Green Bay Packers' 2020 NFL draft analysis for every pick
Rob Demovsky
ESPN Staff Writer
The 2020 NFL draft is underway, and the Green Bay Packers' rookie class is shaping up.
The draft, which had been scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, is instead being done virtually from the homes of coaches, general managers and other front office staff because of the coronavirus pandemic. The draft began on Thursday with the first round and continues Friday (7 p.m. ET) with the second and third rounds and Saturday (noon ET) with rounds 4-7 on ABC, ESPN, ESPN App and NFL Network.
Here's a pick-by-pick look at how each player the Packers have selected will fit.
Round 1, No. 26 overall: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
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By taking Jordan Love in the first round, the Packers get the option of a fifth-year deal on his rookie contract.
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
My take: Can't wait to see how Aaron Rodgers handles this. He was on the other end of it when he came into the league in 2005 as the Packers' first-round pick and with Brett Favre still years away from retirement (although unlike Rodgers, Favre had already begun to think about it, so the Packers had to start planning for it). The 36-year-old Rodgers, however, has made it clear he intends to play to age 40 -- and perhaps beyond. He's under contract through 2023 and said last month on the Pat McAfee show: "I've got four years left on my deal. I'd like to play four at a really, really high level, and if I feel like keep on keeping on from that point, to do it. I feel confident right now. I'm going to be 40 when the deal ends. I feel like I can keep going after that the way things have been going." At this point in Favre's career, he wanted players who would help him win. He gave Rodgers the cold shoulder, especially as a rookie. Will Rodgers do the same to Love? Everyone knows that Rodgers has always played with a chip on his shoulder and this might be just another one. What's more, by taking Love in the first round, the Packers get the option of a fifth-year deal on Love's rookie contract.
Another trade: General manager Brian Gutekunst didn't just take Rodgers' eventual replacement, he traded up to do it. A source said that Gutekunst might trade up to take LSU receiver Justin Jefferson, a player he loved, but Jefferson went No. 22 to the Vikings. But the thought was that if he took a quarterback, it would be one that fell to him at No. 30. Instead, he traded a fourth-round pick to the Dolphins to move up four spots. It's the third straight year (and fourth time overall) that the third-year GM has made a trade in the first round.
Why the love for Love: One thing you need to play quarterback in Green Bay is a strong arm. Favre had a rocket, and Rodgers developed one. Love fits in. Big hands don't hurt either, and Love's measured 10.5 inches at the combine. That's always good for cold-weather games. He's got more Favre in him than Rodgers in that he's more prone to interceptions than the ultra-accurate and more conservative Rodgers. Love threw an alarming 17 interceptions last season after a much more efficient 2018 season (32 TDs and only six INTs). At 6-foot-3 ¾ and 224 pounds, he's got the right build, but he's also more mobile than one might think, running a 4.74 40 at the combine.
What's next: If this is indeed the deepest receiver class in recent history -- and maybe ever -- then the Packers should be able to appease Rodgers and get one (if not more) on Day 2 of the draft, although it will be interesting to see if Gutekunst feels like he has to trade up from his spot near the end of the second round (No. 62 overall) to get one.
Rob Demovsky wrote: