In a season where expectations were tempered, the Green Bay Packers impressed even the most optimistic Wisconsin football fans. The team finished the regular season at 9-8, then knocked off the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs before falling just short to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.
Jordan Love proved himself to be a franchise quarterback while the young group of pass-catchers showed immeasurable growth over the season. With the offseason underway, it is time to turn to the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Here are the three best players the Packers should target with their first-round pick.
Cooper DeJean (Cornerback/Safety), Iowa
With needs at safety and cornerback, the Packers could target a player who can wear both those hats. Green Bay finished ninth in passing defense despite starting the inexperienced Keisan Nixon most of the season and trading away Rasul Douglas. Add in the departure of Jonathan Owens and Darnell Savage in free agency plus Rudy Ford still unsigned, and the secondary becomes the primary need for the Packers in the NFL Draft.
Cooper DeJean is the definition of a playmaking defensive back, with NFL scouts projecting him as a hybrid slot corner/safety. In 2022, three of his five interceptions resulted in pick-sixes while this year he returned a punt for a touchdown (and had another controversially called back). DeJean has fantastic instincts, diagnosing plays before they happen and using his elite athleticism to shut them down.
DeJean give sthe Green Bay pass defense a much-needed upgrade following the free-agent signing of safety Xavier McKinney. The Packers spent a first-round pick last year on Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness and Cooper DeJean is a similarly freakish athlete who can make even more of an immediate impact in the Green and Gold.
Jordan Morgan (Offensive Tackle), Arizona
David Bakhtiari is one of the best offensive tackles in the league — that is when he is healthy. But the 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was a cap casualty earlier this month as the Packers. With guard Jon Runyan Jr. also leaving in free agency, the Packers now need to find two new starting offensive linemen.
One candidate Green Bay should consider in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan. Morgan was a three-year starter from the Wildcats, bouncing back from a torn ACL at the end of 2022 to earn First-Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2023. Morgan has great athleticism and fluidity, which he demonstrates both as a run and pass-blocker. He also could slide to guard in the pros. The injury history is a concern, but Jordan Morgan is a player with considerable upside who should be available at pick number 25.
Tyler Guyton (Offensive Tackle), Oklahoma
Another high-level offensive lineman the Green Bay Packers could target, Tyler Guyton is less of a sure thing than other potential first-round tackles but has a high ceiling. Guyton is 6-8 with impressive athleticism for a player of his size, which he uses extremely effectively as a pass blocker. Despite his size, Guyton does not have the physical strength to be a dominant run-blocker, which will be a concern for some NFL teams. He also only earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference in 2023 — a bit underwhelming for a potential first-round pick.
Even with these concerns, Guyton's raw skills and athletic potential make him a worthy investment and a player the Packers should consider in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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