The NFL draft is less than a week away, and Green Bay Packers fans all have the same things on their minds. Is this the year Gutey pounces on a receiver in the first round? Will he trade up? Will he infuriate the thousands of Cheeseheads on hand and trade back?
I think it’s safe to say he won’t trade completely out of the first round, and there’s a decent chance he will move off of No. 23, either up or down. All I know is that I like 10 guys a lot and would be happy with any one of them.
Here they are, in descending order. If you’re like my wife, you’ll immediately scroll down to No. 1 to see my top choice. She’s one of those freaks who skips to the last page of a book to read the ending. Maddening. If you can’t wait, go ahead. But for the rest of you, I hope you enjoy.
You’ll notice I’ve ignored the offensive line. Been there, done that. Find a couple of guys on Day 3. Let’s get sexy this year.
10. Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
OK, going D-line with the first pick is hardly sexy, but the interior of the Packers line could use a big-time run stopper, and Grant fits the bill. This could be Kenny Clark’s last year with the Pack, so this is a sneaky need, too. Grant can play nose and 3-technique and could be a perfect long-term complement next to Devonte Wyatt.
9. Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Harmon has been a popular guy mocked to the Pack throughout this process. The former Spartan led all interior linemen in pressures for the Ducks. He missed more than his fair share of tackles, but that can be corrected. Harmon, like Grant, would be a big-time replacement for the departed T.J. Slaton.
8. Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
There will be several wide receivers on my list because I really believe the Packers may finally end their 23-year drought and find Jordan Love a potential No. 1 guy. This is a huge year for Love. Aaron Rodgers won a Super Bowl in his third year as a starter, and he had a far more accomplished set of pass catchers at his disposal.
Golden came to Green Bay for a top-30 visit and exploded onto the scene in the last few games with the Longhorns. His 4.29 40 time cemented his first-round status, even if his resumé is a little thin. The Packers need speed, and getting a guy like Golden replaces the loss of Christian Watson for most of ‘25. That said, the Pack would likely have to move up to get him.
7. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
Ask me which position I would most like to see the Pack address with their first selection, and corner is way up there, just like last year. I’m a believer that you go with the highest guy left on your board, and I think there’s a chance that a cornerback they love might be there for the taking.
Hairston was a ball hawk with the Wildcats, with three pick-sixes. He missed a chunk of last season with a shoulder injury, but had five picks in ’23 in the brutal SEC.
He’s equally adept playing man or zone, and his blistering 4.28 40 was the toast of the combine. Plus, he’s from Michigan, so he’ll feel right at home playing in Green Bay.
6. Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, BC
The smart money is on the Pack spending their first-round pick on an edge rusher, with several flashing high upside, traits the Packers like and guys likely to be picked in the area Green Bay is picking.
Ezeiraku was a three-year starter for the Eagles, which means he played for Jeff Hafley for two years. You know Haf has been in the scouting team’s ears all spring about this guy. The All-American finished last season in the top three in the FBS in both sacks and tackles for loss.
He’s not the typical edge the Pack favors because he’s a little light and not great against the run, but he would be a force out of the gate on passing downs.
5. Mykel Williams, EDGE Georgia
We’ve reached my top five, and Williams is my top edge guy (presuming guys like Green and Stewart are already off the board).
An ankle injury slowed him a bit last year, and we have some scars from drafting Bulldog defenders in the first round lately, but he has the upside to be a game wrecker. At 6’5” 267 lbs., he can move all across the line, but his blend of speed and power could make him a force off the edge.
4. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was my draft crush a couple of years back, but the Pack selected Lukas Van Ness. Here’s a chance to atone for that mistake (prove me wrong, LVN!).
Egbuka is JSN 2.0, with a very high floor and maybe not quite as high a ceiling as a couple of other receivers in this draft. He’s primarily played the slot, where Jayden Reed lives, so this might not be the ideal fit, but he could step right in and be the most reliable receiver on the roster.
He came in for a top-30 visit, so the Pack is definitely interested. And really, you can’t go wrong with a Buckeye receiver, can you?
3. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
At 5’11”, he’s a bit shorter than what the Packers like, but you watch his tape and can’t help but feel Hafley will be pounding the table for him if he starts to fall into Green Bay’s range.
He played the STAR role at Texas, lining up everywhere in the secondary – Green Bay loves that kind of versatility. Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best D-back and is considered almost a coach on the field.
The only reason he’s not my favorite DB is that the jury’s out on whether he can thrive as an outside corner, which the Pack could desperately use.
2. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
If Green Bay stays at 23 and Johnson is still on the board, I hope Gutey would pounce. Johnson is another prospect whose 2024 season was destroyed by injuries.
He was an All-American as a sophomore and was the MVP of the Wolverines’ national title game. He’s got all the makings of an instant No. 1 corner, which this roster lacks, with the expected departure of Jaire Alexander.
A great corner can cover up an inconsistent pass rush, and Johnson has the potential to be the guy you want to line up against the great receivers the Pack will face every season.
1. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
This would likely take a trade up, so if the Packers are looking to move up four or five spots because McMillan is still on the board, it would cost them their third-round pick.
That’s not something they’ve been willing to do, especially with only eight picks in their arsenal. But just imagine the delirium that would ensue if Roger Goodell announces that the Pack is trading up and they’re taking, gasp, a wide receiver.
McMillan is the consensus top WR in the draft (not including the alien, Travis Hunter), and the team is interested in him. Not only did they host him for a top-30 visit, they sent Gutey to attend his private workout following the Big 12 Pro Day – he was the only general manager who attended.
There’s a really good chance he doesn’t get past the Cowboys at 12, but if he slides into the back half of the first round, I hope the Pack go up and get him. He’s being comped to Drake London, is 6’4” and has been uber productive, leading the FBS in total yards and catches of 20-plus yards over the past two seasons.
He’s nowhere near the fastest guy in the draft, but McMillan’s ball skills, catch radius, and ability after the catch are exactly what the Packers could use. Jordan Love needs to take a big step in his third year as a starter. It’s time to get him an elite wide receiver talent.
