The Green Bay Packers got help at defensive end and wide receiver in Field Yates' new two-round mock draft at ESPN. While no one can know which players are going where in the 2025 NFL draft, the defensive end-wide receiver combo could be a realistic starting scenario for the Packers, who have clear needs at both positions.
At No. 23 overall in the first round, Yates sent Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams to the Packers.
From Yates: "The Packers had the second-highest percentage of snaps in zone defense last season (70.7%), which has more to do with their personnel limitations than coordinator Jeff Hafley's scheme preference. Teams can play more man coverage when they have a dominant pass rusher or a shutdown corner. The latter could be the move here, with guys like Texas' Jahdae Barron and Kentucky's Maxwell Hairston on the board. But let's go with Williams, who posted 14 sacks over three years at Georgia. He has the 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame and 34⅜-inch arm length to get into the chest of blockers and swat passes at the line of scrimmage. He's coming off an ankle injury that limited him in 2024, and I think major improvement is ahead for the 20-year-old."
Still only 20 years old after a productive three-year career at a premium position and for a premium collegiate program, Williams makes a lot of sense for the Packers -- especially after Brian Gutekunst passed on adding a veteran defensive lineman during free agency. Without the ankle injury in 2024, Williams might have locked himself in as a top-10 draft pick. The Packers could see Williams being available at No. 23 as a real steal -- big, disruptive edge rushers with legitimate high-end potential are rarely available in the second half of the first round.
If the Packers check the box in the defensive front in the first round, what about adding a weapon for Jordan Love in the second?
At No. 54 overall, Yates went with TCU wide receiver Jack Bech -- which follows the Packers' history of using second-round picks on pass-catchers.
"One of my favorite prospects in the class, Bech is an easy separator at the top of his routes," Yates wrote. "He has excellent hands and is instinctive after the catch. He might not be the WR1 that Green Bay needs, but he could make a big impact on its offense."
Bech caught 62 passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns for TCU in 2024. The LSU transfer has experience playing both outside and in the slot, giving him the versatility the Packers covet at the position, and he displayed excellent quickness at 6-1 and 212 pounds at the combine, finishing the three-cone drill in 6.84 seconds.
Regardless of when it happens, the Packers need to add a defensive front player and a pass-catcher at some point in the 2025 draft. There are immediate and long-term needs at edge rusher and wide receiver, and both positions need to play at a higher level for the Packers to get where they want to go next season. Yates' new mock draft checks off both boxes in the first two rounds.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire:
