Packers swing trade, land WR
Green Bay has history of productive second-round wideouts
North Dakota State’s Christian Watson will try to become the latest wide receiver to find success with Green Bay after getting drafted in the second round.
The Packers traded up 19 spots Friday to take Watson with the 34th selection, giving Minnesota the Nos. 53 and 59 picks in the deal.
Watson has family ties to the Packers’ organization. Green Bay drafted his father, former Howard defensive back Tim Watson, in the sixth round in 1993.
Though the Packers haven’t selected a wide receiver in the first round since taking Florida State’s Javon Walker 20th overall in 2002, they’ve developed a knack over the last couple of decades for finding productive wideouts in the second round.
One of those was Davante Adams, who went 53rd in
2014 out of Fresno State and earned All-pro honors each of the past two seasons. Green Bay traded Adams to the Raiders last month in a deal that brought them this year’s 22nd and 53rd picks.
Other receivers to have productive seasons with the Packers after getting drafted in the second round include Greg Jennings (2006), Jordy Nelson (2008) and Randall Cobb (2011).
Wide receiver was a major need for Green Bay that was exacerbated by Adams’ exit.
Green Bay lost two other wideouts to free agency when Marquez Valdes-scantling joined Kansas City and Equanimeous St. Brown signed with Chicago, though the Packers added veteran receiver Sammy Watkins.
The Packers’ top returning receiver is Allen Lazard, who had 40 catches for 513 yards and eight touchdowns last season. No other wideout on Green Bay’s roster had as many as 400 yards receiving last season.
■ Jets: Breece Hall got his moment — and hug from Roger Goodell — on stage at the draft. It just took a few hours.
The former Iowa State running back was drafted by New York with the No. 36 pick after the Jets moved up two spots by trading with the Giants. He was the first running back drafted this year.
Hall was staying at a hotel and watching the draft but didn’t attend. He instead was celebrating with friends and family when he received the call from New York and his name was announced by former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Hall did a Zoom interview with reporters but then went to the draft site. Wearing a Jets cap, Hall was allowed to walk on to the stage — both arms raised as fans in attendance cheered — and was greeted by a big hug from the commissioner.
■ Seahawks: Left tackle Charles Cross said he’s betting on himself by choosing to not have an agent to begin his NFL career.
Cross was selected with the No. 9 pick in the first round and was introduced at Seattle’s facility Friday. Cross said he’s created a team around him to help with business decisions — and specifically highlighted business manager Saint Omni, who was with him Friday — but that team doesn’t include an agent.
“I just had to bet on myself,” Cross said. “Bet on myself and save some money in the long run.”
Cross said he spoke with a couple of former Mississippi State teammates who have chosen to represent themselves in the NFL and that helped solidify his decision.
“Just getting their input and insight on it really helped me make my decision,” Cross said. “I feel like I have a great team around me.”
■ Ravens: Michigan edge rusher David Ojabo is going from one Harbaugh to another. Baltimore selected the second-team All-american in the second round with the 45th pick. Ojabo was pegged as a possible first-rounder before he tore the Achilles tendon in his left leg during a pro day workout.
Ojabo, who was born in Nigeria and raised in Scotland, had a breakout season as a junior with 11 sacks playing for Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and then-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who had been an assistant for John Harbaugh with the Ravens.
Macdonald returned to Baltimore this offseason to become defensive coordinator for John and will be coaching Ojabo again.
■ Titans: Wide receiver Treylon Burks, an Arkansas product drafted at No. 18, likes to go fishing and hunting with a bow. He also likes to hunting wild boar with his dogs and a knife. It’s a quality that might make a receiver unafraid of any defender on a football field. And it’s a hobby that might cause a general manager to insert a clause prohibiting boar hunting in the offseason. GM Jon Robinson said he might offer up grocery store coupons to Burks. “He can just go to the back aisle and get bacon and sausage,” Robinson said.
■ Patriots: New England selected maybe the fastest receiver in this year’s draft when it picked Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton with the 50th selection. The Patriots traded up to get Thornton, who ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, best of any receiver.