Updated List of 16 Players Invited to NFL Draft; Will Packers Select One?

Of the 16 players who accepted their invitation to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, several could be options for the Green Bay Packers with the 23rd pick.

Crews work to construct NFL draft theater on April 11 in the parking lot outside Lambeau Field. | Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Monday, the NFL announced that 17 prospects had accepted their invitation to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. With two subractions and one addition, 16 players will be in Green Bay for the first round on Thursday night.

With Jaxson Dart electing to stay home, there will be two quarterbacks, including presumptive No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward of Miami. The Green Bay Packers aren’t going to draft a quarterback in the first round, but a half-dozen players who will be in Green Bay could be in play when they’re on the clock at No. 23 overall.

Three receivers will be in attendance, including receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado. The others are Texas’ Matthew Golden and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, both of whom could be options for Green Bay. The Packers, of course, haven’t drafted a receiver in the first round since 2002. Golden and McMillan were born in 2003.

Golden had a predraft visit with the Packers and general manager Brian Gutekunst attended McMillan’s individual pro day.

With Georgia’s Mykel Williams changing his mind, two edge defenders will be in Green Bay, including Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. Stewart and Williams were in Green Bay last month for predraft visits with Gutekunst and the coaches.

At FanDuel Sportsbook, defensive line/edge is the betting favorite to be the position for the Packers’ first-pick. McMillan is the favorite to be the first receiver.

Will Johnson had been the only cornerback (other than Hunter) in Green Bay. Now, he will be joined by Maxwell Hairston of Kentucky.

Johnson was a second-team All-American in 2023 who wore Charles Woodson’s No. 2 at Michigan. Injuries limited him to only six games in 2024 and prevented him from working out for scouts at Michigan’s pro day last month. He had an individual pro day on Monday but didn’t run a 40-yard dash, meaning the big question about Johnson – his long speed – will not be answered before the draft.

Todd McShay, formerly of ESPN who now has his own draft newsletter, explained why.

“Considered a top-20 pick by zone-heavy defensive teams,” he posted on X. “A sniper with his eyes forward and playing the ball in front of him. But limited when back is turned to the QB (lacks recovery speed and struggles to track the ball down field). He’s reportedly been running in the high-4.5’s in training, which explains not running a 40. Damn good football player in the right scheme!”

The Packers run a zone-heavy scheme and could be looking to make a big splash at corner after adding Nate Hobbs in free agency.

There are no such questions about Hairston. He was the fastest player at any position at the Scouting Combine.

Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who also had a predraft visit with the Packers, will return to Green Bay for the draft. He allowed just one pressure in six games before a season-ending knee injury. He should be ready to go long in advance of training camp.

“Simmons is the most talented tackle in the class – and it’s not close,” McShay wrote in his newsletter that was e-mailed on Monday morning. “But there is big-time boom-or-bust potential here. Multiple NFL sources have warned me about immaturity and concerning work habits.”

Those issues, McShay continued, could impact Simmons’ development and ability “to become a high-level blindside protector in the NFL.”

The most interesting name on the list is Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. While he has not been deemed one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, the league presumably would not invite him without the strong belief that he will be picked in the first round.

“I'm cool with being underrated,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “I play in the hardest conference in the country. I played against the No. 1 team in the country, the No. 1 defense in the country. The people that surround me, they understand how much I love football and how much I’m looking to grow as a player.”

Hairston was viewed as a fringe first-round pick, as well. As is the case with Milroe, Hairston would not be invited without some relative certainty that he will be selected in Round 1.

Prospects Who Will Attend NFL Draft in Gren Bay

Cameron Ward, QB, Miami

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Tyler Booker, G Alabama

Will Campbell, OT, LSU

Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

Malaki Starks, S Georgia

Jihaad Cambell, LB, Alabama

Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State

Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M

Mason Graham, DT, Michigan