The Green Bay Packers selected South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 78th overall.
He's the third skill-position player the Packers selected in this year's draft, joining tight end Luke Musgrave and wide receiver Jayden Reed.
Kraft finished his college career with 99 receptions, 1,211 yards, and nine touchdowns in 32 games.
Pre-draft profile
Kraft is a bit of a poor man's Michael Mayer, and I mean that as a compliment. He moves really well and has a frame that seems tailor-made to play tight end in the modern era. His size and strength popped as a runner, allowing him to overpower defenders and pick up extra yardage frequently. This was important for the former Jackrabbit as his routes were far from pristine, and he's not very sudden or twitchy. Kraft showed he's already a very solid blocker, but he tended to stand up too early, which cost him leverage. He'll need to learn to stay low to prevent being blown up by NFL defensive ends. There weren't many "wow" plays on tape, but the 22-year-old was a versatile contributor in college. Kraft should be a good backup as a pro with starter potential.
