{"id":18850,"date":"2025-03-27T01:30:38","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T01:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18850"},"modified":"2025-03-27T01:30:38","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T01:30:38","slug":"breaking-packers-brian-gutekunst-personally-scouted-three-first-round-receivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=18850","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Packers\u2019 Brian Gutekunst Personally Scouted Three First-Round Receivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Could the Green Bay Packers finally use a first-round draft pick on a receiver? GM Brian Gutekunst got an up-close-and-personal look at three possibilities. Here are the stats and Relative Athletic Scores.<\/p>\n

\"Ohio<\/p>\n

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka shows off his vertical jump in front of scouts at OSU’s pro day on Wednesday. \/ Adam Cairns\/Columbus Dispatch \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n

GREEN BAY, Wis. \u2013 Everyone knows the history. The Green Bay Packers have not drafted a receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2002.<\/p>\n

That was about a year-and-a-half before Texas receiver Matthew Golden was born. Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan was about a year from being born. Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka, the old man of the group of receivers who Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst personally scouted over the last week, was 6 months old.<\/p>\n

All three are expected to be first-round draft picks and would fill a major need. Gutekunst swears the team doesn\u2019t have a policy against using a first-round pick on a receiver.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019d ever hesitate to take a receiver in the first round if the right one was there,\u201d he told a group of local beat writers at the Scouting Combine. \u201cWe certainly talked about it at different times in the last seven years since I\u2019ve been in this spot, trying to make that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

This could be the year. The Packers will start the season without Christian Watson. The only addition was Mecole Hardman, who had 90 receiving yards in 12 games last season.<\/p>\n

Gutekunst was the only general manager at McMillan\u2019s individual pro day at Arizona. He was present at Texas\u2019 pro day on Tuesday and Ohio State\u2019s pro day on Wednesday. Obviously, the Longhorns and Buckeyes have more draft prospects than their premier receivers, so to say Gutekunst was present to watch only those gifted receivers would be a gross overstatement.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, the Packers need receiver help that McMillan, Golden and Egbuka could provide when Green Bay is on the clock at No. 23 outside of Lambeau Field on April 24.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n

Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona<\/h3>\n

2024: <\/strong>84 receptions for 1,319 yards, 15.7 yards per catch, 109.9 yards per game, eight touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Three years: <\/strong>213 receptions for 3,423 yards, 16.1 yards per catch, 92.5 yards per game, 26 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Broken tackles and YAC: <\/strong>29 missed tackles, 5.1 YAC.<\/p>\n

Drops:<\/strong> Seven drops, 7.7 percent.<\/p>\n

Deep targets: <\/strong>12-of-31 for 472 yards and five touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Strength: <\/strong>His overwhelming size and ability to turn 50\/50 balls more into 70\/30 balls. Plus, he\u2019s surprisingly elusive, as evidenced by the missed-tackle count. He was a No. 1 receiver at Arizona and wouldn\u2019t be daunted by that role in the NFL.<\/p>\n

\"Packers<\/p>\n

Relative Athletic Score: <\/strong>None, but here are his measurables and 40-yard time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like people sleep on my ability with the ball in my hands,\u201d he said at the Scouting Combine. \u201cObviously, everybody knows about my 50\/50 balls and my catch radius, but I feel I can get in and out of my breaks well as a big receiver.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State<\/h3>\n

2024: <\/strong>81 receptions for 1,011 yards, 12.5 yards per catch, 63.2 yards per game, 10 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Four years:<\/strong> 205 receptions for 2,868 yards, 14.0 yards per catch, 58.5 yards per game, 24 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Broken tackles and YAC: <\/strong>10 missed tackles, 5.9 YAC.<\/p>\n

Drops: <\/strong>Five drops, 5.8 percent.<\/p>\n

Deep targets: <\/strong>6-of-11 for 193 yards and two touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Strength: <\/strong>He is as polished as can be. He was coached well at Ohio State. Because he played in loaded receiver rooms, he\u2019s used to having to rise to the occasion to grab a big role on the offense.<\/p>\n

Relative Athletic Score:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Emeka Egbuka is a WR prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.27 #RAS<\/a> out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 259 out of 3529 WR from 1987 to 2025. <\/p>\n

Times unofficial, splits projectedhttps:\/\/t.co\/YAM8shXLf8<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/1RKSOPb8E9<\/a><\/p>\n

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n