Green Bay Packers 2020 NFL Draft Reactions

The 2020 NFL Draft has concluded, and the Green Bay Packers had a very surprising class that left fans both angry and indifferent on why the team went about their selections as they did.   

Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst came into his third draft with a mindset that nobody expected.  

The Packers were one game away from the Super Bowl this past season under first-year head coach Matt LaFleur.  

We are about halfway through the first round of the draft and the Packers currently hold the 30th overall pick. There were rumors before the draft had started that Gutekunst Wanted to make some moves during the draft, including trading of wanted to make some moves during the draft, including trading up or even thinking about taking a quarterback.  

The Packers traded up to 26 with the Miami Dolphins pick. Several Packer fans expected this pick to be a wide receiver or LSU linebacker Patrick Queen.  

Well, the rumors were right all along that Gutekunst wanted to select a quarterback.  

With the 26th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers selected Utah State quarterback and potential Aaron Rodgers successor Jordan Love.  

Many Packer fans did not see this coming. Some were even unhappy about the selection and thought it was too early to think about our future at the quarterback position.  

Michael Erb has been a Packer fan his whole life, and the moment he heard Jordan Love’s name called, he couldn’t believe what transpired.  

“In the moment I was in awe,” said Erb. “I couldn’t believe we just took a quarterback. I knew how talented and capable Jordan Love was good, but at the same time I was really hoping for Patrick Queen when we moved up.”  

Packers Twitter was all over the place. Some even went overboard and started a #fireGutey trend.  

“My suggestion to all the armchair GMs out there is to watch some film on Love,” Erb said. “He can make all of the pro throws.” 

One piece of tape that stood out to Erb was when Jordan Love through a 45-yard pass on the run against Michigan State.  

“I can’t name many NFL QBs consistently through 45 yards while being chased out of the pocket,” said Erb.  

Josh Amacher is the Packers lead writer for Cream City Central and he was just as surprised as every other Packer fan. However, he has started to think about the upside of things. 

“I have since accepted the fact that Jordan Love going to be the next packers QB and I actually like the pick,” said Amacher.  

Matt Stoikes was another fan that was shocked at first by the pick until he watched some film on Jordan Love.  

“I’m excited to see what the future holds at QB,” said Stoikes.  

The next pick stayed on the offensive side of ball and it was not a receiver. The Packers selected Boston College running back AJ Dillon. This pick made fans even more furious while others like Stoikes were quite surprised about it.  

“I was surprised, but I think he’s a version of Derrick Henry,” Stoikes said. “I think he’ll fit into LaFleur’s system well.”   

Dillon was Amacher’s favorite pick in the Packers draft class.  

“Dillon is the guy who is going to help out immediately in this draft class,” Amacher said. “Sure, the Packers have Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, but Dillon has a different running style, so he brings a whole new dimension to the Packers.”   

Packers Twitter started to calm down a bit once day three of the draft started. Many were unhappy with our first three picks. But as soon as the Packers drafted a current position of need, Packers fans started rejoicing.  

“I love our day three picks,” said Erb.  

The day three pick that stood out to Erb the most was Jake Hansen from Oregon.  

“Looking at his film and his stats, there is no reason he shouldn’t be a starter in the next 2 to 3 years,” said Erb. “He also fits in perfectly with his versatility.”   

When the draft concluded, not a single wide receiver was selected by the Packers. The wide receiver draft class was the deepest it has been in recent years. Several Packer fans had their wish list of wide receivers they were hoping the team to select in the draft, and not one was taken by Green Bay.  

“It’s easy to play Monday quarterback,” Stoikes said. “The draft wasn’t flashy, but it fits the needs of the team. Wide receivers don’t win championships.”   

Several Packer fans were very indifferent on this draft class. But Stoikes didn’t mind it at all. 

“I loved it,” said Stoikes. “They found their next workhorse running back, a replacement for Rodgers, O-Line help and some players that fit into their future scheme.”   

Erb was also another fan who dove deeper into the draft class and started to like the Packers picks more.  

“Overall, I’m excited about the recent draft class,” said Erb. “It definitely wasn’t the draft I expected but I think it will be very interesting to see how the new pieces LaFleur has on offense will fit into his scheme.”   

The Packers have not made as much noise in free agency as last year when they spent most of their money addressing their defense in the Smith brothers and Adrian Amos.  

This season we saw key players leave for different teams like Bryan Bulaga and Blake Martinez.  

The Packers brought in Wisconsin native and former Detroit Lion Rick Wagner to replace Bulaga and signed former Carolina Panther and Indianapolis Colt Devin Funchess.  

There are many fans who believe the Packers need to address the wide receiver position more. However, Erb doesn’t think the team needs to address it as heavy as people say.  

“I don’t think we will add any more substantial wide receiver depth,” said Erb. “I believe we could grab a couple of guys closer to the preseason that are under the radar. People are under rating the value of Devin Funchess.”   

The Packers offseason has been very interesting to say the least. They are one of the teams that are currently getting the most attention right now by the media.  

The Aaron Rodgers/Jordan Love saga has begun and several people including former Packers quarterback Brett Favre are beginning to think that Rodgers will not finish out his four-year contract and be on a different team before he retires.  

“If there are issues between Rodgers and the team, then I think he should go,” said Stoikes. “He’s on the wrong side of 30 and he’s not as mobile as he used to be. I’ll always appreciate him bringing a Super Bowl to Wisconsin, but he needs to jump on board with the direction the team wants to go or hit the road.”  

 
Amacher also shared his thoughts on the whole Rodgers/Love situation.  

“The Packers won’t trade Rodgers,” said Amacher. “I believe they will allow him to at least play out the rest of his contract, if not that, at least the next 2-3 years.” 

The media has been all over the place with the Rodgers/Love situation. Some believe that since Rodgers has four years remaining on his contract, Jordan Love could be used as trade bait. Amacher says otherwise.  

“I do believe the Jordan Love will be the next starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers,” said Amacher. “I don’t believe that GM Brian Gutekunst would have made such a controversial move if he didn’t believe that Love was going to be the next QB.”   

The Green Bay Packers 2020 NFL draft class was surprising to say the least, but some fans have started to think about the upside of the picks. The team was one game away from the Super Bowl, an accomplishment that many thought the team would not come close to during Matt LaFleur’s rookie campaign.  

With the Packers draft class, it seems as if Brian Gutekunst has nearly secured the future of the franchise, and that is just one of the many positives that Packer fans can take from this draft.