Eight NFL Mock Drafts: Packers Take One of Todd McShay’s ‘Favorite Players’

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Maxwell Hairston. Emeka Ebuka. Matthew Golden. Josh Simmons.

That would be one heck of a slate of prospects for Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, and that was who was available for their spot at No. 23 of the first round in Todd McShay’s fourth and final NFL mock draft.

McShay went with Hairston, the turbocharged, playmaking cornerback from Kentucky.

“Mad Max is one of my favorite players in the draft,” McShay wrote. “He would be an explosive young starter on the perimeter in Green Bay and ease the Packers’ concerns about Jaire Alexander’s role.”

As of Draft Eve, Alexander remains a member of the Packers. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess what the Packers will opt to do with the two-time second-team All-Pro. However, after he missed 10-plus games three of the past four seasons, the Packers better have a contingency plan.

Hairston had five interceptions in 2023 but had only one interception and five passes defensed in 2024 as he missed five games with a shoulder injury. At 5-foot-11 1/4 and 183 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.28 seconds.

“Hairston is as quick as he is fast, which is notable considering he ran the fastest 40 at the Combine,” McShay continued. “He is also the most confident cornerback in this year’s class when the ball is in the air, evidenced by his tying a Kentucky program record with three career pick-sixes.”

The Vikings also picked a cornerback at No. 24 and the Lions traded out of No. 28 but still landed a pass rusher.

Todd McShay's mock draft | Photo courtesy The McShay Report

The 33rd Team: Edge

Texas A&M’s athletic, potential-packed and unproductive Shemar Stewart went to Green Bay in Kyle Crabbs’ mock.

“Green Bay's defensive needs take center stage here, and a freakish talent like Shemar Stewart lasting until the early 20s is a perfect pairing,” he wrote in part.

McShay believes Stewart could go in the top 10.

“Not everyone loves him, but those who do really love his potential and motor,” McShay wrote in a draft buzz story. “Danielle Hunter and Rashan Gary are both good comps for Stewart. Two teams I’ve spoken to have him in the top six overall. The clock starts on Stewart at No. 6 with the Raiders – I can’t imagine he’ll get past Cincinnati at No. 17.”

Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka and Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon were among the prospects on the board.

Pro Football Focus: Ditto

In a tag-team mock featuring PFF’s Nathan Jahnke and Jon Macri, Shemar Stewart also landed in Green Bay.

“Shemar Stewart is a highly athletic project pass rusher who can learn from Rashan Gary – a similar prospect coming out – to acclimate to the NFL,” they wrote. “While Stewart might not become an immediate IDP option, considering the lack of polish as a pass rusher, he is in a good spot to develop and eventually get there shortly.

Receivers Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka went shortly thereafter, with Golden going to an NFC North rival.

ESPN: Cornerback

If Shemar Stewart is the high-athlete, low-production player, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson might be the opposite. Not that he’s a bad athlete. It’s just that he’s not Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston and Texas’ Jahdae Barron.

Johnson, however, is a tremendous player and was the player in Matt Miller’s mock draft. He had nine interceptions in 32 career games.

“There was a lot of buzz about the Packers looking at wide receivers, but I keep hearing that pick will come in Round 2 in true Packers fashion,” Miller wrote. “Johnson is a top-10 player on my board, but sources said he'll slip to the early 20s due to concerns about injuries last season.”

The Big 3 receivers were off the board. At corner, Maxwell Hairston and Ole Miss’ Trey Amos went off the board at the end of the round.

ESPN: Beat Writers

With Rob Demovsky playing the role of Brian Gutekunst, the Packers took Shemar Stewart.

“Two decades of passing on a receiver in the first round makes it hard to predict the Packers would finally end that streak even though Emeka Egbuka and Matthew Golden were both available,” Demovsky wrote. “Their preferred pass rusher would've been Mykel Williams, but Stewart is likely next on their board.”

Emeka and Golden went shortly thereafter.

The Athletic: Beat Writers

With Green Bay on the clock, Matt Schneidman played the role of Brian Gutekunst and landed the massive and athletic Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.

Grant would immediately replace TJ Slaton as the run-stopping defensive tackle and potentially replace Kenny Clark as the difference-maker at the position.

“With pass-rush upside, Grant can eventually help what was an inconsistent pass rush last season, which got little in that department from interior defensive linemen,” Schneidman explained. “And if Kenny Clark is in his last year or two with the Packers, Grant can be their new anchor up front whenever he leaves.”

NFL.com: Defensive Tackle

One of the last known predraft visitors was Walter Nolen. He was the pick in Charles Davis’ mock at NFL.com.

“The Packers add another interior pass rusher for DC Jeff Hafley as he seeks to cause a lot of turbulence for the opposition,” Davis wrote.

Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka were available, as was Maxwell Hairston.

Pro Football Network: All Defense in Three Rounds

For weeks, it’s been the same prospects again and again. Not this time. In a three-round mock by Mark Stolte, the Packers landed Georgia’s Jalon Walker. Is he a linebacker? An edge rusher? Whatever, he’s an impact player.

“Putting Walker at the SAM with Edgerrin Cooper at the WILL and Quay Walker as the MIKE makes them one of the most formidable linebacking trios in the league,” he explained. “The defense was already among the league’s best, so adding a high-motor quarterback killer with the size to be somewhat playable in coverage would help Green Bay’s defense ascend.”

Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos was the pick in the second round. Amos would bring some size to a cornerback group that is rather short, otherwise.

“He plays almost exclusively on the outside and excels most in zone coverage, which should be a huge advantage for the Packers defense, which runs the seventh-most zone coverage in the league and is inside the bottom 10 in man-coverage rate,” Stolte noted as part of longer analysis.

Louisville edge Ashton Gillotte was the choice in the third, with the Packers bypassing receiver Tory Horton of Colorado State.