Green Bay Packers: Who Has The Best Chance Of Being Team’s Rookie Of The Year?

The Green Bay Packers are going all-in on the youth movement. While a couple of veterans are still around, this roster is full of young players. For 2023, the Packers are counting on a lot of rookies to make a big impact. Which player has the best chance of being the team’s rookie of the year? Let’s go through the class and rank them.

Packers LB Lukas Van Ness (90) – Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK

The Green Bay Packers 2023 Class

Below is the list of rookies for 2023. This is a fairly big class, and I expect quite a lot of them to get significant playing time.

• Round 1 | Pick 13 
  Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa
• Round 2 | Pick 42 
  Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
• Round 2 | Pick 50 
  Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
• Round 3 | Pick 78
  Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
• Round 4 | Pick 116
  Colby Wooden, EDGE | Auburn
• Round 5 | Pick 149
  Sean Clifford, QB, Penn State
• Round 5 | Pick 159
  Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia
• Round 6 | Pick 179 
  Karl Brooks, DT, Bowling Green
• Round 6 | Pick 207
  Anders Carlson, K, Auburn
• Round 7 | Pick 232
  Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky
• Round 7 | Pick 235 
  Lew Nichols III, RB, Central Michigan
• Round 7 | Pick 242 
  Anthony Johnson Jr., S, Iowa State
• Round 7 | Pick 256
  Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte

Former Kentucky CB Carrington Valentine (14) – Jason Marcum/Sea of Blue

Tier 1: Players That Will Win Rookie Of The Year When Pigs Fly

Let’s get this list out of the way. These are players that I think have little to no chance of being the team’s rookie of the year. This does not mean that they are bad players. They simply will not see the field enough to make a lasting impact. Colby Wooden is behind Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, Rashan Gary, and probably fellow rookie Lukas Van Ness. Carrington Valentine and Lew Nichols III are in a similar situation. The depth chart dictates they will not see the field much. These are more long-term projects for the team, which is fine. It just doesn’t mean anything for this year.

Packers QB Sean Clifford (8) – Morry Gash/AP

Tier 2: Rookie Of The Year If Injuries Happen

These players could provide a spark if a significant injury happens. Let’s say Jordan Love goes down with an injury. Could Sean Clifford come in and right the ship? Maybe! This is the only way that he will probably see the field, and no one hopes injury on anyone. Karl Brooks is an interesting rookie for the Green Bay Packers but is behind Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt. Those two will most likely eat up most of the playing time, but if someone gets injured, he could have a chance to make an impact.

Former Auburn K Anders Carlson (26) – Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tier 3: The Special Teams Longshot

Having a kicker as your most impactful player from the draft class is usually not great. However, if Anders Carlson wins the job, he has a chance to make a huge impact on the team. Mason Crosby has had to make some big kicks in his time with Green Bay. That job could fall onto Carlson now. If he goes above 90% in field goals and perfect in extra points, it would be huge for the special teams unit.

Former Charlotte WR Grant DuBose (14) – Charlotte Athletics

Tier 4: Seventh-Round Longshots

Speaking of longshots, there are a couple of seventh-rounders that I could see making some noise. WR Grand DuBose is a fun player. The wide receiver room is full of young players. While Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson most likely have the top two spots on the depth chart locked up, the third spot is wide open. If DuBose impresses in training camp, he could see some snaps this year.

The other rookie is Anthony Johnson Jr., the safety out of Iowa State. I was high on this player in the pre-draft process and was ecstatic when the Packers took him. With how thin the team is at safety, Johnson Jr. could get a huge opportunity. If he locks down the starting role, the Packers could save themselves the search for a new safety.

Packers TE Tucker Kraft (85) – Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK

Tier 5: The Almost Favorites

I have three players in this group. Wicks, the fifth-round receiver out of Virginia, could get a lot of opportunities on the outside. If he can stretch the field and become a huge target for Love, his stats could be very good in 2023. Tucker Kraft is another interesting prospect. He was the second tight end the Packers took, and he is coming from the FCS level.

While I love his tape, I think he needs a year or two before he becomes a lethal weapon. Finally, in this tier is the first-round pick Lukas Van Ness. I believe the Green Bay Packers will use the Rashan Gary route with Van Ness. He will get some playing time, but not enough to make the maximum impact. Van Ness may be the best player on the field in a couple of years but not in 2023.

Packers WR Jayden Reed (11) – Michael Owens/Getty Images

Tier 6: The Green Bay Packers Rookie Of The Year Front-Runners

I have two rookies that I could see having a huge impact on the field in 2023. The first is Luke Musgrave. Injuries were what hindered him in college. If healthy, he could be devastating over the middle of the field. The early returns in practice have looked great and there is a lot of excitement around Musgrave. The second player is Jayden Reed, the wide receiver out of Michigan State.

Reed is a stereotypical slot receiver. He is small but has great speed and elusiveness. I see Matt LaFleur using him in unique ways and he also could get some playing time returning punts. Reed could have a huge year in the offense and easily be the best player from the class.

The Green Bay Packers are going to be fun to watch this year. While there may be many mistakes, watching young players is a lot of fun.