LouisEly's umpteenth annual Green Bay Packers draft preview and predictions, 2025 edition

[LouisEly]

FWIW, Packers Wire does their annual 100 "Unpacking Future Packers" series of potential draft picks.  They save #1 for who they think their 1st round pick is going to be and don't publish it until the day of the draft.  This year it's Derrick Harmon:

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2025/04/24/unpacking-future-packers-no-1-oregon-dl-derrick-harmon/83243684007/

Last year Cooper DeJean was #1, but Edgerrin Cooper was #3 and Jordan Morgan was #7.  This year Jayden Higgins is #2.

[patrickgpe]

@LouisEly you convinced me on Harmon. In a year where nobody really stands out and the end of the 1st and the entire 2nd are about the same player, he seems to have a lot of strengths that GB could use. 

[JosephC]

On 4/22/2025 at 11:15 AM, JosephC said:

Personally, I'm not thrilled with any of the late round one cornerbacks and would rather see them go to another position.  I think WR-Emeka Egbuka has emerged as my personal favorite, we'll see if he makes it to #23 (currently #24 on the board, so it will be close).  We'll see what happens with Nate Hobbs, I think Gutekunst may have errored big time by not going after a better and more experienced cornerback in free agency.

 

Here is how I hope things would go if I were sitting in the GM's chair-

1-23 - Emeka Egbuka/WR/Ohio State

2-54 - Jordan Burch/DE/Oregon

3-87 - Nohl Williams/CB/California

I struggled with this one a bit.  I don't have any concerns about the 4.50 40 time, but I don't like the 33.5 inch vertical and 10'0" broad jump.  I do like "instincts" guys, and hopefully that won't fail him when he gets to the NFL.

4-124 - Ty Hamilton/DT/Ohio State

IMO Hamilton is a bit overlooked, seems like a natural one-gapper and should be a good fit in the direction Hafley wants to go.

5-159 - Caleb Rogers/OG/Texas Tech

The first of my athlete flyer picks.  I just like all of his experience playing tackle and when looking at the athletic profile, he seems like guy to gamble on thinking he'll be a much better guard if he gets a chance to settle in and play there full-time.

6-198 - Thomas Fidone II/TE/Nebraska

I really thought this guy would shoot up the boards after the combine but it never happened. 6-5, 34" arms, 10 5/8 inch hands, and did very well across the board in the athletic testing.  I'll gladly take him here.

7-237 - Drew Kendall/C/Boston College

I am not a fan of the centers in this draft, but I don't know how much longer Jenkins will be here because his contract will need to be re-worked after this season.  Monk doesn't seem to get talked about much, that can't be a good thing.  This is more of an insurance pick than anything, which I figure I can afford to do at #237.  Of the remaining centers, Kendall seems to be as good as any and I'm hoping the NFL bloodlines factor works in his favor (his father Pete was a first rounder who played in the NFL for 13 years, 188 starts).

7-250 - Melvin Smith Jr./CB/Southern Arkansas

The second of my athlete flyer picks.  I would really have liked to take UNLV WR-Ricky White here, but am so unimpressed with the Packer's cornerback situation that I feel it necessary to grab a second cornerback in this draft, although I acknowledge that expecting a player out of Southern Arkansas to be solid contributor from day one is a pipe dream,  Hopefully he can make the team and be in the mix 3/4's of the way through the season.

[BrewerFan]

10 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Your opinion that we don't have boundary CBs because two of our CBs played most of our snaps there. I don't think the Packers plan on either Hobbs or Nixon playing the majority of their snaps at the slot.

It's understood that they WILL be playing those players outside. That's kinda the issue. 

What I've said...and I feel like this is...really straight forward and "succinct," is that those players, particularly Hobbs,  played the majority of their snaps in the slot and he's played much better at slot. He moved outside after a great rookie year in the slot and struggled so they moved him back to the slot.

Yeah, we won't be playing them there...but you responded to me replying about drafting Porter, and the TYPE of CBs we should draft and responded with the "lets not pretend we don't have anyone." 

 

10 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I'm guessing there is a typo here?  You said he wasn't good outside the slot but then moved to slot and played poorly? 

You guessed right. Played slot. He was one of the top rookies.

They moved him outside, he was bad. They then moved him back to the slot. 

 

10 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Bullard at safety I can't agree on.  Nor your take on Williams.  Bullard was lost at safety at the beginning of last year.  Williams was lauded for his play and by the second half of the year was the clear favorite for starting.  The DB as a whole was MUCH better with Bullard at the slot and Williams at safety.  Perhaps Bullard didn't get a great grade last year, but he looked much better in the slot.  

I misspoke. Evan Wiliams out played Bullard. This site has been freezing up on me so I can't go back and read my post. 

I think Bullard was fine as a traditional safety. He was developing, but Williams came in and played *GREAT* and now there's now...Bullard will either play Slot or a 3rd safety. But the safeties are set, it's McKinney and Williams. 

 

 

As simply as I can say this...MLF hired Hafley because he wanted a more aggressive defense. 

 

1-The post you replied to with me "pretending" we had no depth, it wasn't about the DEPTH we have as LouisEly had the Packers drafting 2 CBs in the top 4 picks, it was about the type of players the Packers will look for at Cornerback.

2-I don't think they're going to look at a guy who started one year and played virtually no press coverage and is not comfortable in press. 

 

That's the point I'm making. That was the only real point I'm making...though it's obviously relevant when our CB depth chart at the moment, regardless of where they PLAN on playing guys, goes 4 deep with one of them being a safety and then...and I don't even know why this is a part of the debate, but 2 of the other 3 who have played mostly in the slot. That's not opinion, that's just a fact. It's also just true that they've both graded out higher at slot, particularly Hobbs. 

 

So AGAIN, that doesn't mean they have to take a CB at #23. It does mean that's the weakest position on the team at the moment and IF you're going to use a pick on that player high in the draft, it'd make sense that you'd want a player who fits your scheme, right?

 

As I said originally, maybe they think they can coach Porter to play more aggressively, but I didn't agree that they could draft a CB high, that they prefer to play zone and then as a result, draft a zone CB high and then let him develop for a year.

 

You're one injury away from a player who was cut off a 90 man roster from getting snaps. Maybe that player will be Tramon Williams I guess...

 

[BrewerFan]

11 hours ago, OldHeidelberg said:

I would agree CB is #1 need, as much I would love to believe Jaire is backup plan to draft I think that ship has sailed, he will probably be traded during this draft and we will be disappointed in return. WR is a very close second though in my mind, I do not think much of any of the guys after top 4 and that may only be top 2 without Doubs and Watson. 

We definitely need multiple positions. 

I wasn't arguing that they need to take a CB 1st...though, ideally, you would, but more that you need a CB early and I'd like to see a couple CBs. 

[BrewerFan]

8 hours ago, JosephC said:

Here is how I hope things would go if I were sitting in the GM's chair-

1-23 - Emeka Egbuka/WR/Ohio State

2-54 - Jordan Burch/DE/Oregon

3-87 - Nohl Williams/CB/California

I struggled with this one a bit.  I don't have any concerns about the 4.50 40 time, but I don't like the 33.5 inch vertical and 10'0" broad jump.  I do like "instincts" guys, and hopefully that won't fail him when he gets to the NFL.

I like the Burch and Williams...I like them a lot better in the 3rd and 4th rds. 

Williams reminds me of a Craig Newsome type. Just...solid, nothing spectacular. 

[Brian]

On 4/20/2025 at 7:07 AM, BrewerFan said:

Golden is the only one who could be there in Rd1 that I'd take. He's got the speed, but he's a complete WR....which is why I think he'll be gone.

Good Call BrewerFan we picked Matthew Golden #1. 

[BrewerFan]

4 hours ago, Brian said:

Good Call BrewerFan we picked Matthew Golden #1. 

Throw out lots of names! That's the key.

I did about 10 mocks last year. The last one had Morgan, Cooper, Bullard and Oladipo on it! Just...don't look at the first 9 where I had Guyton or DeJean or Fuaga!

[Brian]

Day 1, NFL Draft. 

[LouisEly]

On 4/15/2025 at 8:52 PM, LouisEly said:

7th Round (#250):  Bryson Green, WR, Wisconsin – perhaps no player in college football helped himself more on his pro day than Green did when he checked in at 6’3”, 213, and ran a 4.48 40, had a 39” vertical and a 10’11” broad jump, and made an impressive one-handed leaping catch in pass drills.  No agility info, but his measurables translated into a 9.97 RAS and on size & athletic testing is eerily similar to Jayden Higgins.  Lack of production is easily explained by two years of a backup QB in a dysfunctional offense directed by an OC who was fired before the end of last season, and Green missed four games with injuries last season. 

Green ended up getting $264K in guaranteed money from the Cardinals as a UDFA, equivalent to the signing bonus of a late 2024 5th round pick.  Analogous to how free agents often get what fans perceive to be "over paid" - when multiple teams are competing to sign you, the money goes up more than it probably should.

I think the Williams pick was influenced by Nixon saying he ain't gonna play KR no more.  Will be interesting to watch how Williams and Green's careers unfold.

[LouisEly]

On 4/15/2025 at 8:52 PM, LouisEly said:

5th Round (#159):  Dalton Cooper, OT, Oklahoma State – Cooper spent four years at Texas State before transferring to Oklahoma State where he started at LT the last two years with two starts at RT and played RT at the Shrine Bowl.  57-game starter in his career who didn’t allow a sack in 285 pass block snaps in 2024, but missed three games with injury.  Showed excellent athleticism at their pro day, running a sub-5.00 40 with a good short-shuttle time for a 9.07 RAS.  Good pass blocker, understands footwork, team leader, and held his own against some talented rushers, but an older prospect and not as good of a run blocker.   (Replaces Andre Dillard)

The Packers have signed Dalton Cooper to the practice squad.

[CheezWizHed]

12 hours ago, LouisEly said:

The Packers have signed Dalton Cooper to the practice squad.

Not to knock your predictions, but Gute has become very predictable on who he brings in... most beat writers that were trying to predict waiver wire pickups or the practice squad simply listed a bunch of people that the Packers had on pre-draft visits that were now available.  Almost a "water is wet" predictability these days. 

[Samurai Bucky]

While I'm in flight from MKE to SEA, I get a text (texts were free) that the Packers traded for Micah Parsons.  Whoa...

Gute drafting a WR in the first round... and trading first round draft picks for Parsons.  Perhaps he is becoming more unpredictable.