People talk about how good the Green Bay Packers have been at finding franchise quarterbacks. Still, another trend they’ve established that is rarely acknowledged, even if it’s well known: Their ability to strike gold with offensive linemen on Day 3 of the draft.
Over the past 15 years, the Packers have drafted David Bakhtiari, Rasheed Walker, Zach Tom, Corey Linsley, and Josh Sitton on the third day. All of them have significantly outperformed the modest expectations that typically accompany their draft positions.
Cincinnati’s John Williams was the only offensive lineman the Packers selected on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Although he spent five years with the Bearcats, he played more than 110 blocking snaps in only two seasons. Still, Williams was a highly efficient tackle when he saw significant playing time.
Williams played 874 pass-blocking snaps over the past two years, allowing only three sacks, with a 99.8% pass-blocking efficiency. He didn’t allow a single sack on 251 pass-blocking snaps on true pass sets. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams only allowed eight pressures in 441 pass-blocking snaps last season, resulting in a 1.8% pressure rate. That ranked second among all FBS offensive tackles with at least 400 pass-blocking snaps.
“I think my pass protection has grown an immeasurable amount in…just this last year,” Williams said. “If you just watch the tape from 2023 to 2024, it’s like a completely different player, and I think that’s really what’s going to translate.
“Our O-line coach Nic Cardwell has done such a great job implementing an NFL style system for all of our pass protections, and it’s just paid off in, I don’t even know how to describe how much.”
Finding a tackle with such productivity is rare in the later rounds. Williams’ versatility is one of the crucial traits that made him so appealing to Green Bay.
“He’s got great length, exceptionally bright,” Brian Gutekunst said. “Really, really, really smart. He’s got the versatility to play left tackle and guard. He probably could play center because he’s smart enough to. He’s one of the few guys who can really play with full extension with his hands, and is moving his feet at the same time.”
Gutekunst was also surprised that Williams was still available so late in the draft.
“We were down there in the seventh round,” he said. “It’s unusual for a guy who can tackle and guard, play four spots for you, to be down there at that spot.”
Williams played 1,830 blocking snaps in college, with 1,825 at tackle and five as an in-line tight end. However, the Packers listed him as a guard on his draft card, and that’s likely where he’ll begin his NFL career.
Green Bay has two starting tackles, Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker. They also have Jordan Morgan, whom they initially drafted as a tackle. They also used a second-round pick on Anthony Belton, whose frame is better suited to play on the edge. It makes sense for Williams to transition inside. The move is logical given how the Philadelphia Eagles exposed their interior depth during the 2025 Wild Card game.
Williams could follow a similar career trajectory to Rasheed Walker, who was also a seventh-round pick. Walker didn’t play any snaps in 2022 but logged 2,113 blocking snaps in 2023 and 2024. Matt LaFleur said Jordan Morgan will compete for the starting left tackle job. That likely means Sean Rhyan will start at right guard, with Williams possibly battling Kadeem Telfort for a backup role.
“I am familiar,” said Williams about Walker’s path. “That was one thing I really loved about Green Bay was how they like to develop players. That was a big thing for me when I visited.”
On the other hand, if Morgan doesn’t pan out on the outside, he’ll likely compete with Rhyan for the right guard job. If that happens, Williams could potentially compete for a third-string position.
If there’s any team that can maximize Williams’ potential, it’s Green Bay. It’ll be interesting to see how they develop him, especially since he has the frame to play inside and outside. With that kind of versatility, they’ll have plenty of ways to use him.
