East-West Shrine Bowl Breaks Down Six Packers Rookies

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers entered the 2025 NFL Draft with a big need at defensive tackle. Instead, they emerged with only Georgia’s Warren Brinson in the sixth round.

Could that late-round pick from a great program fill a great need? Maybe, said Eric Galko, the director of football operations for the East-West Shrine Bowl.

“I think I put this in the tweet when he got drafted but, no BS, those Georgia coaches are like he is as talented as the guys we’ve had here. Devonte Wyatt or Jalen Carter, he’s that level of skill,” Galko said of Brinson, one of two East-West players drafted by the Packers and one of six additions overall.

“You’ll see him at training camp, 6-5, 315. Off the bus, you’re like, who the hell is that guy?” Galko continued. “He had the benefit of playing in a rotation at Georgia with other first- and second-round picks and maybe never quite hit the ceiling that he showed in flashes. But I think at worst, even if he’s a rotation guy in the NFL, too, that’s a pretty talented guy who can pass rush, who can swim move, who can bowl through guys, as well.”

#Packers got a massive, unique, high-upside DL talent in Georgia’s Warren Brinson.

With rare size (6’5, 315) and explosiveness (31 inch vert, 9’7 broad jump, both 80th+ percentile), Brinson’s combination made him a can’t miss when watching Georgia and @ShrineBowl film.

People… pic.twitter.com/Jt5U8SrP8q
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) April 26, 2025

Brinson played in 59 games for the powerhouse Bulldogs, so he’s battle-tested both in the SEC and on the Georgia practice field. However, he started only eight games in five seasons and finished his career with six sacks and 14 tackles for losses.

Still, the minimal production notwithstanding, he should help the Packers add to a defensive line that lost TJ Slaton, who started all 34 games the past two seasons, in free agency.

“He has the size, length and athleticism that he can adapt as a pass rusher and a run defender against who’s going against him,” Galko said. “If it’s a smaller, shorter, zone-blocking guy, he’ll plow through. If it’s a bigger guy, you can go around him a little bit, as well. So, a versatile interior guy who can play a couple different spots. I think his experience as a rotational player at Georgia is going to benefit him a lot in Green Bay, where they have a pretty strong defensive line, but he can be part of that rotation.”

The Packers’ final pick of the draft was used on Cincinnati offensive lineman John Williams, who was the Bearcats’ starting left tackle the last two seasons. He fits the Packers’ mold as a college left tackle with the ability to play multiple positions. GM Brian Gutekunst thought Williams could play all five spots.

“Zach Tom’s a guy we had that the Packers drafted four years ago and very similar,” Galko said. “Can play tackle, can play guard. Don’t typecast him as a guard. He was really good as a mover at tackle, as well, and a lot of teams liked him as a tackle and a guard. I was surprised he went as late as he did. He’ll have a chance to make the roster and contribute at both tackle and guard spots.”

Williams played tackle and guard at the East-West game to show his versatility. At this stage, he’s more advanced in the passing game than as a run blocker.

“He looked great as a guard in pass protection,” Galko said.

In undrafted free agency, the Packers added Brinson’s Georgia linemate, Nazir Stackhouse, Kentucky linebacker Jamon Johnson, Delaware cornerback Tyron Herring and Minnesota guard Tyler Cooper.

“Pretty funny that they have both,” Galko said of Brinson and Stackhouse. “Stackhouse is more of a plugger. Plug and play, put him in the interior, work on first, second down. Not a guy you really want to have to rely on on third down or pass-rush or in-space stuff, but a really effective, strong, stout interior guy who can really win in run fits and win on first and second down, especially.

“He’s got enough juice to work laterally and be a threat as a pass rusher but, for a team like Green Bay, just having him be a nose tackle, having him eat up space and get his hands on guys is really impressive. He’s a guy that once he gets his hands on an offensive lineman, he can really control and win. As long as his hand positioning develops even further, he has a great chance to be a contributor if not a starter one day.

Johnson was a first-team All-American at Georgia in 2022. An injury sidelined him for the end of 2023, and he transferred to Kentucky for his final season.

“Pretty surprising he wasn’t” drafted, Galko said. “I think he’s maybe in some ways limited to being a first- and second-down guy, although he showed at the Shrine Bowl that he can really work in space and get downfield. But as far as a first- and second-down guy goes, I’m not sure there’s many guys in this draft class that I thought were better as a run defender.

“I think he’s an outstanding see-ball, get-ball, in-the-box (linebacker). Can work outside, can work on the perimeter. He had a great college career. He’s not necessarily a guy you want on the field all three downs consistently but, as a first- and second-down player, as a special teams guy, the Packers got a steal after the draft.”

The Packers didn’t address cornerback until the seventh round with Tulane’s Micah Robinson. They added Herring after the draft.

Herring spent his first two seasons at Dartmouth before closing his career with two seasons at Delaware. He allowed catch rates of 46.8 percent in 2023 and 61.8 percent (but just 8.4 yards per catch) in 2024 with a total of four interceptions in those seasons. He’s 6-foot-1 with 4.49 speed.

“Smart kid, will play special teams in the NFL early, has the size-length athletic ability to do so,” Galko said. “He was one of the later guys we added but really, really impressed during his week at the Shrine Bowl. The ball skills, the confidence going against KeAndre Lambert-Smith and the top-100 picks that we had at the Shrine Bowl, too. The confidence was there, ability to press and get vertical, the patience and timing in the red zone. He can really hang despite being a Delaware player and maybe a smaller-school perception of a guy. …

“He has that football and general intelligence that teams are going to appreciate. Don’t be surprised if he makes the roster as a special-teams guy and a versatile defensive back.”

Finally, there’s Cooper, a native of Saint Croix Falls, Wis., who started 21 games at left guard during his final two seasons. Galko pointed to Minnesota’s history of producing NFL offensive linemen in noting his hand placement, patience and ability to pick up blitzes and stunts.

“Maybe not the elite athlete to be a high-round draft pick, but a guy who’s played a lot of games in college, can play guard tomorrow in the NFL in a rotation,” Galko said. “He just was banged up in the draft process a little bit. I think you play his draft process out differently, he’s a fifth-, sixth-round pick contributing as a rookie.”

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