GREEN BAY, Wis. — The NFL Draft has arrived and that means the Green Bay Packers are adding some names to their roster. This, after losing probably the biggest name Green Bay had: Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers had 11 picks in this year's draft, three of which they received during the Rodgers trade with the Jets.
During that trade, the Jets received Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder this year from the Packers. In exchange, Green Bay got the 13th overall selection, a second-rounder (No. 42), and a sixth-rounder this year.
Plus, the Jets handed over a conditional 2024 second-round pick that can become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of plays for New York this season.
Due to some trades during the draft, the Packers wound up having 13 picks total.
Round one happened Thursday night, rounds two and three are on Friday, and rounds four through seven are on Saturday.
Here are the players the Packers selected with each pick
Note: This story will be updated as the picks come in.
Round one:
Pick 13: With their 13th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness.
According to the NFL, Van Ness earned first-team all-state his senior year at Barrington High School in Illinois. He signed with the Hawkeyes for the 2020 season. He earned Freshman All-American notice after recording 33 tackles, 8.5 for loss, with a team-high seven sacks in 14 appearances.
🗣️ LET’S GO!!!@lukas_vanness is ready to get to work in Green Bay.#PackersDraft | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/yBHHu4iWz2
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 28, 2023
The NFL says Van Ness earned second-team All-Big Ten accolades after leading the team with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks among his 38 tackles in 13 games played. He also tied for sixth nationally with two blocked kicks, the NFL reports.
Lukas Van Ness says he was watching the draft in Fontana, WI near Geneva Lake on Walworth County. Says it was meant to be #Packers
— Lance Allan (@lanceallan) April 28, 2023
In his six years as general manager, Brian Gutekunst’s only offensive player taken in the first round remains quarterback Jordan Love in 2020.
Round two:
Pick 42: With their 42nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Oregon State's tight end Luke Musgrave.
According to the NFL, he is the nephew of former Oregon and NFL quarterback Bill Musgrave. His father, Doug, was also a quarterback for two years at Oregon.
The NFL reports, "Luke's journey took him to Corvallis, where he made his own path after starring at Bend Senior High School. He started once in 12 games played as a true freshman (2-18-9.0) and then three times in seven games in 2020 (12-142-11.8). Musgrave took a step forward in 2021, catching 22 passes for 304 yards (13.8 per) and a score in 13 games (nine starts). He also blocked a punt and returned it 27 yards against Utah. Musgrave started hot in 2022, catching 11 passes for 169 yards (15.4 per) and a score in two games."
UPDATE: The Packers traded pick 45 to the Detroit Lions. In exchange, they got picks 48 and 159.
UPDATE: The Packers traded pick 48 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In exchange, they got picks 50 and 179.
Pick 50: With their 50th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Michigan State's wide receiver Jayden Reed.
According to the NFL, Reed started at Western Michigan and earned Freshman All-American honors in 2018 (56-797-14.2, eight TDs receiving; 9-116-12.9 kick returns; 12-215-17.9, one TD punt returns in 13 games, 12 starts).
The NFL's Chad Reuter reports, "The former first-team All-Illinois playmaker at Naperville Central decided to transfer to Michigan State, sitting out the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He led the Spartans with 33 receptions in 2020 (407 yards, 12.3 per, three TDs receiving; 16-329-20.6 kick returns; 2-14-7.0 punt returns), starting all seven games. In 2021, Reed was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player as well as a third-team All-Big Ten Conference pick as a receiver (team-high 59-1,026-17.4, 10 TDs; 7-34-4.9, TD rushing in 13 starts) and returner (16-376-23.5 kick returns; 12-238-19.8 punt returns). He tied for the FBS lead with two punt return touchdowns. Reed started 11 games in 2022, earning second-team all-conference honors at receiver (55-636-11.6, five TDs receiving; 4-11-2.8 rushing) and honorable mention honors as a returner (13-114-8.8 punt returns)"
Round three:
Pick 78: With their 78th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected South Dakota State's tight end Tucker Kraft.
According to the NFL, Kraft played for the Jackrabbits in South Dakota in 2019 before he redshirted that fall. Despite being injured in the 2020 opener, he played seven games (7-90-12.9).
The NFL reports, "Kraft busted out in 2021, garnering second-team Associated Press FCS All-American and first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors (65-773-11.9, six TDs receiving in 15 games). He suffered an ankle injury early in 2022, which limited him to nine games (27-348-12.9, three TDs receiving) but he was still named third-team AP FCS All-American and first-team All-MVFC."
Round four:
Pick 116: With their 116th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Auburn's defensive lineman, Colby Wooden.
With the 116th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Auburn DL Colby Wooden!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/47gO5W7cCS
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
According to the NFL, Wooden enrolled at Auburn a semester early, and redshirted the 2019 campaign.
The NFL reports, "Wooden wowed SEC coaches enough in 2020 to land on their All-Freshman Team (42 tackles, 9.5 for loss with four sacks in 11 games, 10 starts) and then started all 13 games in 2021 (61 tackles, 8.5 for loss with five sacks, two pass breakups, one blocked kick). He started all 12 games in 2022, recording 45 stops (11.5 for loss with six sacks), three pass breakups and a team-high three forced fumbles."
Round five:
Pick 149: With their 149th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Sean Clifford, a quarterback from Penn State.
With the 149th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Penn State QB Sean Clifford!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/MZnLkOpRAZ
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
According to the NFL, Clifford is an Elite 11 finalist and top-five pro-style passer recruit nationally out of Ohio.
The NFL says he played in four games as a redshirt freshman in 2018 (5-7-71.4%, 195 yards, two TDs). Clifford took over as the Penn State starter in 2019, receiving honorable mention All-Big Ten notice (189-319-59.2%, 2,654 yards, 23 TDs, seven INTs passing; 116-402-3.5, five TDs rushing). He started eight of nine games in 2020 (152-251-60.6%, 1,883 yards, 16 TDs, nine INTs passing; 99-335-3.4, three TDs rushing), though he split time with Will Levis (who transferred to Kentucky after the season). His brother, Liam, signed to play receiver at Penn State in 2021. Clifford started all 13 games in 2021, garnering honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference honors (261-428-61.0%, 3,107 yards, 21 TDs, eight INTs passing; 99-163-1.6, two TDs rushing). He was also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (also known as the Academic Heisman). Clifford became Penn State's second four-time team captain in 2022, receiving honorable mention all-conference honors again by starting all 13 games (226-351-64.4%, 2,822 yards, 24 TDs, seven INTs, 69-176-2.6, five TDs rushing). He was the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP (16-21-76.2%, 279 yards, two TDs) as well as a finalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award. Clifford set several Penn State career records, including passing yards (10,661) and yards of total offense (11,734).
Pick 159: With their 159th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Dontayvion Wicks, a wide receiver from Virginia.
With the 159th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Virginia WR Dontayvion Wicks!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/y8IUKFxkXG
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
According to the NFL, Wicks was a four-star recruit but didn't receive an offer from an ACC school until a month before signing day. He was a second-team all-dstrict receiver and quarterback in High School.
The NFL says, Wicks suffered a season-ending foot injury in 2020 preseason camp but bounced back to garner first-team All-ACC honors in 2021, ranking fifth in the FBS with 21.1 yards per catch and breaking former NFL receiver Herman Moore's single-season school record with 1,203 receiving yards (57 receptions, nine scores in 12 games, 11 starts). Wicks started eight games in 2022 (30-430-14.3, two TDs), with an injury forcing him to miss two. Virginia's final two games were canceled after a shooting that resulted in the death of three Cavalier players in November.
Round six:
Pick 179: With their 179th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Bowling Green Defensive Lineman Karl Brooks.
With the 179th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Bowling Green DL Karl Brooks!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/R6Ta1kShVY
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
According to the NFL, he led the team in sacks in four of his five years on campus, including his freshman (32 tackles, 4.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks in 12 games, eight starts) and sophomore seasons (33 tackles, 8.5 for loss with 4.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles in 12 starts).
Pick 207: With their 207th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Auburn kicker Anders Carlson.
The NFL says Carlson redshirted his first year with Auburn and then took over as kicker in 2018. He had his best year in 2020, receiving second-team All-SEC honors after tying for second nationally with 20 field goals made and tying for ninth-best in the FBS with a 90.9 percent field-goal make rate (24-25-96% XPs).
With the 207th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Auburn K Anders Carlson!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/HAoJLW4Cyz
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
Round seven:
Pick 232: With their 232nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Carrington Valentine, a cornerback from Kentucky.
According to the NFL, he played in 10 games with one start as a true freshman (10 tackles, one pass breakup, one forced fumble). Valentine started 12 of 13 games played in 2021 (61 tackles, 1.5 for loss, five pass breakups) and then led the team with 10 pass breakups as a junior (48 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one interception in 12 starts). -- by Chad Reuter
Pick 235: With their 235th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Central Michigan running back Lew Nichols.
He was an all-state player before signing with Central Michigan. He played in four games while redshirting. According to the NFL, he broke out in 2020, winning MAC Freshman of the Year honors as CMU's leading rusher (78-508-6.5, four TDs rushing; 10-109-10.9, one TD receiving in six appearances). Nichols was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, leading the FBS with 341 carries for 1,848 yards and tying for 10th with 16 rushing touchdowns in 13 games.
With the 235th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Central Michigan RB Lew Nichols!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/2URpliKB15
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
Pick 242: With their 242nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Iowa State safety Anthony Johnson Jr.
As a freshman at Iowa, Johnson started four times as a true freshman. The NFL says he garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2019, tying for the team lead with 10 pass breakups and collecting 60 tackles, seven for loss with two sacks in 13 starts. Johnson received that honor from league coaches again in 2020 (40 tackles, two for loss, five pass breakups in 12 starts) and 2021 (55 tackles, three for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles). He switched from corner to safety to lead the secondary in 2022, starting all 12 games (60 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups) to garner second-team all-conference recognition.
With the 242nd pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Iowa State S Anthony Johnson Jr.!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/MS2TvTaALp
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
Pick 256: With their 256th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected wide-receiver Grant DuBose from Charlotte.
According to the NFL, in his first year with Charlotte, he led the team with 62 receptions, 892 receiving yards (14.4 per) and six receiving touchdowns in 12 starts. DuBose topped Charlotte with 63 receptions in 2022 (787 yards, 12.4) and scored a team-high nine TDs in 12 games (11 starts), receiving second-team All-Conference USA accolades.
With the 256th pick in the 2023 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Charlotte WR Grant DuBose!#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/2zkMIqcqSc
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2023
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