First-Round Picks, Day 3 Sleepers at Packers’ Key Positions of Need

You know the Packers’ positions of need for this week’s NFL Draft. Here are the best first-round options along with a late-round sleeper to fill the holes.

Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa of Arkansas makes a two-point catch with defense from Johnathan Edwards of Tulane (11) at the Senior Bowl. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In 2009, the Green Bay Packers hired Dom Capers and switched defensive schemes. Needing an outside linebacker for their 3-4 alignment, Ted Thompson used his first-round pick on Clay Matthews. Two days and 192 selections later, he used his seventh-round pick on Brad Jones.

Matthews, of course, emerged as one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Jones was no slouch, though, starting 36 games in six seasons in Green Bay.

In that light, here are potential first-round/late-round tandems at the Packers’ biggest positions of need.

Receiver

First round: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

Egbuka gets the call over Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Texas’ Matthew Golden because, A, he’s the most likely to be available at No. 23 and, B, he’s the most ready-to-roll receiver in this class.

He’s not as big as McMillan and not as fast as Golden but he’s got enough size and enough speed. He delivered big-time production at a powerhouse program in which he had to work to get those opportunities as part of a depth chart that would be the envy of many NFL teams – Green Bay’s included.

Late round: Isaac TeSlaa, Arkansas

Who is going to be the downfield threat with Christian Watson sidelined by a torn ACL?

TeSlaa has the skill-set at 6-foot-3 5/8 and 4.43 speed in the 40. After dominating the Division II ranks, TeSlaa caught 34 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns in 2023 and 28 passes for 546 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. That’s a 19.5-yard average. He caught 7-of-9 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. With 10-inch hands, he had zero drops in two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

Offensive Line

First round: Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Talk about going under the radar. Not so much in NFL circles but who has talked about Zabel as a potential first-round pick for the Packers?

With left tackle Rasheed Walker, right tackle Zach Tom and right guard Sean Rhyan set to be free agents after the upcoming season, it’s clear the Packers need an infusion of starting-caliber talent. The Packers, of course, covet versatility. Nobody is more versatile than Zabel, who started games at four positions in college. The only position he didn’t start at center, which he played extensively at the Senior Bowl.

Zabel could be immediate depth here, there and everywhere as a rookie, including at center, where there is no obvious replacement for Elgton Jenkins.

If the Packers want more of a pure tackle, Ohio State’s Josh Simmons went from a penalty-machine right tackle at San Diego State to an All-American-caliber left tackle at Ohio State. In pass protection, he allowed just one pressure in six games before a season-ending knee injury. If he would have played the full season, he would have been a slam-dunk top-15 pick. Now, he could be a steal. Simmons will be ready for training camp, if not earlier.

Late round: Dalton Cooper, Oklahoma State

Cooper started 57 games at Texas State and Oklahoma State, with 3,669 snaps at left tackle and 173 at right tackle. In 2024, he didn’t allow a sack and was guilty of only three penalties. At 6-foot-5 1/2 and 326 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.99 seconds. With 33 1/2-inch arms, he’s got swing-tackle, multiposition potential.

He had a predraft visit with the Packers.

If the Packers are looking to overlook his short arms, Jonah Monheim would be an intriguing option as a developmental center. At USC, his 46 career starts included double-digits games at right tackle, left tackle and center.

Defensive End

First round: Mykel Williams, Georgia

From the group of Williams, Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku and Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, one is likely to be on the board for the Packers at No. 23.

At 6-foot-5 1/8 and 260 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, Williams fits the big-guy mold. His 4.77 in the 40 wasn’t overly impressive but his 1.61 in the first 10 yards of that 40 was better. He played through an ankle injury last season to record five sacks and 8.5 tackles for losses. He’s been compared to another former Georgia star, Travon Walker, who has back-to-back 10-sack seasons.

Late round: Tyler Baron, Miami

The Packers need more pass rush. Baron had six sacks and 11 tackles for losses at Tennessee in 2023 and 5.5 sacks and 11 tackles for losses at Miami in 2024.

PFF paints a different picture. Of 87 FBS-level, draft-eligible edge rushers with at least 250 pass-rushing snaps last season, Baron ranked eighth in pass-rush win rate (between Marshall’s Mike Green, who led the nation in sacks, and Ezeiruaku, who was second in sacks). Coached by Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, he was third in pass-rush productivity – one spot ahead of Penn State’s Abdul Carter, a likely top-five pick – a metric that measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

At 6-foot-4 5/8 and 258 pounds with 33 1/8-inch arms, he ran his 40 in 4.62 seconds. He at least could be a third-down pass rusher as a rookie.

Defensive Tackle

First round: Derrick Harmon, Oregon

With the loss of TJ Slaton, there is a big hole in the middle of Green Bay’s defense. With Kenny Clark coming off a season of lackluster production and with his 30th birthday approaching, the Packers could use a new centerpiece of the line.

That would be Harmon. At 6-foot-4 1/2 and 313 pounds, he’s bigger than Ole’ Miss Walter Nolen. With 4.95 speed in the 40, he’s more athletic than Michigan’s Kenneth Grant. He led all FBS interior defenders in pressures last season, according to PFF, on his way to five sacks.

Late round: Cam Horsley, Boston College

Jeff Hafley knows the BC pass rusher Ezeiruaku. He knows Horsley, too. He’s not going to add much juice as a pass rusher but he’d help offset the loss of Slaton on run defense. In 2024, Horsley had zero sacks but seven tackles for losses. He started 46 games the past four seasons and played in 59 games in five seasons.

At 6-foot-2 3/4 and 312 pounds, he’s got 33-inch arms and 5.04 speed in the 40.

Cornerback

First round: Trey Amos, Mississippi

The Packers need a No. 1 cornerback to replace Jaire Alexander, the former All-Pro who has missed double-digits games due to injuries three of the past four years. It’s an interesting draft class from that perspective. Michigan’s Will Johnson, Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison, Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston and East Carolina’s Shavon Revel all missed big chunks of last season.

At least Amos was healthy. And was good. In his lone season at Ole Miss in 2024, he had three interceptions and an SEC-leading 16 passes defensed. PFF charged him with a 51.6 percent completion rate. He was even better as a reserve at Alabama in 2023 (45.0 percent). He’s more than willing on run defense and has a wealth of experience on special teams.

The Packers are short at corner; Amos is 6-foot 3/4 and ran his 40 in 4.43.

Late round: Korie Black, Oklahoma State

Assuming the Packers jettison Alexander, they’ll be down four cornerbacks from last season. Presumably, Gutekunst will draft one early and late. Black has above-average size (6-foot 1/4) and considerably above-average speed (4.35).

Black started 38 games the past three seasons and capped his career with three interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 2024. With 2,350 career snaps, PFF charged him with a completion rate allowed of 53.0 percent. He was flagged five times in 2022 but only twice in 2024. He is fast and physical.