Had a buddy pose the question this morning what to you would a perfect draft for the Packers look like?
This is about as close as I can envision personally...little bit of my personal opinion (I am always looking for edge guys) and GB tendencies....ALSO this is assuming as we have to right now Jaire is here in 2025.
1.23 Traded away to Browns. We send 1.23 and 6.198 for 2.33 / 3.67 and a 2026 6th rounder
2.33 We start off Day2 with a splash. Just an insane amount of starters/contributors have expiring contracts after this year...one might argue this pick likely saves us $12-$20M a year deal with someone in the offseason. Green Bay sees if they can hit yet again in the second round with a guy that IMO at least can absolutely become a WR1 in the NFL - Jayden Higgins WR Iowa State. This signing likely means not having to resign at least one of Doubs or Watson.
*Full disclosure I love Higgins but picking him would make me INCREDIBLY sad. I really admire and love Doubs and personally would see the addition of Higgins as the beginning of the end of Doubs in GB...whether this year through trade or not resigning in the off season. Higgins though is just such a GB guy and the future looms heavy I think on this draft far more than the present (Higgins will help now too though).
2.54 Crazy athletic, prototypical edge size/length but what I love despite not being a refined pass rusher (despite 15 sacks this past season) is his play recognition and destruction against the run. Welcome to Green Bay JT Tuimoloau, you had no business IMO being there at 54 but this edge class is so deep there is going to be a guy or two honestly that hits the third round that is excellent IMO. This pick saves us having to resign Enagbare in all likelihood.
3.67 - Hafley saw him for years at BC block everything he would toss at him in practice....I screamed at Gute to come off the height trait as well (everything else he is prototypical OL). Ozzy Trapilo OT from Boston College instantly IMO makes Walker able to walk in the off season - we could keep him for a year and let Ozzy compete or even trade him...Morgan instantly can make Rhyan able to walk after season too focusing on being the starting RG. With one pick we could save a TON in off season contracts to Walker and/or Rhyan potentially being needed.
3.87 - Slaton is gone, and while I think we see Clark play a lot more 1T and we work out a one year extension rather than 5th year option with Wyatt...replacing Slaton is still something pressing and Clark isn't going to be here forever. Jamaree Caldwell DL Oregon has that 1T ability out the gate, but enough to his game that there really could be some interior pressure situationally too making him at times a three down guy for a team (22 pressures in 2024).
4.124 - SHOCKER....Green Bay calls a name that instantly will send TONS of fans into chaos because they'll hate it....they'll scream we don't need it....BUT Gute learned last year the importance of having a "good enough" backup...and a guy who has won tons of big games, can beat teams with his legs and a locker room leader is sitting there. Riley Leonard QB Notre Dame...come learn behind one of the hopeful futures of the league and potentially Willis as well for one year. His intermediate and short passes have enough zip to them, his touch is still something he's working through but this kid is DEADLY outside the pocket and would have some design run ability in his bag better than most. Insurance to the uncertain future of Malik makes this pick make a lot of sense.
SHOCKER #2 OF THE DRAFT
The New York Giants have traded for Malik Willis comes across the bottom of the screen and Green Bay is on the clock at Pick #154....but that isn't the only pick GB receives...Green Bay gets 5.154 and a conditional (no lower than) 2026 4th rounder (potentially to become a 2nd if Malik starts over 65% of the 2025 season or 3rd if over half). Essentially the top shelf if GB does nothing with Malik would be a 3rd round compensatory depending on what a team pays him in the offseason...but that pick wouldn't hit till 2027 draft. Gute gets a 5th now, and at worst a 4th next season.....with not many guys signed past 2025, tons of roster decisions coming - he gets essentially the max value of a 3rd potentially between 2025 and 2026 drafts.
5.154 - With many of the obvious issues plugged many envision this potentially being a CB...but not liking the board has Gute look to an athletic profile that could offer a diverse impact to helping the offense in both the run and pass game. Elite hands is something you will hear used to describe him despite not having a ton of juice/speed and his route tree is limited...but he is a very willing blocker and once you do get his hands on the ball his YAC value is well above average for his position. His size profile is IMPRESSIVE and potential is there for something special to grow...dude is 6'5' 243 has hands closer to 11 inches than he does 10 and 34 inch arms...a 9.37 RAS with elite/great explosion and agility grades Thomas Fidone TE from Nebraska instantly provides some ST play, puts Ben Sims on notice and could help make the future decision post 2026 when likely either Musgrave (more likely) or Kraft goes away.
5.159 - According to Tyni's board (worth about .02 cents) this would be a massive steal, but consensus and PFF boards all disagree with me about this guy and this is inline with his profile. Quay's future is up in the air, McDuffie is a solid depth guy but I want an athletic profiled off ball backer to ease the pain if we lose an underachieving IMO Quay (albeit much better last year IMO) after the 2025 season. Danny Stutsman from Oklahoma is the pick and is everything I love about an off ball backer - which to be fair from a traits perspective is a repeat of Quay.
7.237 - Bilhal Kone CB from Western Michigan is the pick here. With Carrington continuing to get better each year, Jaire still here, Nixon (to some of you) being a decent outside corner, Hobbs signing and King still here CB isn't as pressing as many think or thought (me). Kone is a very athletic profile CB that fits the GB mold at 6'1" 190lbs and a 7.7 RAS there is a lot to like out of the smaller corner. I love his journey from Iowa Community college to Indiana State and then finally at Western Michigan. Strengths are his frame, length, hip fluidity and press man coverage. He needs to get better with his eye discipline in both ability to feel man and watch ball but once ball is in flight he lost some TOs to wondering eyes too soon. His tackling like many CBs needs to be better and he has the frame to hit so needs to use it. Late round flyer to compete with King and bottom of the room for 2025 and is hopefully ready to push for more in 2026.
7.250 - Dalton Cooper OT from OSU is a late round tackle prospect with the build, length and athletic testing to likely slide inside IMO with his three cone being a touch higher but rest of his movement skills there, his strength his solid and I think sliding to guard he could start for many teams by his second year.
So yeah I'm a big advocate for him and personally I think that is too late to nab him.
