Packers Draft Chris McClellan: Reach or Steal?

GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers didn’t just draft Chris McClellan in the third round. They traded up to get him, sacrificing one of their fifth-round picks to move up from No. 84 to No. 77 of the third round to get the Missouri defensive tackle.

McClellan will fill a major need. But was it a reach or steal? For what it’s worth, here is where he ranked on various media big boards.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah: No. 82.

Separately, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected him as a fourth- or fifth-round pick.

“McClellan is not a natural knee-bender, which limits his anchor, and he allows blockers too far into his frame too often,” Zierlein wrote as part of a longer scouting report.

“He has flashes where he can dominate a rep, but he will need to improve his take-on technique and hand usage to be more consistent. His first step is average and his pass rush isn’t overly explosive, but McClellan can pry open edges with strong hands. He plows through to collapse pockets once his foot is in the door and projects as a backup nose tackle in an even-front defense.”

ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper: No. 118.

Pro Football Focus: No. 125.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler: Not in his Top 100 but had him ranked as a third- or fourth-round pick.

“McClellan looks like an NFL player, with his big frame and bear-claw hands. He can be a tough guy for centers to defend when he times up the snap and uses his full extension or arm-over moves to create interior pressure,” he wrote. “Overall, McClellan isn’t a consistent disruptor, but he checks boxes with his physical characteristics and developing recognition skills.”

Consensus Big Board: No. 130.

Bleacher Report: No. 152.

ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid: No. 120.

Tankathon: No. 116.

Packers director of football operations Milt Hendrickson said the “value” of the trade “matched what we were willing to give up.”

“Just really excited to get him, obviously,” he said. “He was a guy that really, I think, checked a lot of boxes since the middle of the season through the all-star process. Just a guy that the more you watch, the more he grew on us, and that’s ultimately why we made the decision to go get him.

“Big man, good length, he’s got a really good tag. He can do a lot of things. I think there’s a lot of versatility he’s going to be able to bring our defense. So, at the end of the day, it was a pretty easy decision.”

The Packers entered the draft needing a pure nose tackle. McClellan has the goods to play that role but also move around the line a bit.

“Man, I can play anywhere across the line, and that's what I'm willing to do,” McClellan said during his Zoom call. “Wherever they need me to go, I'll go and play and contribute and just help the team in whatever way I can. I don't care if I have to be a zero, nose or a five technique. Wherever I can go to play and help the team is where I want to be.”

The Verdict

This wasn’t even close. Of the seven boards in which McClellan was ranked, the average was 120.4. That means the Packers overdrafted him by about 43 spots, at least according to the media rankings.

Ultimately, of course, McClellan will get his chance to prove the Packers right.

“I knew my situation going into today was a little bit unique,” he said, “so I just control what I could and went into it with a clear head and an open heart and just was looking forward to whatever team was calling me.”

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