The Green Bay Packers used the 42nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft on Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave, an athletic pass-catcher who hauled in 11 passes in just two games in 2022 before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Like he did at Oregon State, Musgrave will wear No. 88 for the Packers. He will have a chance at being a rookie starter at tight end in Green Bay’s new-look offense in 2023.
Here are five interesting things to know about Musgrave, the Packers’ second-round pick:
From a football family
The game certainly isn’t new to Musgrave, who is the nephew of Bill Musgrave and the son of Doug Musgrave. Bill played quarterback in the NFL for eight seasons and has coached at the collegiate and NFL levels for the better part of three decades, including stints as an NFL offensive coordinator, while Doug was recruited by Michigan and then later played quarterback at Oregon for two seasons. While Luke ended up as a tight end, he played quarterback early in his football career. This deep-rooted knowledge of the game will serve him well as he transitions to playing tight end in the NFL game.
Hot start to 2022
A knee injury suffered against Fresno State on Sept. 10 ended his season, but in the two games to start 2022, Musgrave played like a man on a mission. He caught 11 passes for 169 yards and a score and had at least five catches and 80 yards in each game. Of his 11 catches, four gained 25 or more yards, including a 27-yard touchdown to open the scoring for Oregon State in 2022. Musgrave was the focus of the Beavers passing attacak and was on pace for a monster junior season. It’s certainly possible he wouldn’t have been available to the Packers at No. 42 overall without the injury.
Limited production, untapped potential?
Musgrave played in 34 games but caught only 47 total passes and scored two touchdowns at Oregon State. It’s fair to wonder what his production would have looked like with better quarterback play earlier in his career, more opportunities in the passing game overall and a full, injury-free junior season in 2022. The Packers believe his size, athleticism and movement ability give him legitimate high-end upside as a pass-catcher at the next level. The draft is about projecting a skill set to the next level, and Musgrave has a profile — despite the lack of college production — that should lead to him being a far more productive professional player.
Intriguing athleticism
Even at almost 6-6 and over 250 pounds, Musgrave ran an elite time in the 40-yard dash, with a 99th percentile 10-yard split, and produced elite numbers in the vertical and broad jumps. His combination of length and explosive movement ability provide a big part of the foundation to his upside as a seam-splitting, down-the-field threat in the passing game. While no one should be compared to Travis Kelce, Musgrave’s athletic profile is stunningly similar. There are also real athletic comps to be made with Darren Waller, Jared Cook and Dallas Goedert. The Packers are betting on elite athletic traits at a position (tight end) that usually requires elite traits to be successful.
The 42nd overall pick, and what it means
Musgrave will always be connected to the Aaron Rodgers trade. As the 42nd pick, which arrived in Green Bay via the New York Jets, Musgrave now represents a big part of the compensation received by the Packers trading away the Hall of Fame quarterback. While Rodgers begins a new journey in New York, Musgrave has an opportunity in Green Bay to be an important part of helping Jordan Love become the next great starter for the Packers.
