Packers Urged to Land Former High School Basketball Star, 5-Star Recruit

Getty The Green Bay Packers could add even more help on the offensive line in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Green Bay Packers have had a history of drafting top-tier athletes over the last few years, and general manager Brian Gutekunst could take another big swing in 2023 by landing a former two-sport star.

Building out the offensive line through the draft has been a top priority for the Packers over the years. Just this past offseason, the Packers drafted three players on the offensive line in Zach Tom, Sean Rhyan, and Rasheed Walker, while all five current preferred starters were drafted or picked up by Green Bay as undrafted free agents at the beginning of their careers.

Now, the Packers could take another swing at a star offensive lineman according to Mike Tanier with Football Outsiders. In his recent mock draft, Tanier had the Packers taking Georgia left tackle Broderick Jones in the first round.

“Relying on David Bakhtiari to stay healthy becomes a worse idea every year,” Tanier said. “Zach Tom looks like a starting tackle of the future, but the Packers will need two of them soon. Jones is still growing into his role, and the best time to draft a tackle is the year before you absolutely have to.”

The Packers could go in a different direction in the first round in April, perhaps taking a player like Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. However, a long-term successor at left tackle like Jones could give the Packers some impressive depth in 2023.


Could David Bakhtiari Retire After This Season?

Drafting a backup left tackle in 2023 seems like a luxury for the Packers, but considering where All-Pro David Bakhtiari is at in his career, it’s not a bad idea to have some insurance at the position.

The Packers and Bakhtiari have continued to manage the left tackle’s knee two years after he suffered a torn ACL. The injury has had a long-term impact on Bakhtiari, who is still regularly limited during the team’s practices to keep him healthy for games. Even then, Bakhtiari has been a late scratch for games, including against the Buffalo Bills this season.

Even when Bakhtiari was able to string a handful of consecutive games together, bad luck struck again when the veteran had an emergency appendectomy that kept him out of multiple games.

However, Bakhtiari has played at an extremely high level when out on the field this season. Pro Football Focus has listed him as the sixth-best offensive tackle by pass-blocking grade with zero sacks and nine pressures allowed all season. Still, at 31 years old Bakhtiari’s grueling rehab from his knee injury could have understandably taken a mental toll on the Packers star, and retirement could very much be on the table in 2023.


Broderick Jones Could Be a Future Star

It’s a competitive draft class at the offensive tackle position in 2023, but Jones has one of the most interesting backgrounds in the group.

Coming out of high school in 2020, Jones was a 5-star recruit and one of the top offensive tackles in the country. Along with the national recognition as a football recruit, Jones was also a basketball star in his high school, helping lead his team to a 21-10 record as a skilled post player as a junior.

After redshirting his first season, Jones appeared in every game for the Bulldogs in 2021, playing a big part in the team’s final stretch run as national champions. He took over as the starting left tackle in 2022, where he has been instrumental in leading the team back to their second straight national championship game.

At 6’4″ and 310 pounds, Jones is a powerful tackle prospect with good movement skills, helping him earn first-team All-SEC honors in the process. With his background and play on film, it’s easy to see why Jones is considered a first-round prospect heading into the 2023 draft.

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