Biggest Draft Steals and Busts for Packers During Brian Gutekunst Era

GREEN BAY – Brian Gutekunst is behind the wheel for his ninth draft as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. Like all general managers, he’s had his share of hits and misses.

Looking back at his first eight drafts, here are his eight biggest steals and his eight biggest busts.

Steal No. 8: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Fifth Round, 2018

Valdes-Scantling was the 18th receiver off the board. He ranks seventh with 219 receptions, sixth with 3,686 yards and tied for sixth with 21 touchdowns. The four receivers selected ahead of him and the two selected after him have combined for 134 receptions and 1,945 yards.

MVS played four seasons for the Packers. He led the NFL with 20.9 yards per catch in 2020, when he scored a career-high six touchdowns.

Steal No. 7: Jon Runyan, Sixth Round, 2020

Runyan was the 192nd pick of the draft and the first of three linemen selected by Green Bay in the sixth round. Runyan is tied for 23rd in the draft class with 79 starts. Only one player drafted after him (Washington’s Kam Curl) has started more games.

In four seasons in Green Bay, he played in every game and started all but one game during his final three seasons.

Steal No. 6: Evan Williams, Fourth Round, 2024

Williams was the 111th overall selection and the 21st defensive back. From that group, he is tied for fifth with four interceptions and tied for fifth with 149 tackles. No defensive back drafted after Williams has more tackles.

After an all-rookie season, Williams had three interceptions and 100 total tackles (including special teams) in 16 games last season.

Steal No. 5: Carrington Valentine, Seventh Round, 2023

To get a quality cornerback with the 232nd overall selection is a steal, even if he should be challenged for the starting job during training camp.

In three seasons, Valentine has played in 49 games with 30 starts. He is 11th in the draft class with 18 passes defensed. Of the 21 defensive players selected after Valentine, they combined for 25 passes defensed.

Steal No. 4: Jordan Love, First Round, 2020

Franchise quarterbacks usually are taken at the top of the first round. Over the last 20 drafts, there have been 20 quarterbacks selected in the first round but outside the top 10. From that group, Love is third with a 96.8 passer rating, behind only Lamar Jackson (102.2) and Deshaun Watson (98.8).

The Packers, of course, traded up to No. 26 for Love in the 2020 draft, which came on the heels of losing in the 2019 NFC Championship Game. We’ll never know if linebacker Jordyn Brooks (No. 27), linebacker Patrick Queen (No. 28) or receiver Tee Higgins (No. 33) rather than a quarterback who sat on the bench for three seasons would have pushed the Packers to the Super Bowl.

What we do know is the Packers have qualified for the playoffs all three seasons with Love at the controls and his efficiency took a big step forward last season.

Steal No. 3: Tucker Kraft, Third Round, 2023

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) celebrates his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Packers used the 42nd pick on Luke Musgrave, making him the fourth tight end off the board. Then, they used the 78th pick on Kraft, making him the seventh tight end off the board.

Musgrave has been a dud but Kraft has been a stud. Of the 17 tight ends drafted, Kraft is third with 113 receptions and second with 15 touchdowns – even while barely being used for the first half of his rookie season and being sidelined by a torn ACL for the second half of last season. Of the 10 tight ends drafted after Kraft, they combined for 14 touchdowns.

Of the 48 players in the draft class who were targeted at least 20 times, Kraft is No. 1 in yards per target. (Receiver Jayden Reed is second.)

Steal No. 2: Rasheed Walker, Seventh Round, 2022

Where would the Packers have been without Walker after David Bakhtiari’s career-ending knee injury?

There were 262 players selected in the 2022 draft. Walker was No. 249. After missing most of his first training camp and playing just four snaps on special teams as a rookie, it was Walker to the rescue. Walker stepped into the lineup in Week 2 of the 2023 season and started 48 of 49 games (not including Week 18 of last season).

It was a surprise that Walker had to settle for a one-year contract in free agency. He wasn’t a great player but he didn’t cause the Packers a lot of problems, either.

Steal No. 1: Zach Tom, Fourth Round, 2022

Tom was the 140th pick of the fourth round, a compensatory selection. He went from a utility role to one of the best right tackles in the NFL. In 2024, he received the third-most All-Pro votes among right tackles, trailing only the elite duo of Penei Sewell and Lane Johnson. In 2025, Tom started 12 games (including against Cleveland, when he played one snap) and allowed zero sacks and was penalized once.

Tom has started 51 games. That ranks second among the players selected in the fourth round (Buccaneers tight end Cade Otten, 58). Only one player drafted after him has started more games (Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen, 53).

Eagles linebacker Oren Burks didn't make man big plays for the Packers but he made a huge one against them in the playoffs — Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks didn't make man big plays for the Packers but he made a huge one against them in the 2024 playoffs. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Bust No. 8: Oren Burks, Third Round, 2018

In four seasons in Green Bay, Burks started only seven games. Noted for his coverage background, he broke up exactly zero passes with Green Bay. He had 92 tackles, zero interceptions, a half-sack and two tackles for losses during his time in Titletown.

The next pick, Joseph Noteboom by the Rams, has been a versatile lineman with 36 starts spread across four positions.

Bust No. 7: MarShawn Lloyd, Third Round, 2024

Lloyd was the fourth running back off the board and the 88th overall selection, but one injury after another has kept him locked inside the training room. In one game, he’s carried the ball six times for 15 yards.

A huge offseason awaits. The Packers had visions of a one-two punch of Josh Jacobs and Lloyd serving as a thunder-and-lightning tandem. Can Lloyd find the answers to get him on the field – and keep him there? Or will he become an even bigger bust? The Packers probably have to draft a running back this weekend because of Lloyd’s injury problems.

You can’t go on without mentioning Ty’Ron Hopper. He was the 91st overall selection in 2024, the one acquired in the Rasul Douglas trade. He’s got 33 tackles in two seasons. After losing Quay Walker in free agency, the Packers opted to trade for Zaire Franklin rather than promote Hopper.

Bust No. 6: Josiah Deguara, Third Round, 2020

The Packers drafted Deguara in hopes of him becoming their version of 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk. During that same year the Packers drafted Deguara, Juszczyk, a 10-time Pro Bowler, matched his career high with four touchdown receptions. Deguara caught 47 passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns in four seasons with the Packers.

Officially, Deguara was listed as a tight end. Three of the next five tight ends have 100-plus receptions and 10-plus touchdowns.

Bust No. 5: Josh Jackson, Second Round, 2018

Gutekunst doubled up at cornerback atop the draft. After shuffling around the board before grabbing future All-Pro Jaire Alexander, he selected Jackson, who was an All-American at Iowa after intercepting eight passes during his final season.

Jackson started for most of his rookie season, but the Packers gave up on him after three seasons. He played seven more games the rest of his career and finished with zero interceptions and a 112.9 passer rating when targeted.

Jackson was the 45th overall pick. The next cornerback off the board, Donte Jackson by Carolina at No. 55, has 23 career interceptions.

Bust No. 4: J’Mon Moore, Fourth Round, 2018

Green Bay wide receiver J'mon Moore (82) catches a pass during a scrimmage against the Houston Texans in 2019. | Joshua Clark/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis. via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Moore was the 15th receiver selected in 2018, 41 spots ahead of the aforementioned Marquez Valdes-Scantling. A total of 33 receivers were selected. Moore was tied for 28th with two catches.

Two picks later, the Rams selected impact defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers. Two picks after that, the Cowboys selected tight end Dalton Schultz, which would have alleviated the need to draft the next player on this list.

Bust No. 3: Jace Sternberger, Third Round, 2019

After swinging and missing on Jimmy Graham, Gutekunst used a third-round pick on Sternberger. He was the sixth tight end off the board and ranks 11th with 12 catches for 114 yards.

Taken with the next pick, the Commanders selected two-time Pro Bowl receiver Terry McLaurin, whose streak o five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons was snapped last season. Taken about 20 picks later, Bills tight end Dawson Knox has more than twice as many touchdowns (27) as Sternberger had catches.

Bust No. 2: Amari Rodgers, Third Round, 2021

Green Bay gave up its fourth-round pick to move up seven spots in the third round for Rodgers, a receiver typically not on the draft board because he was shorter than 5-foot-10.

Rodgers was the 13th of 36 receivers selected in 2021. He ranks 18th with just 20 catches and 17th with 249 yards. He scored one touchdown. He lasted about a season-and-a-half with the Packers and caught eight passes with the team.

Taken four picks later, the Texas grabbed premier receiver Nico Collins, who has more touchdowns (24) than Rodgers had catches. Taken one round later, the Lions selected indomitable Amon-Ra St. Brown, who leads the draft class with 547 receptions.

Bust No. 1: Eric Stokes, First Round, 2021

Stokes had a tremendous rookie season. There were 96 corners who played at least 300 coverage snaps. Stokes tied for fifth in completion percentage allowed (51.0), according to Pro Football Focus.

Stokes was horrendous in 2022, a season that ended with a foot injury. After breaking up 14 passes in 16 games (14 starts) in 2021, Stokes during his final three seasons in Green Bay had zero pass breakups in 29 games (18 starts).

The Packers let him go in free agency last offseason, and Stokes finished first in coverage snaps per completion allowed with the Raiders. Adding another layer of insult to injury, the Packers signed Nate Hobbs away from the Raiders – and booted him after one dismal season.

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