Green Bay Packers early 2021 NFL mock draft: WR early and often

Expect anything different here in the first round? I sure hope not. Wide receiver is still one of the biggest needs for the Green Bay Packers, and the good news for them is that the 2021 NFL Draft class might be better than the 2020 version. There’s some excellent talent at the top that may carry it, and many others that look like viable contributors.

Here, the Packers select Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman. Bateman had an incredible breakout season as a sophomore, catching 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns. Great things could be in store for Bateman in 2020, and there are analysts who have him pegged as the top prospect at wide receiver from summer scouting.

Bateman is pretty well-rounded as a receiver. He possesses a solid release package and has a diverse route tree. Bateman is a pretty good salesman who can confuse defensive backs and set them up on double moves. He’s dynamite at winning vertically with straight-line speed and has very good hands and a knack for tracking the football well.

Having Bateman in the building to play opposite of Adams would be a dream come true, and there’s little doubt that Rodgers would build trust with him early on in his career.