The Green Bay Packers were one of the youngest teams in the NFL last season. That didn't stop them from not only making the postseason, but winning a road playoff game over the Dallas Cowboys. Green Bay pushed the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round too before succumbing to a late game-winning drive by Brock Purdy and crew.

The Packers got there in large part by nailing the draft and finding a couple of unheralded gems. A couple of those gems on the Green Bay's 2024 roster include Dontayvion Wicks and Carrington Valentine.

Don't sleep on Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (13) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) during the second quarter of their wild card playoff game Sunday, January 14, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Packers have a ton of solid weapons on offense, especially in terms of young wide receivers. Three receivers on the Packers' 2024 roster generated at least two yards per route run as a rookie. Two of them were second-rounders Jayden Reed and Christian Watson.

The other? That was 2023 fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks. Wicks had an underrated rookie season that could very well have never happened. Fifth round picks don't get a ton of playing time in their first year, but Wicks' circumstances were different. Watson suffered a hamstring injury during training camp that lingered all throughout the season.

Watson wound up missing eight games. That gave Wicks a path to the field and he made the most of it. Wicks ran 281 routes and generated 2.07 yards per route run. Through 15 games total, he caught 39 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns.

Wicks has plenty of skill and versatility to his game. He primarily plays on the outside but can line up anywhere thanks to his smooth releases and deft route-running. Those skills were really on display at the end of the year.

Wicks stepped up in Watson's absence. He put up at least 91 yards in two of his final six games. He also scored in three straight games in Week 16, 18, and the Wild Card round against Dallas.

Love and the Packers will have to figure out target distribution amongst their wide receiver room. Wicks might not be towards the top of the pecking order.  But make no mistake about it. Wicks is a true gem for Green Bay.

Packers have rising star in Carrington Vallentine 

It isn't often that teams find quality cornerbacks in the seventh round. The Packers did when they selected a gem in Kentucky corner Carrington Valentine in last year's draft. Green Bay had a hole at that position opposite Jaire Alexander with former first rounder Eric Stokes rehabbing a torn ACL. Valentine seized it after a strong preseason and never let it go.

Valentine held onto the Packers' starting job all year long and and thrived in that role. He was forced to track star receivers like CeeDee Lamb and Keenan Allen and shut them down. Puka Nacua wasn't able to get much traction against Valentine either.

The Packers had plenty of chances to go after a corner in the 2024 NFL Draft. In the first round, the likes of Clemson's Nate Wiggins and Iowa's Cooper DeJean were available, but Green Bay went elsewhere. The only selection they used on a cornerback was on Penn State's Kalen King in the seventh round with the 255th overall pick.

They did so because of how much faith they have in Valentine. He will likely hold onto that starting job even with Stokes returning. Valentine performed like a household name as a rookie. It shouldn't take much time before he becomes one.