Key Picks Before Packers Go on the Clock in Day 2 of NFL Draft

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers enter Day 2 of the NFL Draft with needs to address at cornerback and both sides of the lines.

Who will they pick? Here are the key selection on the way to No. 54 overall, which is the 22nd pick of the second round.

No. 54: Green Bay Packers – Here’s the Pick

And he was a predraft visitor.

Here is the early story on Anthony Belton.

No. 52: Tennessee Titans – UCLA edge Oluwafemi Oladejo

Another pass rusher is off the board. Femi Oladejo is one of the more fascinating players in the class. He was an off-the-ball linebacker at Cal in 2021 and 2022 and at UCLA in 2023. Injuries on the edge and depth at linebacker necessitated a position change in 2024. In 12 games, he had 4.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for losses. According to PFF, there were 100 FBS-level, draft-eligible edge defenders who played at least 239 pass-rushing snaps. He ranked 46th in pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hit and hurries per pass-rushing snap, and 59th in pass-rush win rate.

No. 51: Carolina Panthers – Texas A&M edge Nic Scourton

The cornerback group remains largely intact, but the pass rushers have been picked over. Nic Scourton had 10 sacks and 15 tackles for losses at Purdue in 2023. He transferred to Texas A&M for 2024. With added weight to play the scheme, he had only five sacks but tallied 14 tackles for losses.

According to PFF, there were 100 FBS-level, draft-eligible edge defenders who played at least 239 pass-rushing snaps. He ranked 39th in pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hit and hurries per pass-rushing snap, but 12th in pass-rush win rate.

No. 48: Houston Texans – Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery

The Texans traded up in a deal with the Raiders to take the 6-foot-6, 331-pound Aireontae Ersery.

There were 120 FBS-level, draft-eligible offensive tackles who played at least 575 snaps in 2024, according to Pro Football. Ersery ranked 18th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. He allowed one sack and 12 total pressures and was penalized three times to become the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.

His 40 time of 5.01 was the fastest by an offensive lineman who is at least 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds since 2003.

No. 47: Arizona Cardinals – Michigan CB Will Johnson

Finally, a cornerback is off the board. Will this be the start of a run on cornerbacks or will there be an impact player available to the Packers at No. 54?

In 32 career games, Will Johnson had nine interceptions – including three he returned for touchdowns – and 19 passes defensed. Injuries limited him to only six games in 2024. He had two pick-sixes and four passes defensed. According to PFF, he allowed a 61.5 percent completion rate in 2024 (but 45.9 percent in 2023) with zero touchdowns and two penalties. His missed-tackle rate was 20.8 percent in 2024 and 15.7 percent for his career.

Asked about his speed at the Combine, he said, “Have you ever seen somebody run away from me?"

No. 45: Indianapolis Colts – Ohio State edge JT Tuimoloau

It’s back-to-back edge rushers with Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau off the board. At 6-foot-4 1/4 and 265 pounds, he had the desired size for the Packers.

Tuimoloau piled up 23.5 sacks, 43.5 tackles for losses and 12 passes defensed in 54 games (41 starts), including 12.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for losses to 2024. According to PFF, there were 100 FBS-level, draft-eligible edge defenders who played at least 239 pass-rushing snaps. He ranked 10th in pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hit and hurries per pass-rushing snap, but only 44th in pass-rush win rate.

No. 44: Dallas Cowboys – Boston College edge Donovan Ezeiruaku

The Packers need to improve their pass rush and Donovan Ezeiruaku, who ranked second in the nation in sacks last season, would have helped without needing to be introduced to defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.

But he wound up with the Cowboys. “He has all the tricks in his bag,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said. “Like, he’s got a million different moves, and it’s why he was so dang productive this year.”

It’s quite possible Ezeiruaku wouldn’t have been on the Packers’ draft board because he’s only 6-foot-2 1/2 and 248 pounds.

No. 43: San Francisco 49ers – Texas DT Alfred Collins

There aren’t many truly big defensive tackles in this class, if that’s what the Packers were looking for to replace TJ Slaton.

The 332-pounder started 28 games in five seasons, including all 16 in 2024, when he had one sack and 5.5 tackles for losses among 55 tackles along with seven passes defensed and one blocked kick.

No. 41: Buffalo Bills – South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders

The Buffalo Bills traded up in a deal with the Chicago Bears to take defensive tackle T.J. Sanders. Sanders had 4.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for losses in 2023 and four sacks and seven tackles for losses among a career-high 50 tackles in 2024.

According to PFF, there were 100 FBS-level, draft-eligible defensive tackles who played at least 238 pass-rushing snaps. He ranked behind only Oregon’s Derrick Harmon in pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap, and 10th in pass-rush win rate. Plus, he was PFF’s 25th-ranked run defender. However, only one defensive tackle had a worse missed-tackle rate than Harmon’s 26.7 percent.

Long before he had a predraft visit with the Packers, he dreamed of being drafted into the NBA. “I was a hooper. I wasn’t touching no football,” the NFL-bound defensive tackle said at South Carolina’s pro day.

Bills trade 56, 62, 109 to Chicago for 41, 72, 240 https://t.co/jfpvM8Mc3W
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 25, 2025

Matthew Golden Gets Jersey Number

Introducing 81@amfam pic.twitter.com/meSlzXenIn
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 25, 2025

No. 39: Chicago Bears – Missouri WR Luther Burden III

The Packers weren’t going to be in the market for another receiver but Luther Burden III is an excellent toy for coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.

Burden had a sensational sophomore season, earning second-team All-American in 2023 with 86 receptions for 1,212 yards (14.1 average) and nine touchdowns. In 2024, with the same quarterback and same head coach, he dipped to 61 receptions for 676 yards (11.1 average) and six touchdowns. On those 61 catches, Burden led the nation by forcing 30 missed tackles, according to PFF.

Chicago used its first-round pick on tight end Colston Loveland after using its first-round pick on Rome Odunze last year. After rebuilding the offensive line, the offense is absolutely loaded.

No. 37: Miami Dolphins – Arizona G Jonah Savaiinaea

Jonah Savaiinaea is the first player of interest off the board on Friday. Savaiinaea, who started with Jordan Morgan, started all 36 appearances in three seasons, with 16 at right tackle, 15 at right guard and five at left tackle in 2024.

There were 109 FBS-level, draft-eligible offensive tackles who played at least 650 snaps in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. He ranked 36th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. He was charged with four sacks and 15 total pressures. He was penalized only once. He played a little more than 1,000 snaps at right tackle, a little less than 1,000 snaps at right guard and 345 at left tackle.

Cornerbacks at Start of Day 2

There’s a lot of talent at cornerback, if the Packers are planning to move on with Jaire Alexander and need to strengthen their depth chart. Michigan’s Will Johnson slid through the first round, as did East Carolina’s Shavon Revel, Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison and Mississippi’s Trey Amos. Johnson (knee), Revel (knee) and Morrison (hip) have injury concerns and missed big chunks of last season and did not run a 40.

Also on the board are Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas, who lacks desired speed with a 4.58 in the 40, and Iowa State’s Darien Porter, who lacks desired experience with only one year as a part-time player.

Sneak Peak: Interview with Matthew Golden’s Coach

Once upon a time, Chris Jackson was a receiver for the Green Bay Packers. Now, he’s the receivers coach at Texas. After Matthew Golden was the Packers’ first-round pick on Thursday, Jackson and Golden connected.

“I congratulated him and told him, ‘Man, you laid the foundation and a platform.’ He took the baton and ran with it, because he bought into the culture, he bought into everything that coach (Steve Sarkisian) asked him to buy into, and he was rewarded for that. So, it goes to show sometimes you just got to come in and put your head down and just go to work and let things unfold the way they need to unfold. So, I congratulated him, told him I was proud of him, but this, at the end of the day, puts him in a position to take care of his family. But the journey is just starting.”

We’ll publish the full story on Sunday.

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Using player rankings to (hopefully) add some realism, here are three scenarios for the #Packers to attack some keys needs tonight. ⬇️https://t.co/nWXT8mrOTR
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) April 25, 2025