2024 NFL Mock Draft: Green Bay Packers dream 7-round projection in late-January

Round 3, Pick 88: Tykee Smith, Safety, Georgia

The Packers safety position is currently held by Jonathan Owens (58 tackles, 3 passes defended) and Darnell Savage (36 tackles and 1 pass defended). Neither player recorded an interception in 2023. Georgia safety Tykee Smith had 4 interceptions and 65 total tackles last season. Opposing quarterbacks suffered a rating of just 52.7 when targeting him in the passing game.

He is a bit of an overachiever, who was just a 3-star recruit coming out of high school. He has gotten better every season, which shows a willingness to learn, and high effort. Shows some physicality on tackles, with quite a few big hits last season. When he does intercept the ball, he has great instincts and is a playmaker.

He does tend to get a little bit handsy in coverage and can be beaten on double moves, or by sharp route runners. He is not the best in man coverage. The Packers will get the most out of him, using him as an in-the-box safety, or true strong safety.

Round 3, Pick 91: Malachi Corley, Wide Receiver, Western Kentucky

You can never give a young quarterback too many weapons. Jordan Love did a great job of spreading the ball around in 2023 and got great contributions from Romeo Doubs (59 Catches for 674 yards, and 8 touchdowns) and rookie Jayden Reed (64 catches for 793 yards and 8 touchdowns). His third-best receiver, Christian Watson, managed just 28 catches on the season.

With the 91st pick in the draft, they select Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley. He is the perfect slot receiver to hit on quick slants and crosses. He does run a 4.46 second forty, so he can go deep if you sleep on his speed. At Western Kentucky last season he hauled in 75 catches for 959 yards and 11 touchdowns. This was actually down from 2022 when he had 90 catches for 1,168 yards and 9 touchdowns. Since he first arrived at WKU, Corley has been able to add 25 pounds of muscle to his frame.

With his extra weight, he doesn’t just juke slower defenders when he has the ball in his hands, he can bulldoze smaller corners who try to tackle him. He catches the ball very well away from his body, giving him a bigger catch radius than his 5’11 frame suggests he might have. He does need to sharpen up his route running, and would not be a fit as an outside receiver, but he will fit perfectly into what the Packers need him to do.