At long last the 2023 NFL Draft is upon us. This year (as in every year) there are several important questions about the event that need answering. Questions ranging from “where can I see the draft?” to “where are the Packers picking?” and many, many more.
In this article I hope to answer all your burning and not-so-burning questions about the 2023 NFL Draft. Please enjoy the first ever Pocket Packers Draft Guide.
General overview:
The 2023 NFL Draft will take place in Kansas City, Missouri beginning on Thursday, April 27th and ending on Saturday April 29th. The draft consists of seven rounds which are broken up into three separate broadcasts. All rounds of the NFL Draft will be available on television on ESPN, the NFL Network, and your local ABC station.
What time does each round start?
The 1st round will kick off the draft at 7 p.m. Central on Thursday April 27th.
The 2nd day of the NFL draft will feature the 2nd and 3rd rounds, starting at 6 p.m. central time on Friday April 28th.
The 3rd and final day of the 2023 NFL Draft will feature the final four rounds (4, 5, 6, and 7) and will start at 11 a.m. Central on Saturday April 29th.
Television information:
As mentioned above, all rounds of the NFL Draft will be available on ESPN, your local ABC station, and the NFL Network.
What picks do the Packers have this year?
The Packers currently own 11 picks in the 2023 draft, including one 1st round draft pick, two 2nd round draft picks, one third round draft pick, one 4th round draft pick, one 5th round draft pick, one 6th round draft pick, and four 7th round draft picks.
Three of these picks (picks 13, 42, and 207) were recently acquired from the New York Jets in the Aaron Rodgers trade.
Below is the full list of Green Bay draft picks.
First round, No. 13 overall (from NYJ)
Second round, No. 42 overall (from NYJ)
Second round, No. 45 overall
Third round, No. 78 overall
Fourth round, No. 116 overall
Fifth round, No. 149 overall
Sixth round, No. 207 overall (from NYJ)
Seventh round, No. 232 overall
Seventh round, No. 235 overall (from LAR)
Seventh round, No. 242 overall (from JAX)
Seventh round, No. 256 overall (compensatory)
What are some of the main stories to watch for?
As always there are hundreds of major and minor storylines intertwined throughout the draft like a convoluted spider web. The following are three of the most important ones to keep an eye on in regards to the 2023 Green Bay Packers as the draft progresses.
1. Will the Packers make a trade? (up or down)
Brian Gutekunst has made at least one trade in every draft that he has overseen while at the helm for the Packers. Don’t be surprised if the extra draft picks acquired in the Rodgers trade give Gutekunst some ammunition to move around in any given round of the draft
2. Will the Packers plug holes in areas of need?
The Packers have several positions of apparent need after free agency, including at tight end with the loss of Robert Tonyan to the Chicago Bears and safety with incumbent starter Adrian Amos currently an unsigned free agent. Gutekunst and the Packers will most likely be looking to fill these needs in some aspects in the draft.
3. Will the Packers spend late round draft capital on a backup QB or a kicker?
With Aaron Rodgers off to the Jets and longtime Packers kicker Mason Crosby currently unsigned on the free agent market, the Packers could feasibly be looking for a young developmental QB to back up Jordan Love and secure a rookie kicker’s services. Be sure to keep an eye on that fascinating story on days 2 and 3 of the draft.
Who will the Packers pick?
Heck, if I knew precisely who the Packers will select in the draft this weekend I’d be making bank by betting on the event. Although I unfortunately lack the ability to see the future (I’ll work on it for next year, don’t worry), I took a few educated guesses about who the Packers might end up picking in 10 Draft Profiles that were published in the months leading up to the draft. Below are the names of the players profiled, each one embedded with a link for your reading pleasure.
Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State
Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Calijah Kancey, IDL, Pittsburgh
Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
And We’re Off
I hope this little guide was helpful in some form or fashion. It’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the most watched offseason event in all of sports. Let the games begin!
