The Packers desperately need an upgrade at the position. Green Bay recently had a top-30 interview with Cooper. This could be a smokescreen, but I think the Green & Gold is legitimately interested in him, especially since he is a guy who plays a major area of need. Cooper is a physical linebacker who has terrific speed and athleticism, as evidenced by his 9.34 RAS. He was a First Team All-American who posted 83 tackles and eight sacks, as well as forcing two fumbles.

2b. Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

The Packers moved on from long-time left tackle David Bakhtiari this offseason and now might have a hole at that position. However, Rasheed Walker performed well down the stretch last season. I think Green Bay brings in competition for him at the position. Regardless, they are in desperate need of depth at the position after Yosh Nijman left via free agency and joined the Carolina Panthers. Paul is a big, athletic tackle who has a chance to play immediately. While he needs work as a run blocker, he has the top pass protection grade of anybody in this year’s class. He has all the tools to be a great tackle but will need to work on his technique at the next level.

3a. Javon Bullard, S, Georgia

While the Packers signed McKinney in free agency, they still need one more. Their safety room was that bad last year. Xavier will be the safety roaming center field, but they still need a box safety to finish revamping that safety room. Bullard is a good run defender, which certainly helps since the Packers were once again poor in that area in 2023. The Green & Gold also love their Georgia players.

3b. Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee

Green Bay made a surprising signing when it signed former Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and let go of Aaron Jones. I was even more surprised when Green Bay brought back the mayor of Door County, A.J. Dillon. However, Dillon’s deal is very team-friendly and is only for one season. The Packers still need a running back in case A.J. leaves next season, preferably one with speed and can catch out of the backfield. Jaylen is a big-play threat, averaging more than seven yards per carry, and adding 22 catches as well for the Vols. He would get some carries in year one and be able to step up and be Jacobs’ backup in his second season.

4. Zak Zinter, IOL, Michigan

Green Bay needs to look to improve the interior of the offensive line, or the offensive line in general, outside of Zach Tom and Elgton Jenkins. That is true for every team, but especially true for a team with a young quarterback. With Jon Runyan Jr. off to the New York Giants, the Packers need to find some competition for Sean Rhyan and build the depth along the interior. When the Packers are really good, the team has an incredible offensive line. The organization has made a habit of finding interior offensive linemen in the mid-rounds and will aim to do it again. Zinter is coming off a broken tibia and fibula suffered in the big victory over Ohio State. He is a terrific leader along the offense and if he is healthy, could be a plug-and-play starter.

5. Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor

The Packers always like to add to the defensive line room. Honestly, the Packers could go more interior defensive linemen earlier in the draft, maybe even in the first round. Green Bay will likely take a defensive tackle, especially since Kenny Clark is on the last year of his contract. He has great size and athleticism, so he is a good dart throw late in the draft for the Packers.

6a. Tanor Bortolini, IOL, Wisconsin

The Packers need depth along the offensive line, especially in the interior with the loss of Jon Runyan Jr. and the team just needed to get better up front anyway. While the team still has hope for Sean Rhyan, a third round pick in 2022, the team needs to bring in competition. Bortolini has starting experience everywhere on the offensive line, but his best position is in the interior. He has an elite RAS grade, which shows his elite athleticism, which the Packers love. Add that in addition to his versatility and he would be a great addition along the offensive line.

6b. Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky

The Packers could absolutely take multiple cornerbacks to create more competition for guys like Corey Ballentine, and we can’t really count on much from Eric Stokes at this point. He had a very promising rookie campaign but has been injured much of the last two seasons. I like Carrington Valentine, but he needs to keep improving going into year No. 2. Like Valentine, Phillips also played collegiately at Kentucky. Phillips had a very solid RAS score of 8.10 and the Packers certainly like athleticism. He potentially could have his best years in front of him, as he is still learning. Phillips is definitely worth a flier in the later rounds.

7a. Eric Watts, EDGE, UConn

The Packers have moved back to a 4-3 after a decade and a half playing the 3-4. Green Bay will have Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness at defensive end with Kingsley Enagbare when he comes back. Until he comes back, someone needs to step up as a rotational defensive end. Eric Watts could be that guy. He has ideal height and weight, as well as traits that you cannot teach in terms of athleticism. He is a developmental project, but his athletic traits are well worth a late round flier, especially for a team that has double digit draft picks.

7b. Hunter Nourzad, IOL, Penn State

Green Bay really needs to prioritize the offensive line in this draft. The Packers likely will take one late, just to take a flier on someone after taking a few early since they need depth with the losses of David Bakhtiari, Jon Runyan Jr. and Yosh Nijman. Nourzad has played all around the offensive line during his collegiate career, but played guard and center after transferring from Cornell. Last year, he started all 13 games at center. He is athletic with position versatility, so he could be a Packers-type pick late.

Mock NFL Draft

1. Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

2. Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

3. Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

4. Vikings (from Cardinals): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

5. Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

6. Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

7. Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

8. Falcons: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

9. Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

10. Jets: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

11. Cardinals: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, Washington

12. Broncos: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

13. Raiders: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

14. Saints: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

15. Colts: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

16. Seahawks: Byron Murphy, DL, Texas

17. Jaguars: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

18. Bengals: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

19. Rams: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

20. Steelers: Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon

21. Dolphins: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State

22. Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

23. Cardinals: Brian Thomas, WR, LSU

24. Cowboys: Graham Barton, OL, Duke

25. Packers: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

26. Buccaneers: Troy Fautanu, IOL, Washington

27. Cardinals:Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

28. Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

29. Lions: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

30. Ravens: Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri

31. 49ers: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

32. Chiefs: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Top five Twins prospects who should be promoted

 

I have not done this in a few seasons, but I always enjoyed doing this article, so I am bringing this back. I love following the minor league system of the Minnesota Twins. It helps me kind of feel a connection to these players and cheer for their success. I check up every day on how the prospects are doing. I like seeing these guys work their way up to promotions, so here are my top five players in the Twins minor league system who deserve to be promoted. A few of the guys who would be on my list were promoted earlier this season and thus, will not be on the list. I also tend to avoid people who have been on their teams for just 2023, but it doesn’t always happen. So here is my list:

 

5) Brooks Lee, INF, Wichita

If you just look at his numbers, they may not wow you, especially for a top 10 pick a season ago. However, he is having a really solid year. When looking for guys to put in this slot, I thought he was the best one, especially after guys who I originally had in my top five were C.J. Culpepper and Jack Noble, but Culpepper was promoted the day I started writing this. Lee, who many dub as the Twins top prospect, has clubbed seven home runs and a league-best 28 doubles, which have contributed to a more than respectable .800 OPS heading into the second half of the season. While he deserves a promotion, I think he will spend the entire season in Wichita and begin next season with the St. Paul Saints.

 

4. Kala'i Rosario, OF, Cedar Rapids

I debated putting him on the list, but ultimately, I could not find someone better. I mentioned that I try to avoid putting guys on here that are in their first season with the club, but Rosario is beasting. He is also just 20 and this is his first season of real success in the minors, as he posted a .239 batting average and .728 OPS in low-A Fort Myers in 2022. Not sure what has happened, but he has turned it on this season with the high-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. In 73 games this season, he has a terrific OPS of .864, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 50. Incredibly, he nearly had those exact home run and RBI totals last season. His on base percentage of .380 is worlds better than his .320 mark in 2022, helped in large part by drawing 44 walks, already more than the 34 he coaxed last season in 109 games. I don’t know if he’ll move up to double-A Wichita this season, but he will definitely be there next season and could work his way to the top 20 in Twins prospect lists.

 

3. DaShawn Keirsey Jr., OF, Wichita

It was getting late for Keirsey to reach the bigs, but the 26-year-old has been tremendous for the Wind Surge this season. Keirsey has a .303 batting average and a terrific .820 OPS. This is his fifth season in the minors and has already has more homers this season (9) than he had in his best homer season previously (7). He is a thief on the basepaths, stealing 28 bases this season and 42 last year and there is always use for that on the big league club. His two best seasons are in Wichita and is currently having his best year. In the coming seasons, I think he could be a really solid bench outfielder to play occasionally and come in and pinch run.

 

2. Yunior Severino, INF, Wichita 

Still just 23 years of age, it seems like he has been in the Twins system for about a decade. Severino was signed by the Atlanta Braves but became a free agent after the MLB penalized the Braves for breaking international signing rules. He got off to a blistering start and has cooled off but is still hitting a respectable .276 with 17 homers and an OPS of an impressive .871. With Austin Martin and Anthony Prato (who is having an outstanding season) kind of blocking him with the Saints, he could be in Kansas through the end of the year. Yunior has played in 114 games with the Wind Surge and has hit 25 homers and driven in 71. He only has walked 40 times and struck out 145 times, so he needs to work on that, but I think a promotion should be in order.

1.     1. Tanner Schobel, INF, Cedar Rapids

Tanner is tearing it up with Cedar Rapids. The 68^th overall pick from the 2022 draft has moved up rapidly. After being drafted, he went to the FCL before quickly moving up to Fort Myers. Schobel recorded just a .237 batting average in the two leagues, but still started in Cedar Rapids in 2023. After a slow start, he has turned it on since May. After one month, he was hitting just .203 with an OPS of .608, hitting just three homers and 13 RBI in 18 games. Since then, he has hit .322 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI. Since it would be four levels in two seasons, I am not sure he will be moving up, especially since just turned 22 years of age, but he has earned it.

First Packers 2024 Mock Draft

 

We are nearly a few months removed from the NFL Draft and the Packers will look a bit different this year, as Jordan Love will be the lead guy under center for the Green & Gold. With that, I decided to make a 2024 Packers mock draft…..and yes, I think Aaron Rodgers will play 65 percent of snaps to give Green Bay a second first round pick. So here you go…

 

1a. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

I have seen Alt go top five and then I’ve seen him go in the mid-first. I will go with more the mid-first, which is where I think Green Bay will be picking. I don’t see David Bahktiari coming back in 2024, especially at his cap number. With him gone and Yosh Nijman being an unrestricted free agent, I think offensive tackle will be a major position the Packers go for early in the draft. He has tremendous size and athleticism for the position and could be the franchise left tackle of the future, protecting Love’s blind side. I also really like Zach Tom, but he could man the right side or even kick inside to center if Josh Meyers continues to disappoint.

 

1b. Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami

If there is one position that the Packers need more than most is safety. Going into the season, the Packers don’t really have a starting-caliber safety on the roster. Darnell Savage is still on the roster, but just because he has a guaranteed contract after picking up his fifth-year option last offseason. He will likely start, despite being benched late last year, with the hopes he can re-gain his 2020 form. After him, your guess is as good as mine as to who will start with the fifth-year man out of Maryland. If you were to tell me any one of Jonathan Owens, Rudy Ford, Tarvarius Moore and Anthony Johnson Jr. start with Savage, I could see it. With that, Johnson is the only player under contract after 2023. Kinchens has tremendous athleticism with great ball-hawking ability. He would be a day one starter for the Green & Gold.

 

2. Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin

You had to know he’d be on here, right? The Packers will have a situation on their hands next offseason, as Aaron Jones’ contract number explodes in 2024 and won’t be back at that number. Add in the fact that AJ Dillon is a free agent and you have a big need at running back. Allen has been the work horse at the position for Wisconsin. Fortunately for him, his body won’t be as beat up next season with the Badgers set to put the ball in the air more under offensive coordinator Phil Longo. He has some speed, evidenced by numerous runs of at least 50 yards. An extremely young prospect, the bruising back doesn’t turn 20 until January. Catching only 22 passes in his previous two seasons for less than 150 yards, he’ll have a chance to improve his pass-catching ability this season. He also needs to show more durability because he was banged up toward the end of each of his first two seasons.

 

3. Chico Bennett Jr., EDGE, Virginia

You can never have too many EDGE rushers. Green Bay has a good 1-4 group right now, but Preston Smith may be a cap casualty, which leaves them with Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare. A group of four capable rushers is what they should strive for. Bennett is a candidate to actually shoot up draft boards and is actually in the first in a few mocks, but most have him in this range. In his breakout 2022 campaign, he tallied 34 tackles to go along with 7.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also had an ACL injury the year before and will be one year more removed from it and could have a monster season.

 

4. Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

As it stands right now, the Packers are not in need of an inside linebacker, but De’Vondre Campbell will need to return to 2021 form because last season was a disappointment. If he does and he is kept moving forward, I doubt inside linebacker is a need. But if he doesn’t, Campbell could be a cut candidate and the team could save a few million dollars. A tackle machine, Stutsman can also run and cover and could be a candidate to move up draft boards after one more year under Brent Venables.

 

5. Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

Everything I mentioned under the Kinchens pick could be mentioned here. With only one player at safety under contract past 2023—Anthony Johnson, Jr., a 2023 seventh round pick—the team could very well pick multiple safeties in this draft. Nubin could go much higher than this with a good 2023 season. For a unit that has been so bad against the run in the last several seasons, having Nubin would help big time, as his 83.4 run-defense grade in 2022 was 11th among power five safeties.

 

6. Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest

The Packers tend to take a cornerback in every draft and I don’t think this one will be any different. Rasul Douglas has been a good player in his two seasons in Green Bay, but a release of him prior to next year would say more than $6 million. Another thing is that Eric Stokes is coming back from multiple scary injuries and they will need quite a bit of depth in case he is not back to his rookie season self. He is another guy who could shoot up draft boards with a terrific season.

 

7. DeWayne Carter, DL, Duke

The Packers always are on the lookout for defensive linemen, especially since they have yet to find a Robin to Kenny Clark’s Batman. They also can never stop the run, so they need to find someone who can help. His pass rushing is what stands out for him, though. Last season, he tallied 5.5 sacks. He also batted down four passes and forced/recovered three fumbles.

Final Packers Mock draft

Tomorrow is the big day, one of my favorite days of the year: the NFL Draft. I wanted to wait until Aaron Rodgers was traded to do another Packers mock, so since he was dealt so close to draft day, this will be my final one of the season. I don’t know if I have ever gotten one correct, so if you wanted one of these players, my apologies, because they’re not being picked now haha

 

1   1) Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

This pick just screams Packer to me. Green Bay needs a pass rusher in the worst way with Rashan Gary out for a few months and Preston Smith likely to be gone after this year. Last year’s pick of Kingsley Enagbare looks good, but they will need a third EDGE this season and someone to line up across from Gary starting in 2024. Gary is an athletic freak with an RAS of 9.38. For whatever reason, he didn’t start many game with the Hawkeyes, but was still named second team All-Big Ten with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Van Ness and Gary could be a lethal duo rushing the passer during the rebuilding process.

 

2a) Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

This is another guy who screams Packer, especially since he is great for the Matt LaFleur offense. Another athletic demon, Washington wasn’t really utilized much as a receiver with Brock Bowers on the same team. Bowers has a chance to be a top 10 pick in 2024. Washington, however, is a tremendous blocker with the ability to become an outstanding receiver. Brian Gutkekunst has also shown he loves to take Georgia players, having selected Eric Stokes, Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt early in the past two years. Green Bay needs a tight end in the worst way. Josiah Deguara is the only Packers tight end remaining who will make the roster. Robert Tonyan is in Chicago and Marcedes Lewis is a free agent. Even with those two, they needed overhaul the position. Washington would be a great place to start.

 

2b) Keeanu Benton, DL, Wisconsin

Of course this is a homer pick, but he would be great for the Packers. With Jerran Reed and Dean Lowry gone from Green Bay, the Packers need bodies, especially good ones. The Packers gave up approximately 4,000 rushing yards to Philadelphia, so they need some formidable defensive linemen. A line of Wyatt, Benton and Kenny Clark would have a lot of potential. Benton is another good athlete who is young, as he does not turn 22 until July. He is a nose tackle prospect and he has gotten better as a pass rusher. It would be a great fit to have him in Green Bay.

 

3)     3) Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss

With two of the top three picks being used on the defense, it is time to stockpile the offense. While Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs were promising as rookies, they need more at the position. Green Bay likes its big wide receivers and Mingo is 6-2 and 225, so he fits the bill. He has a great RAS score and runs the 40-meters at a 4.46 time, which is great for a guy that size. He has a chance to fit right in with the three rookies from last year to help first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love.

4)     4) Ricky Stromberg, IOL, Arkansas

      The Packers always draft interior linemen and with Jason Myers inconsistent and Jon Runyan Jr. replaceable, they could use Stromberg, who has experience at both guard spots and center. The Packers like versatility, which will make him more attractive to Green Bay. A two-time All-SEC selection, he could come in and push Myers for the starting center position from day one.

 

5)     5) Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion 

      I mentioned above how the Packers need fresh talent in the tight end room. This is a really good class in the position and they could very easily take multiple players at tight end. After drafting Washington in the second round, they double up with the uber-athletic Kuntz here. He has a 10.0 RAS score, good for the top spot of all tight ends from 1,104 players at the position. He will struggle as a blocker, so we’ll have to hope he becomes a matchup nightmare.

 

6)     6) Clayton Tune, QB, Houston 

      After trading Rodgers, the Packers have no one behind Love who could be a capable backup. Tune would come into a great situation, as he would have a golden opportunity to be Love’s backup, much like Matt Flynn in 2008 as Rodgers’ backup. A four-year starter, Tune has a chance to make a splash with the Packers.

      7a) Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern

      Thankfully Aaron Jones restructured or else this would have been a bigger priority, but I still expect the position to be chosen late in the draft. The Packers tend to like their athletic guys and Hull has a 9.32 RAS score. A short, compact running back ran for nearly 1,000 yards on a putrid Northwestern team. Hull was the leading rusher for the Wildcats by a wide margin and was the second-leading receiver in terms of both catches and yards, recording 55 catches for 546 yards. He might start out on the practice squad but work his way onto the 53-man roster at some point.

      7b) Jordan Howden, S, Minnesota

      The Packers need a starting safety, but I have them waiting until the end to draft one. The only problem with that is they already have a number of special teams safeties—too many actually. Howden is athletic and is a really good tackler. Hopefully a few of the safeties pan out because it is a position of need for Green Bay.

      7c) Thomas Incoom, EDGE, Central Michigan

      The EDGE group is extremely talented, so it would make sense for the Packers to double dip at the position. The former Chippewas pass rusher posted 11.5 sacks, forcing one fumble and recovering two others. With Gary, Smith, Van Ness and Enagbare, he’d fight for the last one or two roster spots and potentially get a bit of playing time early on with Gary recovering from a torn ACL.

      7d) Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan

      Hayes would be a typical Packers pick, just like when they took Rasheed Walker in the seventh last season. I really like last year’s pick of Zach Tom as a future offensive tackle, but David Bakhtiari is likely in his final season with Green Bay and Yosh Nijman is a free agent next offseason and will likely be paid. Hayes could be a guard in the NFL and the Packers have had success with those types in the draft, including TJ Lang, JC Tretter and Josh Sitton. He gave up zero sacks this past year and just four in his 37-game career.

Packers Mock Draft v. 2.0

 

The Super Bowl is set up and we are a week from the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles in the big game. As for the Green Bay Packers, they need to figure out what will happen with Aaron Rodgers. I, personally, think he will be traded, but I will not predict trades here. It will be an interesting offseason for the Packers. Here is my Packers mock draft…

 

1. Brian Branch, S, Alabama

The Packers desperately need a safety. For whatever reason, they picked up Darnell Savage’s fifth year option, despite the fact that he has had a rough last couple years. Adrian Amos also had a rough year this past season and I don’t expect him back. As it is, maybe Rudy Ford and Savage, and that is not good enough to put it nicely. Branch can play in the slot and at safety. His missed tackle percentage is just 3.2 percent, which is huge after being forced to watch Savage attempt to tackle. Nobody in the secondary is a real good tackler, which is a huge reason why he’d be great in Wisconsin. He’s a good run defender, which is a huge plus since the Packers have had such trouble in that area. Branch is one of my draft crushes early on in the draft process.

 

2. Dalton Kinkaid, TE, Utah

This would be a dream second round selection for the Packers. Kincaid is another if my draft crushes. Green Bay needs a tight end in the worst way. Everybody outside of Josiah Deguara in the tight end room is a free agent. Even if Tonyan comes back, the Packers need an upgrade. He has not been the same the last two years. He caught 70 balls for Utah for nearly 900 yards, scoring eight times. He is a great receiving tight end, as evidenced by his numbers. Kincaid could improve his blocking, but his receiving ability more than makes up for it.

 

3. Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State

EDGE is a deep position in this year’s draft, which is why I have the Packers waiting until the third round to take one. Green Bay has a big need at EDGE considering Rashan Gary is coming off a torn ACL and will miss some time in 2023. Other than that, the Packers have just Preston Smith and Kingsley Enagbare. The latter had a nice rookie season, but they have nothing after him and need some depth, especially since Preston could be a cap casualty once his contract makes sense to do it since they could be looking at rebuilding soon with Jordan Love.

 

4. Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss

Green Bay could really use another wide receiver. If Aaron Rodgers is traded, the Packers will more than likely not re-sign Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. After that, it is just the three rookies—Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure—under contract for 2023. It would not surprise me to see the team acquire a receiver if Rodgers is traded to the Jets. Denzel Mims could be a target to acquire to see if a change of scenery could do him well. Mingo could be a great target for Love to form a great WR group.

 

5. Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma

The Packers need to take an offensive tackle at some point. Who knows how many years David Bakhtiari has left? He has been banged up the last few years. When he plays, he is outstanding. It looks like they have an heir apparent in Zach Tom. They need a RT, though, as I don’t see Yosh Nijman as the long-term solution at the position. A highly-rated recruit coming out of high school, Morris has played both right and left tackle at Oklahoma. That type of versatility is something the Packers love.

 

7a. Moro Ojomo, DL, Texas

The Packers draft a defensive lineman every year, and this one should be no different. I doubt Jerran Reed is brought back. They need depth at the position. I do like the potential of Devonte Wyatt and T.J. Slaton in addition to Kenny Clark being a star along the line. Dean Lowry is likely gone, so they will need to throw a dart to see if they can hit on someone.

 

7b. Tavion Thomas, RB, Utah

This will become an even bigger need if the team moves on from Aaron Jones. The star running back cannot be brought back at the same number, so his contract will either be restricted or he will be extended, the latter being a risk for a running back nearing 30. If Aaron Rodgers is traded, the chances of Jones being let go rise, but they may want him to help Jordan Love since he is a weapon out of the backfield.

 

7c. Joe Tippman, IOL, Wisconsin

His stock may have gone up considerably at the Senior Bowl, but as it is right now, I will have him go here. The interior of the offensive line has not done as well as the Packers would have hoped, especially Josh Myers. He has been maddeningly inconsistent. He can play all around the inside. It’d be a steal in the seventh.

Top 10 Unexpected Successful Seasons

Not long ago, SKOR North put out a list of the top unexpected seasons in Minnesota sports history (or at least since when Judd Zulgad started watching sports). I thought that was an interesting list, so I decided to make a list of my own, involving my favorite teams (Wisconsin football, Wisconsin men’s basketball, Packers, Twins, Timberwolves and Wild) since I was born in June of 1989. It was brutal to get this down to 10. There were a number of honorable mentions that deserved to be on the list, but I couldn’t find a spot for them. Ordering them was brutal too. So here we go:

 

Honorable Mentions:

Wisconsin men’s basketball 1993-94

Wisconsin men’s basketball 2007-08

Wisconsin men’s basketball 2013-14

Wisconsin football 2009

Wisconsin football 2016

Wisconsin football 2019

Green Bay Packers 1989

Green Bay Packers 2007

Minnesota Twins 2015

 

Top 10

10. Green Bay Packers 2019

Green Bay was coming off a 6-9-1 season, one in which Mike McCarthy was fired after an embarrassing loss at home against the lowly Arizona Cardinals. Aaron Rodgers’ play had declined the previous few years. He was still good, but not Superman like he had been. The Packers responded by drafting Rashan Gary and Darnell Savage in the first round and Elgton Jenkins in round two. Add that to the free agent signings of Adrian Amos, Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Billy Turner.

Even with the signings, there weren’t high expectations for Green Bay in 2019. However, fans were excited after the week one win at defending NFC North champion Chicago 10-3. They backed that up with another victory over an NFC North contender, Minnesota, staving off a Vikings comeback. The Packers began the season 3-0 and finished with a totally unexpected 13 wins and a No. 2 seed in the playoffs, earning a bye.

Green Bay’s biggest win came in Minneapolis to win the division 23-10 in week 16 and the team won nine games by one scorer, including a 28-23 win over Seattle. Aaron Rodgers did not play great this season, but he was solid and led the Packers to a berth in the NFC Championship game. I don’t think any Packers fan saw this coming. We were hopeful that the team could make the playoffs again, but I don’t think anyone saw a 13-3 season.

9. Wisconsin men’s basketball 2019-20

Wisconsin had more stuff it had to deal with than any team should. It started on Memorial Day weekend when assistant coach Howard Moore was in a car accident that claimed the life of his wife and daughter. Transfer Micah Potter also had to sit out the first semester of the season after the NCAA kept rejected his and Wisconsin’s appeals to let him play before later December. The strength coach Erik Helland resigned due to him using the n-word when telling a story from his days with the Chicago Bulls. Finally, Kobe King, a talented young guard, left the program shortly before a trip to Iowa City in January. That doesn’t even cover the fact that the Badgers had to replace all-world forward Ethan Happ.

The season didn’t start promising, starting out 5-5 and had to fight to beat Milwaukee in Potter’s first game, but were able to defeat three ranked teams in the start of January, including two on the road. But still, the Badgers found themselves at 12-9 and 5-5 in Big Ten play after Wisconsin blew a lead in Iowa City. Their next game was against No. 14 Michigan State without King, who had transferred, and no Brad Davison, who was suspended for the contest.

After a loss at Minnesota, Wisconsin won its final eight games of the season, including the finale at Indiana with a Big Ten title on the line. Trailing by seven in the second half, Brad Davison and Micah Potter came up huge to pull off a comeback win. Davison’s two free throws cemented the championship in a 60-56 win. Unfortunately, COVID cancelled the NCAA Tournament because it would have been fun to see how this team would have done in March. With all that went on, it is amazing the team won it all. People were calling Greg Gard to be fired, but he galvanized the team and led them on a roll. Wisconsin wore “4 More” patches throughout the season due to the four members of the Moore family involved in the car crash. The Badgers won the championship clinching game at Indiana by four. Four Moore. 

8. Minnesota Twins 2001

The Minnesota Twins entered the 2001 season with a young roster that most expected to be a few years away from truly making a run at the division. Not only that, but they were looked at as a contraction candidate along with the Montreal Expos. But the Twins busted out of the gate to a 14-3 start and were 55-32 at the All-Star break. They also drafted the future face of the franchise in Joe Mauer, having the top pick in the draft.

While Minnesota faltered in the second half, going just 30-45 to finish 85-77, it signaled big things ahead. It was first winning season since 1992 and would start a string of nine seasons out of the next 10 finishing above .500. The very next season, the Twins, made up of largely the same players, reached the American League Championship series. In the next decade, Minnesota reached the playoffs six times and lost in game 163 (which should have been in Minneapolis) another season.

And most importantly, the unexpected success of the 2001 Minnesota Twins stayed just that……the MINNESOTA Twins.

7. Wisconsin men’s basketball 2001-02

On many other people’s list, this may be even higher. Wisconsin was coming off a solid season in which it was the No. 6 seed in the tournament, but was bounced by upstart Georgia State 50-49 when Mark Vershaw missed two free throws in the closing seconds. Early in the season, the veteran-laden team led by Vershaw and Mike Kelley lost its coach to retirement. Much like Bo Ryan during the 2015-16 season, head coach Dick Bennett retired abruptly during non-conference play. Brad Soderberg took over for the remainder of the season. I still always wonder if they had beaten Georgia State and had upset Maryland, does Soderberg get the full-time gig?

Soderberg obviously did not get the full-time job. That went to a coach who was turning around UW-Milwaukee and had had enormous success at UW-Platteville by the name of Bo Ryan. Bo had his work cut out for him. Not only was Wisconsin losing a ton of seniors, but he only had eight scholarship players. The team had a lot of talent, led by junior Kirk Penney and freshmen Devin Harris and Mike Wilkinson. The team limped to a 3-6 start, including losses to Hawaii and Weber State. But the team won its final six games to finish 18-11 in the regular season and 11-5 in the Big Ten, finishing in a tie for first place in the Big Ten (with Illinois, Indiana and Michigan State), the first regular season championship for the Badgers since 1947 (!!!!). Wisconsin knocked off St. John’s in the first round of the tournament 80-70 as a No. 8 seed and only trailed top-seeded and eventual national champion Maryland 38-30 at halftime before running out of gas in an 87-57 defeat.

But Bo Ryan was here to stay. He never finished lower than fourth in the Big Ten and earned two Final Four trips in his final two full seasons. In his second season at the helm, the Badgers won the Big Ten again, this time it was outright, defeating Illinois in a thriller in Madison in the regular season finale. Ryan led the team to four conference titles in all.

6. Wisconsin men’s basketball 2021-22

The Badgers were losing a terrific senior class that led them to the Big Ten title in 2020. They retained Brad Davison and received a transfer big man Chris Vogt from Cincinnati. However, they were picked preseason to finish 10^th in the Big Ten. As Matt Lepay put it so beautifully after the victory at home against Purdue, “And then they played the games.”

Many people thought sophomore Johnny Davis would become a force for the Badgers. Even the biggest Badger homers didn’t think he’d become Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-American, but that is just what he did. Johnny showed up in the biggest games. The country was first put on notice when they played a very good Houston team in the Maui Invitational. Davis poured in 30 points on 18 shots in a 65-63 upset of the No. 12 Cougars. In early January, Davis dropped in a career-high 37 points in a monster 74-69 win at Mackey Arena, which has been a house of horrors for Wisconsin, against No. 3 Purdue. With a chance of at least a share of the Big Ten on the line, Bucky met those same Boilermakers in the second to last game of the regular season. It wasn’t Davis, but a freshman Chucky Hepburn who nailed the biggest shot of the season, a triple from the left wing to knock off No. 8 Purdue and clinch a share of the Big Ten.

Not bad for a team picked to finish 10^th in the conference preseason.

5. Twins 2017

The Minnesota Twins entered the 2017 season with no expectations. Following a surprising 2015 campaign, the 2016 season was abysmal. They went 59-103, good for the worst record in Major League Baseball. Minnesota won its first four games of the season, signaling it was a different team. The Twins became the first team in MLB history to reach the playoffs the year following a 100-loss season.

Minnesota had to hold off the Los Angeles Angels for the final wild card spot, helped by back-to-back games with a walk-off home run in the month of August. Eddie Rosario crushed a two-run bomb down the right field line to beat San Diego and Byron Buxton followed with one to left-center to defeat Toronto. A late five-game winning streak helped put away the Angels. Unfortunately, Minnesota lost to New York (because of course) in the wild card game, squandering a 3-0 lead, but this turnaround season was one of the more surprising seasons in recent memory.

4. Wisconsin men’s basketball 1999-2000

This team is surprising because of the incredible run it had. This team’s run made fall in love with Bucky basketball. Wisconsin was coming off a season in which it scored just 32 points in an embarrassing 43-32 loss in the 1999 NCAA Tournament to Southwest Missouri State. The regular season was ho hum, but finished in spectacular fashion as the Badgers upset No. 14 Indiana 56-53. The Badgers finished the season at 16-12 and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.

The 18-13 Badgers made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed where they took on NCAA’s leading scorer and future NBA draft pick Courtney Alexander and Fresno State, coached by the legendary Jerry Tarkanian. The Bulldogs led midway through the second half before Jon Bryant took over with four triples from the same spot to put the Badgers in front for good.

Wisconsin followed that up by upsetting top-seeded Arizona with Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson and Stromile Swift’s LSU Tigers. Wisconsin reached the Final Four for the first time since 1941 with a win over Purdue, which it defeated in the Big Ten Tournament just a few weeks before. The run to the Final Four re-energized the program and helped set up a great run of success under Bo Ryan.

3. Minnesota Wild 2002-03

Okay, no one in their right mind had Minnesota doing much in this year, just its third season of existence. The Wild were coming off a season in which they finished 12^th in the Western Conference. Not only did they reach the playoffs, but made two huge upsets to reach the Western Conference finals for the first (and to this point, only) time.

Led by youngster Marian Gaborik, Minnesota went 42–29–10–1 in the regular season and was the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. In the first round, it was seemingly a David vs. Goliath matchup against the star-studded Colorado Avalanche, led by Adam Foote, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Patrick Roy. Since the start of February, Colorado was 22-5-2-3, so Minnesota had a tall task to put it lightly. Minnesota won game one, but lost the next three to the heavy favorites. Following a game five win, the Wild came back home and Richard Park gave Minnesota an overtime victory. The Wild followed that up with a remarkable game seven victory in overtime with an incredible winner by Andrew Brunette.

Minnesota followed that up with another series against Vancouver in which it came back from a 3-1 deficit to win. In the deciding game seven, the Wild came back from a 2-0 hole to score four unanswered and win 4-2. In both series, the Wild won three games on the road. Minnesota still has not made it back to the conference finals. This unlikely run there needs to be ranked high.

2. Green Bay Packers 1992

The Packers hadn’t made the playoffs since the strike-shortened year of 1982 and had only five winning seasons since the Vince Lombardi years and made the playoffs just the once. Green Bay was coming off a 4-12 season. The Packers brought in the hottest coach on the market in Mike Holmgren to run the show and new general manager Ron Wolf traded a first round pick for a backup quarterback named Brett Favre. To make matters worse, the Packers started out the 1992 season with an 0-2 record and coming off a 31-3 drubbing in Tampa.

Enter the week three game at Lambeau Field against Cincinnati. Green Bay entered the fourth quarter trailing 17-3 and the team lost its starting quarterback Don Majkowski to a serious injury. Enter Brett Favre. The team had cut the deficit to 23-17 and had to start inside its own 10-yard line after a poor decision by Robert Brooks on the kickoff. That is when the legend of the gunslinger who wears No. 4 began. Favre led his team down the field, throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds left to earn the 24-23 win over Cincinnati.

The team ended up going 9-7, missing the playoffs, but it set the stage for future success. It was the last time Green Bay did not make the playoffs until 1999. It signaled the Packers had found their quarterback in the form of a second-year man out of Southern Miss. In the run of playoff berths, they would win at least one playoff game every year from 1993-97. The one time they didn’t, let’s be honest, Jerry Rice fumbled and the Packers should have won that one following the 1998 season.

1. Wisconsin football 1993

Throughout the late 1980s, the Wisconsin Badgers football program was a disaster. Following the unfortunate passing of head coach Dave McClain prior to the 1986 season, the Badgers under Jim Hilles and Don Morton went a combined 9-36, including an embarrassing 5-27 record in Big Ten play.

In 1988, the University of Wisconsin hired Donna Shalala as chancellor, who hired Pat Richter as athletics director a year later. A year after that, the two hired Barry Alvarez as the new head football coach. Alvarez was thrust into a position that hadn’t seen the school reach the Rose Bowl in nearly 30 years. In his first three years, the Badgers won 11 games and 10 in the previous two games. The program was ready for a big jump in year four under Alvarez.

The Badgers were primed for the breakout season behind the great running back core of Terrell Fletcher and the Big Ten player of the year, the late, great, Brent Moss. The Badgers only hiccup was a loss at lowly Minnesota, but Wisconsin knocked off Michigan State in Tokyo to earn the Rose Bowl spot after Michigan beat Ohio State in the regular season finale.

Wisconsin went out a won the Rose Bowl against UCLA in its home stadium. Darrell Bevell’s 21-yard touchdown run was the difference as Bucky won 21-16. People thought about the Wisconsin football program differently that day. After hardly ever going to bowls, the Badgers go there on a regular basis. Starting with that win, Wisconsin has been to six Rose Bowls, winning three of them. With that, it has started the Badgers being a big time program for the past 30 seasons.