With less than a week to go until the draft, we’ve become familiar with most of the players who will go in the first round, and the prospects the Green Bay Packers could be interested in. So, let’s organize those players into tiers.
To rank these players, I used a mix of the consensus big board and my own personal evaluation, along with Green Bay’s athletic preferences and needs (edge, DL, WR, CB, OL depth) while pushing down or even eliminating positions where they have stars and depth (QB, S, OBLB, RB).
Tier 1: I don’t want to be that guy, but they aren’t going to be there
I’m not going to waste too much time on these. Packers fans can only dream of getting players like them because they don’t pick in the top five, which is where these two will go.
Tier 2: Unlikely to be there, but if they start falling, I’d trade up
A few guys may fall down boards a bit for various reasons, but their floor still seems to be before 23. However, they fit needs so well, I’d be willing to give up significant capital to go get them.
T-Mac is the dream for me. Brian Gutekunst was the only GM at his pro day, and McMillan recently took a visit to Green Bay. There are also rumors that he may not be a sure-fire top-10 pick because of his speed, which reinforces that he may drop. Green Bay’s offense needs McMillan’s power forward, ball-winning, bucket-getting play style.
Would play instantly and be a great fit. Graham brings relentless effort to the front. He may not have the upside to be a superstar, which could push him down boards slightly, but he’ll almost assuredly be a good player.
Was a consensus top-10 pick before the season, but he has fallen down boards because of a weird season and draft process along with questions about his speed that won’t be answered with testing. His floor seemingly is getting lower and lower as we get closer, but he’ll stay in this tier because it doesn’t change the fact I’d trade up for him to get it done. As a player, he’s a perfect fit as an off-ball, zone-coverage ball hawk.
Tier 3: Unlikely to be there and wouldn’t trade up for
I would love any of these guys if they are available when Green Bay is on the clock. However, their floor seems to be before 23 and doesn’t fill dire needs, or they have already invested heavily in the position. Therefore, I wouldn’t be interested in giving up more assets to go up and get them.
The potential to play any of the five positions along the line, and likely to start at one right away. However, given what Green Bay has invested in the offensive line, I wouldn’t go out of my way to get him.
Membou just turned 21, making him one of the youngest players in the draft, but he already has a ton of starting experience at right tackle. However, like Campbell, the Packers don’t need to throw extra capital at OL.
Jeanty is one of the more fun players in this draft. He’d fit perfectly with Josh Jacobs in the backfield. Given positional value and what they’ve invested into the room with Jacobs and Marshawn Lloyd, I’d think about it at 23. Still, I doubt Gutekunst will, if Jeanty even makes it there, but he has to be on here somewhere because the talent is undeniable.
Tier 4: The best realistic options at 23
There aren’t many guys in this class that I expect to be gone before 23. There’s a large group of guys I could see going as high as 6, above some of the names already mentioned, or as low as Day 2. Many make a lot of sense for Green Bay based on positional need, positional value, and athletic profile.
Mike Green is the best realistic option to be available at 23. However, his off-the-field issues are the reason he may be available, which may take him off teams’ boards, including the Packers’. If he is available and the background check checks out, then you run up the card. He’s a bit undersized. However, his combo of bend, strength, and pass-rush production, while also being an underrated run defender, is top-15-pick-worthy.
Barron is redundant with Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs because he’s a primary slot who can play outside just like them. However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He’s so good in any role and would create an extremely versatile and fun secondary.
This feels like one of the more obvious fits because of his connection to Jeff Hafley. He was also extremely productive last year with 16.5 sacks and brings a fun and unique, methodical, crafty play style. However, he weighed in very light, which might be a red flag for Green Bay. Still, he’s already played in a Hafley defense, which keeps him in this tier.
Grant could instantly fill a need now with his run defense while developing as a pass rusher, where he’s shown some upside, to take over an every-down role when the Packers move on from Kenny Clark.
Nolen and Grant are neck and neck for me. Grant got the edge because he’s a body type the Packers don’t already have, and there’s a clearer path for him to play immediately. Nolen is a great run defender in his own right and has more long-term upside.
Williams is tough to evaluate because he instantly came in and made an impact at 18 on a dominant championship defense, then plateaued. He dealt with an ankle injury all of last season, which could explain his lack of production. That being said, he’s a guy I like a lot and think Gutey and the Packers will love.
Burden is a polarizing prospect because of his dominant sophomore season, which was followed by a very poor junior season by his standards. If you think he can play outside (which I do), he gives the Packers a speed element out there that they need while also having an alpha No. 1 WR upside if he can regain his 2023 form. If they see him as a slot, he’s likely not in consideration as a first-round pick.
Harmon is one of the more seamless fits for any team. He’s big enough and athletic enough to play anywhere and good enough to play immediately. He has a very high floor.
The Packers’ offense could really use a guy like Egbuka. He can play inside and out and would deserve 100 targets right away. However, he doesn’t have a standout trait and feels like a guy who may cap out at a low-end WR 1/great WR 2 rather than a superstar.
The most obvious Packers type in the draft and one that will give Packers fans nightmares. However, at 23, you don’t typically get to take an edge with his talents and traits. And while you’d like more production, it can be explained by the unconventional defense that A&M plays, often with only one true pass rusher.
Golden would be a lot of fun. You can see the vision on tape, and I’d trust Green Bay’s scouting if he’s the guy they take. However, I’m lower on him than most because the production profile screams outlier. Still, the Golden truthers will blame that on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers.
Higgins is the one guy I’m calling my shot on. He makes so much sense for the Packers for the same reasons as McMillan. He’s the only other big outside X receiver in this class, and I’d be willing to take him at 23.
Offensive line wouldn’t be near the top of my list of needs, but it will always be near the top of the Packers’. Banks is a Packers type with inside-out versatility and tested well as a tackle and great as a guard.
Simmons would be higher on this list if it wasn’t for the patella tendon injury he suffered last season. However, he seems to be recovering well, as he was able to work out in a limited capacity for teams at Ohio State’s pro day.
Tier 5: Worthy players but don’t fit a need, positional value, or athletic profile
Any of these guys would be great picks, but are pushed down a Packers-specific board for varying reasons.
With Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave in the room, I don’t foresee Green Bay adding to the room with a first-round pick. However, if they’ve lost faith in Musgrave, Loveland would make a lot of sense as a vertical seam stretcher and has become a refined blocker going through the Jim Harbaugh Michigan system.
Loveland gets the edge over Warren because Warren’s skill set overlaps more with Kraft, who has solidified his role on the roster.
Pearce has a skill set that can be useful as a designated pass rusher, but at 245 lbs., I doubt he’s the edge who has garnered Green Bay’s interest. However, they did have him in for a visit.
Green Bay has invested first-, second-, and third-round picks into the off-ball linebacker position in recent drafts, so I don’t see it as a worthwhile investment again this draft. However, Quay Walker’s contract is coming up, and Campbell would be an amazing fit next to Edgerrin Cooper.
Walker is another Georgia player who is tough to evaluate. I see him more as an off-ball linebacker, which is why he’s in this tier. His skill set overlaps with Cooper a bit too much, which is why I have Campbell over him. On the other hand, having two Edgerrin Coopers in the middle of this defense would be a lot of fun.
Starks is a really good player, but Green Bay has invested too much into the safety room to justify adding him.
Like Starks, Emmanwori is a raw prospect and wouldn’t fill a need. Still, an athlete and body type like his would be a fun chess piece for Hafley.
Tier 6: I could see Green Bay taking them, but I would rather trade down first
I like Revel a lot. He has all the traits and size of an elite cornerback. He had the chance to solidify himself as a first-round prospect but lost this past season to a torn ACL, leaving us with many unanswered questions for a 24-year-old prospect.
Amos is a very solid all-around corner. He’d be an understandable pick, but he’s not an elite athlete, and better players will be on the board.
A Packers-type offensive lineman, who I think they’ll love. He played everywhere along the line but will likely be a primary interior in the NFL. I don’t think they’ll take an interior offensive lineman in the first, and I wouldn’t either. However, it could make more sense after a trade down.
He has many traits but comes with middling production. With his size and athleticism, he fits the bill of a Packers-type pass rusher, and I could see a scenario where he ends up as the pick.
Hairston’s size and off-the-field issues would make me think he’s not on the Packers’ board, but the buzz about Green Bay being interested has reached a point where he has to be on here.
