2026 NFL Draft Discussion

[CheezWizHed]

I'm pretty surprised that we didn't go after the usual T/G (tackle in college, G/T tweener in pros) player in the draft or UDFAs.  That doesn't really give us much for development at T.

Morgan/Tom - Starters

Kinnard - Backup - maxxed out as a player.

Belton - could be an RT if needed. 

Development players:

• Glover - Third year, so probably his last chance to show growth. 
• Cooper - 2025 UDFA - High RAS player who played LT in college. 
• Banks - 2025 UDFA - Tall, but light.  Probably not a candidate at LT (never played there in college).  RT/G.

I suppose they didn't find the right fit in the draft and perhaps no one in the UDFA market was better than Cooper/Banks? 

[LouisEly]

3 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I suppose they didn't find the right fit in the draft and perhaps no one in the UDFA market was better than Cooper/Banks?

I think the latter.  There wasn't a lot of tackle depth this year.  

I watched 3 or 4 of Oregon's games last year and let's just say that I was not surprised that Isaiah World was not drafted. 

[patrickgpe]

i have seen a lot of reaction of I can't believe that the Packers moved up for a kicker, when they literally lost a playoff game because of said kicker. I think it had more to do of how weak the 7th round was this year. The Eagles literally drafted a EDGE with no football experience in the 7th. I would have liked Nussmeier in the 7th but won't loose sleep over that. 

[JosephC]

I completely disagree that this was a weak seventh round.

S-Robert Spears-Jennings/Oklahoma

S-VJ Payne/Kansas State

RB-Seth McGowan/Kentucky

OG-Ar'maj Reed-Adams/Texas A&M

QB-Garrett Nussmeier/LSU

TE-Dallen Bentley/Utah

I would have really liked any of those guys.  There weren't many late round projected QBs that I'd strongly prefer over Kyle McCord, but wouldn't have passed on Nussmeier that late in the draft.

I also really liked the following players, but wouldn't have addressed these positions (took 2 CB earlier, and I think the roster already had enough LBs).

CB-Toriano Pride Jr/Missouri

CB-Andre Fuller/Toledo

LB-Aiden Fisher/Indiana

LB-Red Murdock/Buffalo

And regarding Uar Bernard and the Eagles, the Eagles hit BIG on Jordan Mallata, maybe the least surprising thing in this draft was that they are the team that made the modest investment in Bernard.

[CheezWizHed]

9 hours ago, JosephC said:

I completely disagree that this was a weak seventh round.

S-Robert Spears-Jennings/Oklahoma

S-VJ Payne/Kansas State

RB-Seth McGowan/Kentucky

OG-Ar'maj Reed-Adams/Texas A&M

QB-Garrett Nussmeier/LSU

TE-Dallen Bentley/Utah

I would have really liked any of those guys.  There weren't many late round projected QBs that I'd strongly prefer over Kyle McCord, but wouldn't have passed on Nussmeier that late in the draft.

I also really liked the following players, but wouldn't have addressed these positions (took 2 CB earlier, and I think the roster already had enough LBs).

CB-Toriano Pride Jr/Missouri

CB-Andre Fuller/Toledo

LB-Aiden Fisher/Indiana

LB-Red Murdock/Buffalo

And regarding Uar Bernard and the Eagles, the Eagles hit BIG on Jordan Mallata, maybe the least surprising thing in this draft was that they are the team that made the modest investment in Bernard.

The Packers had several indicators that they didn't like the depth of this draft - trading up twice, not signing many UDFAs (and specifically lacking at a couple positions).  

Nussmeier was interesting to me simply because of his pedigree, but I don't recall any of those names being linked to the Packers. Plus, if they hadn't moved up, only a few of the names you listed would've been available at #236 and #255.  I'd guess that if they stayed at their spots, they would've picked a couple of the UDFAs they did sign. 

Also, it is more likely that a kicker provides an impact to the team than any other 7th round pick (not a lock, but likely). 

[patrickgpe]

11 hours ago, JosephC said:

I completely disagree that this was a weak seventh round.

 

Analysis of this draft as a whole is that its not as deep as normal and next years draft is projected to be much deeper. Yes, maybe there are some players that went in the 7th that you may have liked. I still like the idea of getting the top K in the draft rather than drafting 2 projects in the 7th. Now if Smack becomes the next Anders Carlson, than the conversation is 100% different. 

Either way its not like the Packers moved up in the 3rd round to draft a punter like they did 20 years ago.

[RedStickBrew]

4 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

 

Nussmeier was interesting to me simply because of his pedigree, but I don't recall any of those names being linked to the Packers. Plus, if they hadn't moved up, only a few of the names you listed would've been available at #236 and #255.  I'd guess that if they stayed at their spots, they would've picked a couple of the UDFAs they did sign. 

It was fairly well known that Nuss was playing through an undisclosed injury last season. It came out in our local news right before the draft that it was a spinal cyst. I guess that was what kept teams off him because he has NFL talent IMO. 

[LouisEly]

Comments from the Executive Directors of the Senior Bowl and the Shrine Bowl on the Packers' draft picks:

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi/senior-bowl-shrine-leaders-praise-packers-picks-including-sexy-fat-man

Of note:

Why McClellan over Orange?

“Because he’s more athletic than regular fat men,” Fabianich said. “I keep calling them fat men because fat men can’t pass rush. All they do is push the pocket.

“He’s got the athletic ability to actually use speed and be able to flip his hips at the top of his rush, and he can change directions. So, that’s what makes him a better pass rusher than those guys. Now, Domonique Orange now, I love him. Lined up against him for two years [when Fabianich was general manager and director of scouting at West Virginia]. He is going to destroy people in the run game.”

“Yeah, he can do the fat-man stuff,” Fabianich said. “The reason why he was more valuable is because of the pass rush. He can handle the two-gap sh**. I mean, he can do all that. He’s fine with that. And he’ll eat two and he’ll bust a double-team and he’ll make a play. I don’t see an issue with him whatsoever, and I thought he went right where he should have went, too. I thought he might even actually have went a little higher, to be honest with you.”

[JosephC]

McClellan was the definite, no doubt about it tendency-breaker pick for Gutekunst in the draft.  McClellan's athletic testing just wasn't very good.  His agility testing was poor, resulting in a RAS of 6.00.  Going into this draft, the leaguewide average RAS for a drafted DL is 7.73, Gutekunst's average drafted DL was 8.49.  The only below average RAS DLman drafted by Gutekunst prior to this draft was Karl Brooks (5.87).

I am not a fan of RAS (see Shemar Stewart ridiculousness from last year), but it is worth noting that NextGen put a bottom 6 athleticism rating (includes combine invited DLmen) on McClellan.  So from the athletic testing perspective, which history shows Gutekunst HEAVILY relies on, McClellan just isn't that good.

I basically thought what Fabianich said above.  Gutekunst just isn't going to invest a higher pick in a guy with no pass-rush upside.  I would have been very surprised if he would have picked someone like Hunter or Orange with a high pick.  A Tim Keenan or Dontay Corleone in round six or seven would not have surprised me, but spending a late round pick on a guy that a team would likely have on the field for about 30% of the downs is much different than spending a high pick.

The question becomes, will McClellan be a good/at-least-above-average pass rusher in the NFL?  I honestly think Gutekunst looked at that senior season, saw that McClellan had 6 sacks (which is a high total for an college interior defensive lineman) and is betting on that translating to the NFL.  In the 3 seasons prior to that, McClellan had totaled 4.5 sacks.  So there is a production number that indicates he can do it, even though the athleticism numbers say it is probably unlikely.  They sent Milt Hendrickson out to talk about the pick, so Hendrickson must believe that McClellan definitely will not end up being a run-down only player.  

[jay87shot]

When I watch McCllelan's tape I saw a slow 1st step but he is super explosive at the point of contact and shed defenders really quickly. I think that explains poor testing numbers but the explosive hands and ability to manipulate blockers is why we took him and I think he will be successful. He has good size to play NT but also can be a 4-3 rusher.

[CheezWizHed]

I wonder how many tush-push defenses we will see with Parsons/Sorrell-Hargrave-Stackhouse-McClellan-LVN fighting back.  If Stackhouse improves his anchor a bit, that would be a lot of beef to move.