![]() The injuries could mean Musgrave has a steeper learning curve than Kraft, whose blocking will help him get on the field and make some noise right away.The Green Bay Packers seemed to have everything going their way from the help they needed from other teams to winning four games in a row. He played in 10 games in 2021 but only had 22 receptions. Musgrave suffered a season-ending knee injury at Oregon State last year after just two games. The difference in college experience could come into play too. The 6'5", 254-pound tight end is a better natural blocker, which means his path to early playing time could be cleaner than Musgrave's. Kraft is a more traditional tight end with some receiving versatility thrown in. He could wind up being a Mike Gesicki-type jumbo slot player. The 6'6", 253-pound Musgrave has higher potential as a receiver. While Musgrave and Kraft play the same position, they are different players. Much like Elijah Mitchell was a more productive back as a sixth-rounder in 2021 for the San Francisco 49ers than third-round pick Trey Sermon, Kraft could outshine his draft peer. Just because the Packers took tight end Luke Musgrave in the second round with the 42nd pick before circling back to the position to draft third-rounder Tucker Kraft with the 78th pick doesn't mean Musgrave will be the more impactful player in 2023. The reset gives Reed a great opportunity to assert himself as one of the team's top receivers as a rookie. He will be a reliable target who can take on a variety of route responsibilities, though mostly from the slot," B/R's Derrik Klassen noted before comparing Reed to Sterling Shepard in his scouting report.Īs Jordan Love takes over at quarterback, the target distribution within the offense will depend on his skill set and chemistry. "Reed's requisite speed and high-level ball skills are enough to make him an early contributor. The 5'11", 187-pound Spartan can make a living on underneath routes while possessing the ability to win more contested catches than you would think for a guy his size. While Watson and Doubs are primarily outside receivers who can win on deep routes, Reed is more suited for the slot. Reed represents a missing piece in the current crop of receivers. He was the 81st player on our big board, but that doesn't mean he won't make an impact right away. The Michigan State receiver went earlier than expected. The Packers took a step toward solidifying that area when they drafted Jayden Reed in the second round. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs both gave reasons to believe they will be part of the group for the foreseeable future, but the depth behind them is murky. It's safe to say the receiving corps is a work in progress. The Packers needed that coming into the draft, and he should instantly help the defense. For now, he's a perfect third edge-rusher who can bump inside on passing downs. He needs to add finesse pass-rush moves to his arsenal, and that should come with NFL coaching. He can probably line up as a 3-tech occasionally as well," B/R's Matt Holder wrote about Van Ness in his scouting report. "Van Ness would be best as a hand-in-the-ground defensive end in even fronts, but he has the size, strength and versatility to play as a 4i-technique in odd fronts, too. Van Ness is an athletically gifted power rusher with the potential to build versatility into his game. Iowa had one of the best defenses in the country, and Van Ness was younger than the starters. That didn't stop him from racking up 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks over the last two seasons with the Hawkeyes. That's OK-Van Ness didn't even start at Iowa. ![]() Preston Smith and Rashan Gary have the starting edge spots on lock. First-round pick Lukas Van Ness doesn't figure to be a starter in his rookie season.
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