Official 2025 Draft Thread

[jklowan]

Read an ACME article about him; sounds like he's kind of a smallish one-trick pony.

Yeah sacks, time for the Pack to get a productive End

[bobblehead]

Seems Mike Green crushed his pro day so now my dream of him being a packer is gone.

[Bretsky]

Read an ACME article about him; sounds like he's kind of a smallish one-trick pony.

ONE TRICK PONY; when I read that I think of Gouchebag's RAS crush Lucas Van Ness

[Fritz]

ONE TRICK PONY; when I read that I think of Gouchebag's RAS crush Lucas Van Ness

Van Mess is kinda getting lost in the sauce in all this discussion of needing to consider drafting an edge guy right away. I wonder what the coaching staff really thinks of him now - still high on his potential? Not the guy they were hoping for? Wrong guy for Halfley’s scheme?

[Joemailman]

Van Mess is kinda getting lost in the sauce in all this discussion of needing to consider drafting an edge guy right away. I wonder what the coaching staff really thinks of him now - still high on his potential? Not the guy they were hoping for? Wrong guy for Halfley’s scheme?

I think they're still expecting him to be a good player. Van Ness played less than 40% of defensive snaps last year. That was largely the decision to the DL coach who has since been fired. I think Van Ness will play more, and more will be expected of him. Gotta believe developing Van Ness will be right at the top of the list for Covington, the new DL coach.

[Fritz]

I think they're still expecting him to be a good player. Van Ness played less than 40% of defensive snaps last year. That was largely the decision to the DL coach who has since been fired. I think Van Ness will play more, and more will be expected of him. Gotta believe developing Van Ness will be right at the top of the list for Covington, the new DL coach.

I often wonder how all this plays into the drafting. I know nothing of what goes on in their processes, so my simplistic mind thinks this way: if they think Van Mess really can develop into a top notch, it-was-worth-drafting-this-kid-13th-overall player, then they maybe wait to draft another defensive end until a bit later - third round or something - and draft someone who was in that range cuz he is a developmental project. Whereas, if they think maybe Van Mess will end up being "meh," they might be more prone to spend an earlier pick on a more ready-to-play-sooner kind of kid.

Simplistic, I know. But that's all I got on that.

[sharpe1027]

We won't draft a kicker or punter in the first round. Every other position is possible. I am confident we don't know what the hell will happen.

[bobblehead]

OL and CB were clearly the priorities in FA. (I think I'm the only one who wants more OL early and in FA). Walker probably peaked at LT. Tom is elite and Jenkins is/will be a very good center. Banks is really good at LG. I'm not entirely sure how they plan on playing it out with Morgan (not sure they are), but I can definitely see drafting another OL in the first round. I would put money on OL/DB just because of the urgency they showed in FA. DE is also always on the board if the right guy slides. Those hoping for a WR, get ready to be disappointed. Run and sharpe are right on 2 counts. We are over reacting to the Eagles punking us and playing a really tough division, internal development will be big. And there really isn't a position we can't draft in round 1...BPA all the way.

[run pMc]

I'd bet on DL for R1 unless some top 15 guy slides.
There weren't really any good edge/DE types available in FA; they got snapped up immediately or were resigned by their teams. With good depth in the draft Gute wasn't going to spend big money in FA there.

Josh Simmons was thought by many to be in the top3 if not the top OT before his injury, I could see Gute pull the trigger on something like that, but I doubt it. They have 6 OL right now including Morgan who can start. They have Nixon, Hobbs, Valentine at outside corner and Bullard at slot. I think they take a CB or two for competition/development (Round 3/4?) but it's not urgent.

Agree on BPA all the way, but if I had to bet I'd go with a disruptive DT or a DE with pass rush skills. Covington will absolutely have to earn his salary, I think based on comments by Gute, MLF, and Hafley the DL coaching wasn't up to par.
LVN isn't a lost cause but I'd say like many of the 2nd year players there wasn't the big developmental jump we hoped for. My guess is that if they had to do it over they'd take the Gonzalez kid from Oregon instead of LVN but you never know.

[bobblehead]

Run, I almost always agree with you, but I don't see edge or DL at all in the 1st. Given the type of talent expected to be available CB or OL seem most likely. Simmons would be great at 23. They will have choices, but if the board falls as expected I think those are the positions that will have the best talents available when we are on the board. Of course trading up or down are always options.

[Joemailman]

Run, I almost always agree with you, but I don't see edge or DL at all in the 1st. Given the type of talent expected to be available CB or OL seem most likely. Simmons would be great at 23. They will have choices, but if the board falls as expected I think those are the positions that will have the best talents available when we are on the board. Of course trading up or down are always options.

I think Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen and Derrick Harmon are DT's who could be there at 23. I'm not sure what CB's would be draftable at 23 if injuries drop Revel and Morrison down to 2nd round. Simmons at OT would be a possibility.

[King Friday]

I can’t see them taking OL in the first. They did that last year, and already have 6 guys on the roster who they would claim are capable of starting somewhere. I could see them going WR if their guy was available, although personally I don’t much care for any of the top WRs in this draft and would be fine waiting until round 3 or later. CB also doesn’t seem very deep this year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they take a guy they like since they have need there. The defensive line is clearly the most likely landing spot if they keep the 23rd pick. Do some mock drafts. There always seem to be DL players who the Packers would likely be keen on available at 23.

[Fritz]

I can’t see them taking OL in the first. They did that last year, and already have 6 guys on the roster who they would claim are capable of starting somewhere. I could see them going WR if their guy was available, although personally I don’t much care for any of the top WRs in this draft and would be fine waiting until round 3 or later. CB also doesn’t seem very deep this year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they take a guy they like since they have need there. The defensive line is clearly the most likely landing spot if they keep the 23rd pick. Do some mock drafts. There always seem to be DL players who the Packers would likely be keen on available at 23.

OR do they trade down and pass on TJ Watt so they can take Kevin King and pick up an extra fourth round pick so they can fill their pass-rushing need with Vince Biegel?

[bobblehead]

I wonder what a team needing a LT would offer for Walker. He clearly is a top 32 LT and will be for years. That suggests a 1st round value. Factor in he has to get paid and we could potentially get a 2nd for him coming out of camp. Since we AREN'T going to pay him I could definitely see taking OL in the first. Especially if its clearly the best value.

[Deputy Nutz]

Kenneth Grant, in my opinion is the best defensive tackle in this draft, and he would bring an immediate impact to the Packers. It's relatively unclear if he will go in the top 20 or in the top 35 picks of this draft. I think he is a sleeper and will go in the top 20. I think the Packers would love to have him available at pick 23. Other defensive tackles I like either in the second or third round are Norman-Lott from Tennessee, Josh Farmer from FSU, and Alfred Collins from Texas. Collins is pure run defender at this point. Later round guys 4th/5th round guys I like are Nazir Stackhouse from Georgia, CJ West from Indiana who might go earlier than round 4, Jordan Phillips from Maryland, Ty Robinson from Nebraska who might go earlier I can't predict his range in this draft, and Vernon Broughton from Texas.

If the Packers are looking for a longer receiver that poses a sideline deep threat there really won't be one available at 23. Egbuka could be available and in his own right is a dynamic receiver with consistency and good hands. Otherwise you wait and see if Tre Harris from Ole' Miss drops to them at 54, or they could trade up and grab him. Otherwise you play the risk/reward game with guys like Donte Thornton from Tennessee, Savion Williams from TCU, Jayden Higgins from ISU. Higgins probably has a 2nd round grade from many in the NFL. Sleepers with a long frame and speed would be guys like Prather from Maryland, TeSlaa from Arkansas, Bryant from Illinois.

I think there is a definite line in the tiers at CB, there are only a couple sure fire first round picks in this draft and outside of Baron from Texas those guys have injury concerns. If the Packers wait till the second round to take a corner you are looking at possible availability in Hairston, Amos, Thomas, Revel, and Morrison with an outside chance of reaching on a guy like Burke from Ohio State. Morrison and Revel have first round potential but I think their injury history drops them to the second, and Hairston and Smith have first round potential as well, it all depends on if teams start reaching for corner help. After that I think the talent in tier 3 and 4 really drops off.
Mid to Late round potential guys I like are Hancock from Ohio St, Parrish from K-St, Frazier from Texas- SA, Quincy Riley from Louisville, Caleb Ranslaw from Tulane, and Jason Marshall Jr from Florida.

Edge is going to be an interesting position in this year's draft. Outside of Carter who should go in the top 3 of this draft the jury is sort of out on where the next level guys are going to go. There is a lot of guys whose potential doesn't match with college production, and a lot of guys that have excellent college production but have either potential or measurable limitations. There will be enough available edge rushers at 23 for the Packers to consider, I know Carter will be gone along with Mykel Williams of Georgia, most likely Mike Green will be gone as well. A guy that has been tumbling down draft boards is James Pearce from Tennessee. He might be the guy with the highest ceiling in this draft but run defense and character concerns have not been favorable to him, he might be a steal at #23. Shemar Stewart has flown up the draft boards, but again he is another potential vs lack of production guy, I don't think he will be available at #23 and that's probably a good thing for Packer fans as he reminds me a lot of Rashan Gary. After those guys I don't see a lot of difference in the 2nd or 3rd tier edges. Ezeiruaku from Boston College is guy that is being link to the Packers for obvious reasons, Nic Scourton is the exact opposite of his running mate in Steward, limited ceiling but good production in college, JT Tuimolou is talented player from Ohio State but he doesn't seem to have that extra burst. Jack Sawyer looks to be a poor mans version of Adian Hutchinson, the jury is out on where he is going to go in the draft. the same could be reiterated for Landon Jackson who lit the combine on fire. Oladejo from UCLA is flying up the draft rankings, he was a late bloomer more of a LB type until last season and he was super productive in his final year. One guy I will mention is Brady Swinson from LSU, he has more of a build as a true outside linebacker but has great measurable and testing numbers that go along with his college production.