Here’s How Packers’ Biggest Draft Needs Mesh with Dane Brugler’s Top 100

Dane Brugler unleashed his mighty “Beast” on Wednesday, a 523-page draft preview filled with scouting reports, rankings, stats and testing numbers. Here’s how his Top 100 fits with the Packers’ needs.

LSU Tigers defensive end Bradyn Swinson (4) sacks South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers. | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers enter the 2025 NFL Draft with key needs at defensive end, defensive tackle and cornerback on defense and receiver and offensive line on offense.

How do those needs align with the strength of the draft?

For the most part, incredibly well. In The Beast, the voluminous draft preview by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, his Top 100 includes 17 edge defenders (4-3 defensive ends), 11 defensive tackles, 11 cornerbacks, nine offensive tackles, eight interior offensive linemen and 12 receivers. That’s 68 players in six position groups.

The Packers’ First Three Picks

Green Bay is scheduled to make three selections in the first three rounds. Here’s how Brugler’s Top 100 aligns with those picks.

First round, No. 23: Looking at the group of players from No. 18 through No. 32, it consists of cornerbacks Will Johnson and Jahdae Barron, edges Mykel Williams and Donovan Ezeiruaku, defensive tackles Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen, offensive linemen Josh Simmons, Josh Conerly, Tyler Booker, Kelvin Banks and Gray Zabel, and receivers Luther Burden and Emeka Egbuka.

Second round, No. 54: Looking at the group of players from No. 47 through No. 65, it consists of edges Landon Jackson, Jordan Burch, Jack Sawyer, Nic Scourton and Femi Oladejo, defensive tackles Shemar Stewart and Darius Alexander, cornerbacks Azareye’h Thomas and Shavon Revel, offensive linemen Donovan Jackson, Tate Ratledge, Jonah Savaiinaea and Jared Wilson, and receivers Jalen Royals and Tre Harris.

Third round, No. 87: Looking at the group of players from No. 78 through No. 100, it consists of edges Ashton Gillotte, Josaiah Stewart and Bradyn Swinson, defensive tackle Tyliek Hamilton, cornerback Quincy Riley, offensive linemen Miles Frazier, Marcus Mbow, Charles Grant and Anthony Belton, and receivers Isaiah Bond and Elic Ayomanor.

The Bottom Line

It’s perhaps helpful to look backward.

Look at all of that edge-defending power toward the bottom half of Brugler’s rankings. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst hosted Georgia’s Williams for a predraft visit, and he’s obviously worthy of being a first-round pick. But would it make sense to bypass that position in the first round given the depth in Round 2 and even in Round 3?

Meanwhile, looking at the bottom one-fifth of Brugler’s rankings, it includes only one defensive tackle, one cornerback, two receivers and two offensive tackles.

Yes, Gutekunst will say he picked the “best player available,” but that’s part of the bigger picture that includes team needs and draft-class depth.

If offensive line is a priority – and it should be given the lack of depth for 2025 and with three returning starters set to be free agents in 2026 – Gutekunst might have to get his man early. Especially if it’s a tackle. Between No. 38 and No. 78, there’s only one offensive tackle. That’s Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson, who mostly played left guard but thrived at left tackle after Josh Simmons’ season-ending knee injury.

If receiver is a priority – and it should be given how the group performed last season and with Christian Watson’s torn ACL –  there are only five receivers listed from No. 46 through No. 100. Two of those prospects, Texas’ Isaiah Bond and Washington State’s Kyle Williams, seemingly are too small for the Packers’ tastes, though they did bring Bond in for a visit.

If defensive tackle is a priority – and it should be with two-year starter T.J. Slaton leaving in free agency and Kenny Clark coming off a down season and with his 30th birthday on the horizon – there are only two defensive tackles between No. 71 and No. 100.

If cornerback is a priority – and maybe it’s not after signing Nate Hobbs – there’s only one from No. 70 through No. 100.

In other words, the depth runs out in a hurry at some key positions. That could have Gutekunst looking at receiver, offensive tackle, defensive tackle and cornerback in the first two rounds, then taking advantage of the depth at edge rusher and interior defensive line in the middle rounds.

Overall, Gutekunst considers this a quality class, with the numbers strengthened by COVID eligibility and NIL money keeping players in school longer.

“I think there's a lot of numbers in this draft overall,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “I think that a lot has to do with the NIL and the guys staying around for school a little bit longer.

“There’s a lot of talk about the offense and defensive lines maybe being a little bit stronger than some years. But I think it’s a good draft overall. I’m excited for it. We certainly think there’s a bunch of opportunities to help our football team.”