Matt Miller Mock Draft Projects Packers to Draft 2 High-IQ Players

We have finally arrived at Super Bowl week. While the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles still have their eyes on hoisting the trophy, 30 other teams have already shifted their focus to the offseason. Much of this offseason process will be focused on the 2023 NFL Draft. For the Green Bay Packers, it's almost exclusively on the draft, since they are allergic to outside free agents.

Many draft experts around the industry are producing their own 2023 NFL Mock Draft, hoping to predict what will happen come late April. ESPN's Matt Miller recently published his updated two-round NFL Mock Draft, which has the Packers drafting two players. Let's take a look.

Green Bay Packers Draft Picks

The 2023 Green Bay Packers draft picks do not include compensatory picks, which have not been announced yet.

• Round 1, Pick 15
• Round 2, Pick 45
• Round 3, Pick 78
• Round 4, Pick 113
• Round 5, Pick 146
• Round 7, Pick 201
• Round 7, Pick 210
• Round 7, Pick 216

Photo byStuart McNair/247Sports

Matt Miller NFL Mock Draft Packers Picks

Round 1, Pick 15 — Brian Branch, S/CB, Alabama

Clearly, this is a pick that I like, since it was the same choice in my Packers NFL Mock Draft a month ago. It also fills a massive need for the Green Bay defense, regardless of how they use Brian Branch from Alabama.

The Crimson Tide mostly played Branch at slot. Even though the Packers have invested in three cornerbacks, all of them are outside corners, forcing one (typically Rasul Douglas) to play out of position. Drafting Branch means he can play the star role in this defense, but it also means moving one of the other three corners. For those who listen to Lombardi Sweep, you know how I feel about Eric Stokes, but the Packers won't move on from him. There is a chance, however, that they move Douglas out of position even further by playing him at safety.

Knowing Green Bay, they would likely draft Brian Branch to play him exclusively at safety. While this wouldn't be his best position, he would still likely be a solid player and clearly fill a need.

Round 2, Pick 45 — Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

The second-round pick in the Matt Miller NFL Mock Draft 2023 for the Green Bay Packers is Luke Musgrave, tight end out of Oregon State.

We know the Packers don't want to draft a first-round receiving target, but it's fair game in any round after that. Luke Musgrave is the nephew of long-time offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. He is also an athletic, 6-foot-6 tight end that could add a new dimension to the Packers' offense.

Coming from a football family, he appears to be a high-IQ player, and he was also a multi-sport athlete. These are both things the Packers love.

However, Musgrave is also coming off a season in which he played just two games. He injured his knee early and never returned. However, if Musgrave played for a school that wasn't Oregon State and he had something to play for, he likely could have returned from his injury during the season. Some would view his opting to train for the draft as a red flag as well, but that is clearly up for interpretation.