Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst often zigs when everyone expects him to zag.

Just when we thought he didn’t prioritize non-premium positions in the first round, he selected Quay Walker with the 22nd overall pick. When it felt unanimous between Packers fans and analysts that Cooper DeJean made the most sense, Gutekunst selected Jordan Morgan.

And let’s not forget the biggest draft-day surprise of the Gutekunst era, when he selected Jordan Love instead of targeting an area of need after the Packers had reached the NFC Championship Game.

Gutekunst will do what he feels is best for the Packers’ long-term future. He isn’t worried about earning high internet draft grades or even satisfying the fanbase. Gutekunst trusts his process.

His track record suggests we should trust him, and it won’t be surprising if he goes against expectations again this year. One mock draft predicts exactly that.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is among the top draft analysts you’ll find, and his latest mock draft for NFL.com has the Packers going in a somewhat surprising direction. He believes Green Bay will select Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons with the No. 23 pick.

“Simmons is coming off a knee injury, but he’s as gifted as any offensive lineman in the class. He also has the tools to play multiple spots on the O-line, something Green Bay has always valued,” writes Jeremiah.

Packers drafting Josh Simmons could lead to positional change for Zach Tom

It would be an unexpected but smart move by Gutekunst. The wild-card loss in Philadelphia not only proved that Green Bay needs wide receiver help, but the team must also address the lack of offensive line depth.

The Packers had to play Travis Glover and Kadeem Telfort at guard after losing Elgton Jenkins, and they were fortunate not to suffer a similar issue at tackle, given their lack of depth.

Simmons has experience at both tackle positions and could help prevent a similar problem in the future. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed only one sack and four quarterback hits in his final two seasons for Ohio State.

Teams don’t use first-round picks on players to sit on the bench. The Packers drafted Jordan Morgan in the first round, who also played tackle in college, but moved him to guard.

Green Bay has Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom starting at each tackle spot. One possible answer would be Simmons becoming Walker’s long-term replacement after his contract expires. However, another sees Zach Tom shifting positions.

The Packers reportedly view Tom as a potential “Hall of Fame” center, and Josh Myers’ expiring contract creates a need in the middle of the offensive line. Simmons could start from Day 1 at right tackle, allowing Tom to give the Packers a potential upgrade at center.

Green Bay would fill a need at an interior position but would also upgrade its overall depth. Myers only played center for the Packers. With the addition of Simmons, the team would have five players with extensive tackle experience: Tom, Walker, Simmons, Morgan, and Elgton Jenkins.

Will the Packers consider moving their star right tackle? It feels like a long shot, but drafting a tackle early could force their hand.