NFL Draft: 5 players Packers should draft in first round

5 players Packers should pick in the first round of the NFL Draft

3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba

At some point, the Packers’ front office needs to spend serious resources on building a receiver corps capable of troubling opposing defensive coordinators. This could be the year when Green Bay actually selects a wideout in Round 1.

Smith-Njigba struggled mightily with injuries at Ohio State last season, but his exploits at the combine have his draft stock on the rise. He disappointed some teams with his decision not to run the 40-yard dash, but the rest of his testing profiled him as a potential No. 1 receiver.

Pairing Smith-Njigba with Christian Watson would give the Packers two young wide receivers to build around. Smith-Njigba’s ability to operate on the outside or in the slot would preserve valuable flexibility for Green Bay as they look to round the group out. It would even leave the door open for an Allen Lazard return if his asking price doesn’t skyrocket in free agency.

Smith-Njibga might profile more comfortably as a No. 2 wide receiver on a good team, but Green Bay would benefit from that sort of addition in Round 1. He shouldn’t be confused with the likes of Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave from last year’s draft class, but Smith-Njigba is a quality prospect in his own right.