A year ago, after the Green Bay Packers nearly reached the NFC Championship Game, it was thought that internal improvement was just about all they needed to become Super Bowl contenders again. But now, it is clear they need some outside help if they are to earn another Vince Lombardi Trophy anytime soon.
Christian Watson, one of their young and promising wide receivers, failed to show any significant improvement during the 2024 season, and he tore his ACL in Week 18 versus the Chicago Bears. He is expected to miss training camp and at least a big chunk of the 2025 campaign as a result.
The Packers need help at the wide receiver spot, and Parker Boho of Zone Coverage suggested they go after Jayden Higgins from Iowa State in the upcoming NFL draft.
While Higgins is a different type of wide receiver than the speedy Watson, he, like Watson, has good size at 6-foot-3 and roughly 215 pounds.
Boho pointed out Higgins’ potential and how he has some of the best combined qualities of the Packers’ incumbent wideouts.
“Few players Higgins’ size can move as well as he does,” Boho wrote. “He can run the whole route tree and is as sure-handed as they come, which Green Bay’s receiving room lacks.
“Higgins only had two drops in 2023 and 2024. Because of his release, he’s best on slants and quick-winning routes and uses his body well to shield defenders. Because of his size, he’s also great in the red zone.
“He has a combination of some of the best traits that other guys in Green Bay’s receiving room possess. Higgins has Watson’s size, [Dontayvion] Wicks’ release package, and [Romeo] Doubs’ ball-winning ability.”
Higgins caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024, and in the Big 12 Championship, he had seven receptions for 115 yards. He’s expected to be a day two pick, but as Boho pointed out, he could creep into the first round.
Green Bay has the No. 23 pick in the first round of this year’s draft, but they haven’t selected a wideout in the first round since they took Javon Walker at No. 20 in 2002. Given their need for a game-changing player at that position, it remains to be seen if general manager Brian Gutekunst will change that apparent philosophy this time around.
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