By MARQUES EVERSOLL

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst turned to his former mentor Ted Thompson, and asked, “Which one?” (That didn’t actually happen, but maybe it should when it comes time to pick a wide receiver in the 2018 NFL Draft.)

Thompson’s track record selecting wide receivers in the second and third round speaks for itself; Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Greg Jennings. The only question that still exists regarding Thompson’s early-round picks at the position is whether or not Terrance Murphy — the first receiver he drafted — would have had similar NFL success, if not for suffering a career-ending neck injury in his third game. Adams — the last receiver Thompson drafted in the early rounds — is newly-paid and firmly entrenched as the team’s No. 1 receiver. But, after Adams? Who knows?

Gone are the days of the natural “next-man-up” at receiver in Green Bay: After Driver, there was Jennings, and then Jones, and then Nelson, and so on. Now, the Packers are just one injury away from asking Geronimo Allison, Michael Clark, DeAngelo Yancey or Trevor Davis to step into a role they may not be ready for. Beyond that, the actual “ceiling” is more of a question with late-round or undrafted players.

It’s time for Gutekunst — preferably with the help of Thompson — to invest an early draft pick into the position. So, who?

There was an obvious pattern for wide receivers that Ted Thompson brought to Green Bay, as outlined by Justis Mosqueda at Cheesehead TV.

• Minimum height: 5’ 11 7/8”
• 40-yard dash cutoff: 4.56 seconds
• 3-cone drill cutoff: 7.08 seconds

Of course, there can be exceptions to every “rule.” Randall Cobb, for example, was well below the height requirement, but the Packers felt good about the value they were getting when he was still on the board with the 64th pick in the 2011 draft. But overall, there’s a “type” that Thompson favored in a wide receiver; therefore, there’s a clear guide to which receivers could interest the Packers.

 

Who fits the “Thompson Type” at WR?

D.J. Moore — Maryland — 6’ 0” 210 — 4.42 — 6.95

I’m not the first (or the last) on the D.J. Moore Bandwagon, but he was the first receiver in this class that I really developed a #DraftCrush for. Before the combine, Moore was commonly projected as a Day 2 pick, but I believe he’s the best receiver in the draft. He’s one of those guys that should excel in any scheme because he makes something happen on his own. He should come off the board much closer to the Packers’ first-round pick at No. 14 than their second-round pick at No. 45, and because I expect the Packers to go defense first, and wide receiver second or third, the Packers may be out of Moore’s range. (Although, the thought of D.J. Moore and Davante Adams playing together is enticing.)

Calvin Ridley — Alabama — 6’ 1/2” 189 — 4.43 — 6.88

Highly recruited out of high school and widely regarded as the top wideout in this year’s draft, Ridley didn’t disappoint during his tenure at Alabama. At the combine, he didn’t test overly well athletically, but was consistently the Crimson Tide’s most dangerous weapon for three years. In terms of former Alabama receivers, Ridley is clearly closer to Amari Cooper than the physically freakish Julio Jones, but like both of them, Ridley projects to come off the board in the first round.

Courtland Sutton — SMU — 6’ 3 3/8” 218 — 4.54 — 6.57

From a size and speed standpoint, Sutton is an intriguing option if the Packers want to replace Jordy Nelson with someone who looks like Jordy Nelson on paper. Ten years ago, Nelson measured 6’ 2 5/8” 217 pounds and clocked 4.51 in the 40 — not far off from the slightly taller Sutton. Although he’s not a burner and won’t necessarily keep safeties on their heels with his straight-line speed, Sutton does everything well. He’s got great size, good hands, and fights for extra yardage. Not only does he fit the Packers’ thresholds, but he’d be far-and-away the biggest receiver the Packers have drafted since Thompson took over as general manager. To me, that’s intriguing. Some expect Sutton to go in the middle of the first round, while others think he’ll come off the board in the middle of the second.

D.J. Chark — LSU — 6’ 2 7/8″ 199 — 4.34 — DNP (3-cone)

This is a tough evaluation because there seems to be a law that LSU must be inept at throwing the football. Just a year ago, that same “unknown factor” led to a lot of excitement regarding seventh-round pick Malachi Dupre because we all wondered what a good quarterback could do for Dupre. Chark is undoubtedly more talented than Dupre, as he stood out at the Senior Bowl and blazed a 4.34 in the 40-yard-dash. Despite the questions that come along with playing a co-dependent position in LSU’s often one-dimensional offense, the one thing Chark is undoubtedly good at is also the one thing the Packers are lacking at wide receiver: Speed. Chark is fast, and can blow the top off a defense.

Dante Pettis — Washington — 6’ 1/2” 186 — 4.49 — DNP (3-cone)

He may not project as a No. 1 option at the NFL level, but he’s got added value as a return man. Pettis played as the Huskies’ primary punt returner as a true freshman, took his return game to another level as a sophomore, and then exploded as a junior, as he caught 15 touchdowns as the team’s No. 1 receiver. He doesn’t have the “ceiling” of other receivers in this class, but he’s a polished route runner, and he’s one of those players that just smells like a Packer.

Michael Gallup — Colorado State — 6’ 3/4” 205 — 4.51 — 6.95

He’s a competitor; Gallup is tough and physical. Once he has the ball, Gallup is amongst the top receivers in this year’s draft. There are some similarities between Gallup and Davante Adams, as neither have top-end speed to threaten defenses deep, but they play faster than they time, and both can get up fight for contested catches anywhere on the field. Also, like Adams, Gallup put up big numbers in his only two years of major college football. Gallup had 176 catches, 2,685 yards and 21 touchdowns; Adams had 233 catches, 3,030 yards and 38 touchdowns at Fresno State. (Which remains ridiculous.)

 

Who doesn’t fit the “Thompson Type,” but came close?

Anthony Miller — Memphis — 5’ 11 1/8” 201 — 4.50 — 6.65

The only threshold that Miller doesn’t fit is that he’s 3/4 of an inch short of Thompson’s preferred height. However, Thompson picked Greg Jennings in the second round in 2006, and Jennings was the exact same height as Miller at the combine. Miller is a complete receiver that threatens the defense with the deep ball and competes for catches over the middle, giving him some value on the second day of the draft. He went from being a walk-on at Memphis to racking up 1,434 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. Miller has drawn comparisons to Jennings, as outlined by Zach Kruse at The Packers Wire.

Christian Kirk — Texas A&M — 5’ 10 3/8” 201 — 4.45 — 7.09

The first time I really dove into this year’s class, I thought Kirk might be the best receiver in the draft. Upon further review, he’s not WR1 for me, but there’s a reason he adopted the nickname “Baby Beckham” at Texas A&M. (And it’s not just because he wore the No. 3 in college, a la Odell Beckham Jr. at LSU.) Kirk falls short of the Packers’ thresholds by more than an inch, and just barely shy of their 7.08-second mark for the three-cone drill. That said, his testing numbers could be considered “close enough,” as the Packers did with Randall Cobb, who actually measured 1/8” shorter than Kirk.

 

Who doesn’t fit the “Thompson Type,” but seems like a fit?

James Washington — Oklahoma State — 5’ 11” 213 — 4.54 — 7.11

Washington is “too short” and “not quick enough” by the Packers’ thresholds for height and three-cone drill. However, to me, he just seems like the kind of guy the Packers need at wide receiver. Washington looks more like a running back than a wide receiver, but he’s an excellent deep threat, and racked up at least 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons at Oklahoma State. Last year, Washington racked up 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns, and averaged 20.9 yards-per catch, which earned him the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. He was the best receiver at the Senior Bowl, received rave reviews for his drill work at the combine, and reportedly put on a show at his Pro Day. To me, Washington makes a ton of sense for the Packers. If not for the “thresholds,” Washington would be my receiver who most “smells like a a Packer.”