GREEN BAY, Wis. — The 2023 NFL Draft is complete, as the Green Bay Packers addressed several needs as the new season inches closer.
In the first three rounds, the Packers selected a linebacker, two tight ends and a wide receiver. Those players include Lukas Van Ness, Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed.
ROUND 4:
With the 116th pick in the NFL Draft, the Packers switched back to focusing on defense and selected Colby Wooden from Auburn University. Wooden is a 6′ 4″, 273 pound defensive lineman. In three seasons with the Tigers, Wooden posted 15 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. Wooden joins the Packers after losing Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed in free agency.
ROUND 5:
With the 149th pick in the NFL Draft, the Packers selected Sean Clifford, a quarterback from Penn State University. Clifford is an experienced QB, playing four seasons for the Nittany Lions and tallying over 1,400 drop backs. In 2022, Clifford rushed for nearly 500 yards, completed a career- high 64% of his passes and added 22 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Sean Clifford couldn't hold the tears back after being drafted by the @packers 💚
— NFL (@NFL) April 29, 2023
(via @PennStateFball) @seancliff14 pic.twitter.com/AGJrgLIlTq
With the 159th pick in the NFL Draft, the Packers selected Dontayvion Wicks, a wide receiver from University of Virginia. Wicks garnered first-team All-ACC honors in 2021 after gaining 21.1 yards per catch, which ranked him fifth in the FBS. Wicks started eight games last year before suffering a season ending injuring. He had 30 receptions for 430 yards and also caught two touchdowns.
ROUND 6:
With the 179th pick in the NFL Draft, the Packers added Karl Brooks, a defensive tackle from Bowling Green University. Brooks started 48 of the 52 games and was named first-team All-MAC in 2022 after compiling 18 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks in 13 games in 2022. Pro Football Focus credited Brooks with 62 pressures in 2022, the third most in the nation in 2022.
The #Packers getting Karl Brooks in the 6th is incredible value.pic.twitter.com/YP398Ewa83
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) April 29, 2023
With the 207th pick, the packers selected Andres Carlson, a kicker out of Auburn University. Playing 5 years in college, Carlson connected on nearly 72 percent of the field goals he attempted, and nearly perfect on extra points at 98 percent extra point makes. Carlson was drafted following 2 separate injuries in 2022. Andres’ older brother, Daniel, played for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018 and was cut after missing 2 field goals at Lambeau Field (game played to a tie). Green Bay hadn’t drafted a kicker since 2007, when they drafted Mason Crosby.
ROUND 7:
With the 232nd pick in the NFL Draft, Green Bay selected Cornerback Carrington Valentine, from the University of Kentucky. In 35 games played at Kentucky, Valentine compiled 119 tackles, 16 pass breakups, two sacks and an interception. Valentine is rated as one of the nation’s top 100 cornerbacks by ESPN.
The Green Bay Packers select CB Carrington Valentine in the 7th round (pick 232)
— Hogg (@HoggNFL) April 29, 2023
"You want long, athletic corners? Carrington Valentine (@run_carri7) from Kentucky… I think he will be a really good cornerback moving forward as a starter in the NFL”pic.twitter.com/LdE0PAT8zB
With the 235th pick in the NFL Draft, Green Bay selected running back Lew Nichols III from Central Michigan University. Nichols led the nation in rushing in 2021 with 1,848 yards, rushing for 16 touchdowns and was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and was the MAC’s 2020 Freshman of the year. Nichols got hurt midway through 2022, to finish his college career with 614 carries for 3,061 yards (5.0 avg.) and 26 TDs, adding 71 receptions for 575 yards and three TDs receiving.
With the 242nd pick in the NFL Draft, the Packers selected Iowa State University’s Anthony Johnson, Jr. After playing 5 years, starting a school record 54 games, starting first at cornerback, then switching to safety in his senior season, Johnson accumulated 243 tackles (14 for loss), along with 28 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three sacks and two interceptions. Johnson was named second-team All-Big 12 this past year after posting career-highs in tackles (60) and 2 interceptions.
Finally, with the 256th pick, the Packers selected Wide Receiver Grant DuBose out of Charlotte (UNC @ Charlotte). Dubose originally played for DII Miles College (Ala.), but when the school canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dubose worked 3 jobs, including a job at Wal-Mart. Dubose joined Charlotte in 2021, earning an All-Conference USA honorable mention in 2021, then was named second-team All-Conference USA in 2022, finishing with 64 Catches for 792 yards and 9 TDs. DuBose had a 6.89 time in the three-cone drill, the third fastest of all receivers at the NFL Draft, and is the third receiver Green Bay took in the draft.
With their final pick of the draft, the #Packers get Jordan Love yet another weapon.
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) April 29, 2023
Grant DuBose is a physical WR with some real strong hands.pic.twitter.com/tOocdcFIZO
Shortly after the Draft, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein reported the Packers have signed Florida State TE Cameron McDonald, and Illinois State defensive tackle Jason Lewan as undrafted free agents.
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