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The Green Bay Packers are likely to be in the market for a wide receiver in this year’s NFL Draft, and while the class may lack elite prospects in Round 1, there are still plenty of "Packers types" which Brian Gutekunst may target.
With Jayden Reed and Mecole Hardman on the roster, they are unlikely to be looking for a slot receiver. The general requirements Green Bay looks for in a perimeter receiver are:
Size: The smallest outside receiver Gutekunst has drafted is Samori Toure at 6-0 ⅔ and 191 pounds, but on average his receivers are more than 6-2 and around 204 pounds. Arm length may also be something Green Bay considers, with Grant DuBose the shortest for non-slot receivers at 31 ⅞".
Athleticism: Whether it is proven by the 40-yard dash, the vert and broad jump, or all three, the Packers want explosive athletes at receiver.
Extensive outside snaps: Even in their slot receivers, Green Bay has consistently drafted receivers who played the majority of their snaps outside in at least one of their final two seasons. The only exception under Gutekunst was Amari Rodgers.
Production: Receivers generally need to have shown at least one year of good production to be in play for the Packers. Christian Watson’s 800-yard best season is the floor for receivers Gutekunst has drafted, and that was supplemented with seven touchdowns.
The top receivers in the 2025 class who fit, or closely fit the mold of a Green Bay perimeter wide receiver are:
Quickly becoming one of the more popular players among Packers fans hoping to see the team draft a receiver early, Higgins has been rising up the consensus big board of late, and is now into the top 50, making him a potential fringe first-round player for the right team.
Brian Gutekunst’s fetish for top end speed in his first-round picks makes Higgins an unlikely pick at No. 23, and taking him in Round 2 might require a trade up as his stock continues to rise.
A big receiver at over 6-4, 214 pounds, Higgins produced excellent athletic testing, completing every drill and earning a 9.63 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) for a receiver on a 0-10 scale, featuring elite scores in the vert and broad jumps.
His 4.47-speed is impressive for a man his size, but is not game breaking, and there is an argument to be made that the speed and explosiveness he showed in testing is not all that evident on tape.
Higgins is not a top tier separator, someone who is going to blow corners away with speed or make big plays after the catch, but he never drops the ball (seven drops in 350 college targets) and can use his size to make contested catches. The athleticism he showed at the combine is just a bonus.
The 22-year-old has played almost 1,300 snaps on the perimeter and just shy of 270 inside, where he could fill a "power slot" role. Higgins would be a supercharged version of the skillset Romeo Doubs, and previously Allen Lazard, have provided.
Something of a polarizing player, Ayomanor ranks 64th on the consensus big board and is arguably the most likely pick for the Packers if they add a receiver in the early rounds.
Standing at just under 6-1 ⅔ and weighing 206 pounds, the former Stanford receiver ran a 4.44 and like Higgins, had elite jumps. He did not do the agility testing but has an RAS of 9.71.
Unlike Higgins, Ayomanor’s explosive testing absolutely shows up on tape. He has easy speed and can create big plays on simple routes like slants and go’s. His quick twitch allows him to break corners off and generate clear separation.
Between his size, speed and quick feet, he has the natural tools that cannot be taught. He does not run a diverse route tree at this time, and his biggest issue, which will make Packers fans wince, is his hands.
Ayomanor had 12 drops (six in each of his two college seasons) on 216 college targets. He has shown a great ability to adjust to the ball in the air and use body control, but he needs to have more of a "my ball" mentality and use his size more to his advantage in contested situations.
He is an intense and aggressive blocker, something which will appeal to Matt LaFleur and help him see the field early, and has 130 slot snaps to add to his 820 perimeter snaps.
Originally from Canada, he picked up football late and at 21 years old on draft day, he still has plenty of room for growth.
Ayomanor put up 294 yards in the second half against Travis Hunter and the Colorado defense back in 2023. He is the type of high-ceiling player Green Bay often takes based on the tools, believing they can coach up the rest of his game.
Another big-bodied receiver, Harris is just under 6-2 ⅓, 205 pounds. He did not run as well as some others on this list, clocking in at 4.54 in the 40-yard dash, but he plays faster on tape and can eat up a cornerback’s cushion quickly. His jumps were impressive, proving his explosiveness.
Harris played in a simplistic offense at Ole Miss, but he showed nuance and detail even in his basic assignments, and impressed when given the odd opportunity to run real NFL receiver routes.
He was extremely productive in college, with three 900-plus yard seasons in his final three college seasons at Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss, racking up 25 touchdowns in that time. He has 148 slot snaps to go with his 1,116 perimeter snaps.
His lack of elite testing speed could hurt his chances of being selected by the Packers in round two, where his consensus big board ranking of 60th would imply, as could his age. Harris just turned 23.
In Royals, the Packers could return to Jordan Love’s alma mater to get him another weapon in the passing game. At No. 79 on the consensus big board, he would be an option in Round 2 or 3.
At 6-0 even and 205 pounds, he is on the smaller side for how Gutekunst has drafted outside receivers, but he is big enough.
His 30 ⅞” arms could prove a stumbling block. Gutekunst would need to see Greg Jennings, whom his predecessor Ted Thompson drafted, and had shorter arms, in Royals’ profile to make an exception.
Royals tested very well at the combine and his pro day. Despite recently recovering from injury, he did every drill, running 4.42 and earning an overall RAS of 9.01.
A late bloomer due to focusing mostly on basketball in his youth, he was a no-star recruit coming out of high school, before finally latching on at Utah State.
He just turned 22 and played essentially two seasons of college football, but was very productive in his short time, amassing over 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Utah State offense asked Royals to line up wide to the left of the quarterback, often extremely close to the sideline, and run a lot of simple routes, so there is still development to be had as a route runner, although he performed well in that regard at the Senior Bowl.
Royals was productive after the catch, something the Packers often look for in receivers, with his speed really proving a weapon with the ball in his hands. He has 732 outside and 109 inside snaps under his belt, although his size may project more to the slot.
Whether Green Bay thinks he can be a perimeter receiver for them or not will probably swing his chances of being a Packer one way or the other.
A potential target in Round 3 at the earliest, Horton is currently 107th on the consensus big board and has an interesting profile.
Despite having played five college seasons, he is still only 22 years old; a rare blend of youth and experience. Prior to transferring to Colorado State, Horton actually played with Romeo Doubs at Nevada.
He missed time with injury in 2024 but still topped 1,100 yards and had eight touchdowns in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. At 6-2 ⅖, 196 pounds, Horton possesses good size, although he does have shorter arms at 30 ⅝”.
Horton’s route tree is not especially broad, but he has a simple but effective skill set, getting open with good releases, making people miss after the catch. He can work over the middle of the field and is a reliable target for his quarterback, with a solid 16 drops on 379 targets.
His tape is strong, leaving many to wonder what the catch was. There was plenty of intrigue as to how he would test at the scouting combine. He answered any athleticism questions by blazing a 4.41 40 and also scoring well in the vert and broad jumps.
With over 1,200 career perimeter snaps and almost 320 in the slot, he could be a versatile piece to add to Green Bay’s receiver room in Round 3 or 4.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Top 5 'Packers type' wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
With Jayden Reed and Mecole Hardman on the roster, they are unlikely to be looking for a slot receiver. The general requirements Green Bay looks for in a perimeter receiver are:
Size: The smallest outside receiver Gutekunst has drafted is Samori Toure at 6-0 ⅔ and 191 pounds, but on average his receivers are more than 6-2 and around 204 pounds. Arm length may also be something Green Bay considers, with Grant DuBose the shortest for non-slot receivers at 31 ⅞".
Athleticism: Whether it is proven by the 40-yard dash, the vert and broad jump, or all three, the Packers want explosive athletes at receiver.
Extensive outside snaps: Even in their slot receivers, Green Bay has consistently drafted receivers who played the majority of their snaps outside in at least one of their final two seasons. The only exception under Gutekunst was Amari Rodgers.
Production: Receivers generally need to have shown at least one year of good production to be in play for the Packers. Christian Watson’s 800-yard best season is the floor for receivers Gutekunst has drafted, and that was supplemented with seven touchdowns.
The top receivers in the 2025 class who fit, or closely fit the mold of a Green Bay perimeter wide receiver are:
Jayden Higgins - Iowa State
Quickly becoming one of the more popular players among Packers fans hoping to see the team draft a receiver early, Higgins has been rising up the consensus big board of late, and is now into the top 50, making him a potential fringe first-round player for the right team.
Brian Gutekunst’s fetish for top end speed in his first-round picks makes Higgins an unlikely pick at No. 23, and taking him in Round 2 might require a trade up as his stock continues to rise.
A big receiver at over 6-4, 214 pounds, Higgins produced excellent athletic testing, completing every drill and earning a 9.63 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) for a receiver on a 0-10 scale, featuring elite scores in the vert and broad jumps.
His 4.47-speed is impressive for a man his size, but is not game breaking, and there is an argument to be made that the speed and explosiveness he showed in testing is not all that evident on tape.
Higgins is not a top tier separator, someone who is going to blow corners away with speed or make big plays after the catch, but he never drops the ball (seven drops in 350 college targets) and can use his size to make contested catches. The athleticism he showed at the combine is just a bonus.
The 22-year-old has played almost 1,300 snaps on the perimeter and just shy of 270 inside, where he could fill a "power slot" role. Higgins would be a supercharged version of the skillset Romeo Doubs, and previously Allen Lazard, have provided.
Elic Ayomanor - Stanford
Something of a polarizing player, Ayomanor ranks 64th on the consensus big board and is arguably the most likely pick for the Packers if they add a receiver in the early rounds.
Standing at just under 6-1 ⅔ and weighing 206 pounds, the former Stanford receiver ran a 4.44 and like Higgins, had elite jumps. He did not do the agility testing but has an RAS of 9.71.
Unlike Higgins, Ayomanor’s explosive testing absolutely shows up on tape. He has easy speed and can create big plays on simple routes like slants and go’s. His quick twitch allows him to break corners off and generate clear separation.
Between his size, speed and quick feet, he has the natural tools that cannot be taught. He does not run a diverse route tree at this time, and his biggest issue, which will make Packers fans wince, is his hands.
Ayomanor had 12 drops (six in each of his two college seasons) on 216 college targets. He has shown a great ability to adjust to the ball in the air and use body control, but he needs to have more of a "my ball" mentality and use his size more to his advantage in contested situations.
He is an intense and aggressive blocker, something which will appeal to Matt LaFleur and help him see the field early, and has 130 slot snaps to add to his 820 perimeter snaps.
Originally from Canada, he picked up football late and at 21 years old on draft day, he still has plenty of room for growth.
Ayomanor put up 294 yards in the second half against Travis Hunter and the Colorado defense back in 2023. He is the type of high-ceiling player Green Bay often takes based on the tools, believing they can coach up the rest of his game.
Tre Harris - Ole Miss
Another big-bodied receiver, Harris is just under 6-2 ⅓, 205 pounds. He did not run as well as some others on this list, clocking in at 4.54 in the 40-yard dash, but he plays faster on tape and can eat up a cornerback’s cushion quickly. His jumps were impressive, proving his explosiveness.
Harris played in a simplistic offense at Ole Miss, but he showed nuance and detail even in his basic assignments, and impressed when given the odd opportunity to run real NFL receiver routes.
He was extremely productive in college, with three 900-plus yard seasons in his final three college seasons at Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss, racking up 25 touchdowns in that time. He has 148 slot snaps to go with his 1,116 perimeter snaps.
His lack of elite testing speed could hurt his chances of being selected by the Packers in round two, where his consensus big board ranking of 60th would imply, as could his age. Harris just turned 23.
Jalen Royals - Utah State
In Royals, the Packers could return to Jordan Love’s alma mater to get him another weapon in the passing game. At No. 79 on the consensus big board, he would be an option in Round 2 or 3.
At 6-0 even and 205 pounds, he is on the smaller side for how Gutekunst has drafted outside receivers, but he is big enough.
His 30 ⅞” arms could prove a stumbling block. Gutekunst would need to see Greg Jennings, whom his predecessor Ted Thompson drafted, and had shorter arms, in Royals’ profile to make an exception.
Royals tested very well at the combine and his pro day. Despite recently recovering from injury, he did every drill, running 4.42 and earning an overall RAS of 9.01.
A late bloomer due to focusing mostly on basketball in his youth, he was a no-star recruit coming out of high school, before finally latching on at Utah State.
He just turned 22 and played essentially two seasons of college football, but was very productive in his short time, amassing over 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Utah State offense asked Royals to line up wide to the left of the quarterback, often extremely close to the sideline, and run a lot of simple routes, so there is still development to be had as a route runner, although he performed well in that regard at the Senior Bowl.
Royals was productive after the catch, something the Packers often look for in receivers, with his speed really proving a weapon with the ball in his hands. He has 732 outside and 109 inside snaps under his belt, although his size may project more to the slot.
Whether Green Bay thinks he can be a perimeter receiver for them or not will probably swing his chances of being a Packer one way or the other.
Tory Horton - Colorado State
A potential target in Round 3 at the earliest, Horton is currently 107th on the consensus big board and has an interesting profile.
Despite having played five college seasons, he is still only 22 years old; a rare blend of youth and experience. Prior to transferring to Colorado State, Horton actually played with Romeo Doubs at Nevada.
He missed time with injury in 2024 but still topped 1,100 yards and had eight touchdowns in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. At 6-2 ⅖, 196 pounds, Horton possesses good size, although he does have shorter arms at 30 ⅝”.
Horton’s route tree is not especially broad, but he has a simple but effective skill set, getting open with good releases, making people miss after the catch. He can work over the middle of the field and is a reliable target for his quarterback, with a solid 16 drops on 379 targets.
His tape is strong, leaving many to wonder what the catch was. There was plenty of intrigue as to how he would test at the scouting combine. He answered any athleticism questions by blazing a 4.41 40 and also scoring well in the vert and broad jumps.
With over 1,200 career perimeter snaps and almost 320 in the slot, he could be a versatile piece to add to Green Bay’s receiver room in Round 3 or 4.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Top 5 'Packers type' wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
