Photo credit: Kirthmon F. Dozer/MCT. (ChicagoTribune.com)

By: Marques Eversoll

This year’s top tight end Maxx Williams raised eyebrows when he was clocked unofficially at 4.90 in his first crack at the 40-yard dash. His official 40 time was 4.78, which looks a lot different than 4.90. Exhale.

But for Williams, who former NFL scout Dan Shonka told us last week could come off the board as early as No. 12 to Cleveland, 4.78 time was modest. Williams definitely did not go all Vernon Davis on everybody at the Combine.

If you watch Williams play football, however, he still looks like one of the 32 best players in the draft. If Williams’ lack of timed speed causes a draft-day fall … well, it shouldn’t.

Inside linebacker is the Packers’ most glaring hole, and a good linebacker would likely outweigh a good tight end in Ted Thompson’s eyes. But if the Packers are confident that Williams is a Day 1 starter, they may have a hard time not pulling the trigger at No. 30.

If Williams is gone, or the Packers choose to go in a different direction, Michigan wide receiver/“move” tight end Devin Funchess becomes an interesting option. Funchess could potentially be the team’s new “Jermichael Finley,” which would re-introduce another dimension to the offense.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound playmaker shined despite playing on some poor Michigan teams, who managed just a 6-10 conference record the past two seasons. Funchess’ 40 time (4.70) doesn’t exactly help himself – it was the worst time of all wide receivers. But if he worked out at tight end, he’d have the third-fastest time.

If the Packers are to draft a tight end early, it’ll be a player tha does some things Richard Rodgers may not be able to do. Rodgers struggled as a blocker as a rookie, and questions regarding his ability to work the seam and stretch the defense remain.

Funchess, whether he’s listed as a receiver or tight end, is a big target who can work the middle of the field and cause matchup problems. He’s coming off a year at Michigan in which he caught a career-high 62 passes as a full-time wide receiver, but just one year earlier, Funchess was named the Big Ten Tight End of the Year. He doesn’t really have a true position; he may line up on the line, and can definitely operate out of the slot and on the perimeter. Funchess described himself as a “ballplayer.”

While Williams looks like the more “sure thing” – a long-term starter – the intrigue with Funchess is based on potential. Funchess will likely contribute as a rookie, but he won’t turn 21 until three weeks after the draft. He’s not quite Giannis Antetokounmpo in terms of a “what could he be in a few years,” but it’s that same conversation. He’s young with a seemingly limitless future.

Funchess measured 6’ 4.25” and 232 pounds. Finley, at the 2008 combine, checked in at 6’ 4.5”, 243; the third-year sophomore from Texas clocked a pedestrian 4.82 in the 40, then got it down to a 4.66 at his Pro Day. Finley had a 27.5” vertical, whereas Funchess jumps out of the gym – watch the video – and posted a 38.5” vertical this weekend.

The Packers took a flier on Finley in the third round, and he only managed six catches as a rookie. To get Funchess, you’d likely have to spend either a first or second-round pick. (Yes, even after the 4.70.) Still a couple months before the draft, his “stock” – real or manufactured – could fluctuate. Either way, it’d be a big investment. But it’s an investment that could pay off in a big way for the Packers.

Richard Rodgers emerged late in the season and played 543 snaps – a nice early return for a third-round rookie. Perhaps he’s in for an expanded role as a sophomore, but certainly, you’d figure Williams – as a rookie and moving forward – has a higher ceiling and lower floor than Rodgers. And Funchess, regardless of his official position, could blossom into something even better than both. Mike Mayock, per The Detroit News, compared Funchess to Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (6-5, 240) and Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (6-7, 265).

Even the Packers re-sign Randall Cobb, as most expect will be the case, questions remain about the team’s depth with their offensive weapons. Beyond Pro Bowl receivers Cobb and Jordy Nelson, the Packers have an encouraging, if-not green Davante Adams, a young guy everyone loves despite a lack of meaningful on-field production in Jeff Janis, an in-state guy who missed his entire rookie season due to injury in Jared Abbrederis, and then you have Jarrett Boykin. At tight end, it’s Rodgers and Andrew Quarless.

On top of retaining Cobb, giving the league’s MVP another weapon is never a bad idea.

If Aaron Rodgers is throwing passes to receivers Nelson, Cobb and Adams, and a tight end like Maxx Williams or a tight-end-or-whatever in Devin Funchess, the league’s top scoring offense would figure to be even more explosive.

Marques Eversoll is on-air on SportsLine every weekday afternoon from 4:00-6:00 PM on The Fan, and he hosts the Saturday Morning Showcase every weekend 8:00-10:00 AM. Follow him on Twitter @MarquesEversoll.