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Tag: PFF
Packers Get Two Receivers, Two Corners in PFF Mock Draft
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ major personnel concerns at cornerback and receiver were addressed in a new seven-round mock draft by Pro Football Focus.
In a Packers-only mock draft, Josh Liskiewitz hammered two areas of need.
The need at cornerback was apparent at this time last year. General manager Brian Gutekunst failed to address it, though. While the pass defense exceeded expectations, cornerback Jaire Alexander probably won’t return after another injury-plagued season and former 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes will join Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine in free agency.
The need at receiver is a surprise based on the expectations from 12 months ago. However, none of Green Bay’s young receivers stepped to the forefront. Making matters worse, Christian Watson will probably miss the first half of the season following a torn ACL and Romeo Doubs suffered two concussions during the second half of the season. Plus, Watson and Doubs will be free agents after the 2025 season.
In the first round, Liskiewitz selected Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison. He had six interceptions to earn Freshman All-American in 2022 and added three more interceptions in 2023. He had zero interceptions in 2024, a season cut short by a hip injury that required surgery.
Morrison allowed a career completion rate of just 45.7 percent.
“Over 499 coverage snaps across the past two seasons, he was targeted 87 times, allowing just 39 receptions while recording four interceptions and forcing 17 incompletions,” Liskiewitz wrote.
“My dad was always saying, ‘I’m not your friend. I’m here to push you,’” Morrison said.
It was back to cornerback in the third round with Kansas’ Mello Dotson, who earned some All-American honors in 2024. He had five interceptions including two pick-sixes in 2024 and four interceptions and two pick-sixes in 2023. He had a total of 27 passes defensed during those two seasons.
“Doston brings NFL-caliber size at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, along with impressive ball production during his time at Kansas,” Liskiewitz wrote.
The Packers have made a living over the years with their second-round receivers. In this mock, the Packers used a second-rounder on Utah State’s Jalen Royals.
“Royals presents another value option for Green Bay, as a foot injury ended his 2024 season in Week 8,” Liskiewitz wrote. “Known for his quickness and agility, Royals excels as a precise route-runner and an after-catch threat.”
Royals caught 71 passes for 1,080 yards and led the conference with 15 touchdown catches in 2023. Seven of those touchdowns covered at least 50 yards, most in the nation. In seven games in 2024, he caught 55 passes for 834 yards and six scores. His 119.1 yards per game was just a half-yard from being No. 1 in the nation.
Royals, who hopes to someday swap jerseys with Davante Adams, measured 5-foot-11 3/8 and 210 pounds at the Senior Bowl.
“I want to show (scouts) I can compete at the highest level,” he told The Draft Network’s Justin Melo before the Senior Bowl. “Coming from a G5 [Group of 5] school, I wasn’t playing against the best competition college football has to offer on a weekly basis, especially compared to the SEC or Big Ten. I’m definitely going to Mobile with a chip on my shoulder.”
In the seventh round, the choice was Louisville receiver Ja’Corey Brooks. After catching 57 passes in three seasons at Alabama, Brooks caught 61 passes for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns during his lone season at Louisville, with five games of 100-plus yards.
Brooks, who measured 6-foot-1 1/2 and 191 pounds at the Shrine Bowl, caught 16-of-23 contested-catch opportunities and broke 10 tackles after the catch but also dropped too many passes (seven; 10.3 percent).
The other Day 3 picks were used on a running back, an Ohio State center and a Miami edge defender. The mock did not include a projected seventh-round compensatory pick for losing Yosh Nijman in free agency last offseason.
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In a recent PFF mock draft, the Green Bay Packers addressed key needs by selecting two wide receivers and two cornerbacks.With their first-round pick, the Packers selected dynamic wide receiver Chris Olave out of Ohio State. Olave is known for his speed, route running, and big-play ability, making him a perfect fit for Green Bay’s offense.
In the second round, the Packers added another weapon for Aaron Rodgers in wide receiver Jahan Dotson from Penn State. Dotson is a versatile playmaker who can contribute both in the slot and on the outside, giving the Packers even more options in the passing game.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers addressed their need for cornerback depth by selecting Kaiir Elam out of Florida in the third round. Elam is a physical and instinctive cornerback who has the potential to develop into a starter in the NFL.
In the fourth round, the Packers added another cornerback in Tariq Castro-Fields from Penn State. Castro-Fields has the size and athleticism to excel in man coverage and could provide valuable depth in Green Bay’s secondary.
Overall, the Packers made strategic moves in the draft to bolster their receiving corps and add depth at cornerback, setting themselves up for success in the upcoming season.
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Mel Kiper ships Missouri WR Luther Burden to Cowboys, PFF loves it
It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys’ offense took a turn for the worse in 2024. With both QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb stuck in negotiations all offseason, the passing game was not firing on all cylinders to start the year. WR Brandin Cooks struggled through the start of the season dealing with a knee injury, and with third-year WR Jalen Tolbert failing to step up, things never gelled before Prescott was lost for the year with a hamstring injury.
Cooks is now a free agent, and the offense will look a lot different with head coach Mike McCarthy not returning. The Cowboys will need some help to augment their passing game, and based on picking No. 12, wideout is going to be a position often assigned to them in mock drafts.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper feels similarly. In his first mock exercise of 2025, he wedded Dallas to Missouri WR Luther Burden III.
12. Dallas Cowboys – Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Yes, it’s a mock draft without Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty going to Dallas! I think it’s possible the Cowboys will take Jeanty, and there’s no arguing that they need a boost to the run game. But I imagine they’d first try to fix that hole in free agency. And regardless, this team has to find playmakers all over, period.
Putting Burden’s valuable after-the-catch ability opposite CeeDee Lamb would open things up for Dak Prescott. Dallas has been looking for a reliable one-two receiver punch in the offense for a while; it hasn’t had two WRs over 700 receiving yards since 2021, when Amari Cooper was still in town. Burden has the explosive traits to change that.
Kiper isn’t the only one who feels strongly about the pairing. On Thursday, Pro Football Focus went to work identifying the perfect 2024 draft prospect for each of the NFL’s 32 teams. Burden was the match for Dallas there as well.
The Cowboys definitively have needs along their defensive roster, but Jerry Jones is as concerned with the Cowboys brand as much as he is winning and wants that brand to be exciting and on our television screens as much as possible, so adding an explosive offensive weapon to pair with CeeDee Lamb would do just that.
While CeeDee Lamb played about half of his snaps out wide and half in the slot, Burden has played over 80% of his snaps out of the slot over the past two seasons. Burden is dangerous with the ball in his hands. He can be used on jet sweeps and screens to quickly get the ball to him and allow him to use his incredible acceleration to generate big plays. Burden has 25 touchdowns over the last three seasons, including four rushing touchdowns.
In an unexpected move, NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper has shipped highly-touted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden to the Dallas Cowboys in his latest mock draft. Pro Football Focus (PFF) has given their stamp of approval, praising the fit and potential impact Burden could have on the Cowboys’ offense.Burden, a dynamic playmaker with exceptional speed and route-running ability, would provide a much-needed boost to the Cowboys’ receiving corps. With his big-play potential and knack for making defenders miss, Burden could be a game-changer for Dallas.
PFF has lauded Kiper’s selection of Burden to the Cowboys, noting that he has the skills to excel in their high-powered offense led by quarterback Dak Prescott. With star wide receiver Amari Cooper’s future uncertain in Dallas, adding a talent like Burden could help ensure the Cowboys’ passing attack remains potent for years to come.
Cowboys fans are sure to be excited about the prospect of adding a player of Burden’s caliber to their team, and if Kiper and PFF are to be believed, it could be a move that pays dividends for Dallas in the long run. Stay tuned for more draft updates as we approach the NFL Draft.
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