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Jeff Caldwell of the Cincinnati Bearcats speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
The 2026 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday night, but the Green Bay Packers do not hold a first-round pick. Of course, they don’t have a first-round selection due to the blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons last offseason.
Parsons is reason enough to be happy about the Packers not having a first-round pick.
While the trade for Parsons was a great one for Green Bay, not having a pick in the first round does complicate Brian Gutekunst’s job. There are still quite a few needs for the Packers to address.
Green Bay is scheduled to make its first selection in the 2026 draft at No. 52 overall in the second round. Without a first-round selection, the Packers will need to draft well in the middle rounds.
Keeping that in mind, longtime Green Bay reporter Bill Huber has released a last-minute seven-round mock draft for the team. In that mock draft, he has the Packers making a sleeper move for a new wide receiver.
Packers Predicted to Land Sleeper Wide Receiver in 2026 NFL Draft
Huber has Green Bay waiting until the fifth round to address the wide receiver position. At No. 153 overall, he has the Packers taking Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell.
“Caldwell is one of the freakiest receiver prospects. At 6-foot-5 3/8 and 216 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.31 seconds,” Huber wrote.
As shared by Huber from an interview that Caldwell did with Justin Melo of NFL Draft on SI, the wideout sent a strong message to teams considering him in the draft.
“You need to have that mentality as a receiver. I want to score,” Caldwell said. “I’m the best player on this field. It doesn’t have to be cocky. You need to have that mindset at receiver. At both Cincinnati and Lindenwood, I had to find that mentality.”
Having a speedy playmaking wide receiver with elite size would make quarterback Jordan Love a very happy man. Caldwell could very well be that guy for Green Bay.
Caldwell is coming off of a four-year college career that saw him total 124 receptions for 2,229 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Why Green Bay Should Address the Wide Receiver Position
This offseason, the Packers saw Romeo Doubs leave town in free agency to sign with the New England Patriots. They also decided to trade Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Even with those moves being made, the Green Bay wide receiver room has a lot of talent. Right now, the Packers have Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Savion Williams. All four wideouts are capable of playing sizable roles.
Why should the Packers look to bring in another wideout? Only two of their current wide receivers are signed past the 2026 season.
It seems likely that Green Bay will work out an extension with Watson. Reed has a much more questionable future with the Packers. Both Golden and Williams are signed for the future.
Bringing in a player like Caldwell would give Green Bay more options. If Caldwell can develop into a player capable of handling a big role, the Packers would have the choice of saving some money by letting another wide receiver walk next offseason.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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