Really want to thank Mike for including my picture in the heading of Monday’s column. I could definitely pick myself out in that crowd.

Never let it be said our readers aren’t the stars of the show.

This is the week of draft grades. Has anyone ever had a teacher that gave out grades before the test was taken?

Sure would’ve saved me a lot of time and trouble.

II: Sorry, Mike, but for Full Consistency, “Unrestricted Free Agent” should be abbreviated as URFA. 🙂 Also, neither four-letter abbreviation is an acronym.

I didn’t brew the alphabet soup, I’m just trying to keep the crackers out of it.

When will the Packers assign jersey numbers for this year’s draft class? I am anxious to head to the Packers Pro Shop for a customized “Sorrell” jersey.

All the numbers will be assigned when they arrive later this week for rookie minicamp. Thus far, Matthew Golden has No. 22 and Savion Williams No. 83, but we’ll know the rest in another day or so.

I can’t be alone in this but my favorite part of draft weekend is getting to hear the pressers from the scouting department. In particular Jon-Eric Sullivan. I’m enjoying his while I can.

I get a kick out of hearing the scouting lingo when personnel execs like Sullivan and Milt Hendrickson take the podium. It gives a little peek into their world. The “scout speak” slips out of Gutey every once in a while, but I think he tries to avoid it.

Mike, though not often mentioned, GB seems to rotate their D-linemen much more than other teams. For example, Jalen Carter and Myles Garrett played well over 800 snaps last season, while Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary logged under 700. Interesting that DT and edge positions weren’t addressed until Day 3. Having used recent first-round picks on Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt, is Gutey now relatively “devaluating” the D-line in favor of other positions (O-line, LB, WR) where starters take the majority of snaps?

Not at all. Drafts fall the way they fall. For all we know, they had their eye on DT and edge prospects that got snatched up shortly before the Packers went on the clock in the early rounds. We knew a trade up wasn’t likely with Gutey having only eight picks going in.

In all of the rounds, who do you think was taken one or two picks before the Packers, that we likely would have jumped on if they were there? Any guesses?

Couldn’t say, but as a follow-up to Steve’s inquiry above, my pick in the first round, Oregon DT Derrick Harmon, went at 21, two picks before the Packers. In the second round, edge rushers Scourton from Texas A&M and Oladejo from UCLA were taken two and three picks before Anthony Belton, and in the third round, another Oregon DT was taken one pick before Williams. Both a beauty and frustration of watching/covering a draft is not knowing the board.

Michael from St. Louis, MO

On Day 3 of the draft, I was confused when Gute selected two smaller pass rushers. In the article “10 Things Learned from Packers GM Brian Gutekunst at the NFL Scouting Combine,” it is mentioned in point No. 4 that having smaller pass rushers is a risk due to injuries and limited snap counts. When I read that, I took it to mean he didn’t really care for smaller pass rushers. Was he just blowing smoke before the draft?

Again, not at all. I took his comments at the combine to mean he wasn’t likely to spend a high draft pick on an undersized speed rusher, because the value isn’t there, so seeing those Day 3 picks didn’t contradict that. By all accounts, Barryn Sorrell plays bigger and stronger than his listed 256 anyway. His 28 reps on the bench at the combine tied for ninth among all players, tied for second among edge rushers, and was just five reps off the top number. He’s a strong dude. Drafting the undersized speed rusher in the fifth round, with Collin Oliver able to play some off-ball linebacker too, provided enough value to make it a shot worth taking.

“X player played tackle in college, but projects as a guard.” What characteristics do the scouts look at for those projections?

That usually gets tagged to college tackles who have the overall size to move inside but may not have the quickness in their feet to handle NFL edge rushers.

Chris from Marshfield, WI

Regarding keeping seven WRs, when the regular season starts Christian Watson will be on IR and wouldn’t count (yet) correct? We “know” we are keeping Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Golden, and Williams. That means we have at least two realistic spots for a good chunk of the season for two others to make a statement before Watson returns. Talk about competition. Do you also get the sense that expectations are higher this year than ever for this entire offense, given the talent and experience they now have?

“Higher than ever” is a bridge too far for me having covered QBs who won a combined seven MVPs. But barring injury or something unforeseen, I pretty much see the receiver picture as you outlined, except I’m not going to automatically say the Packers will keep seven. Every spot will have to be earned.