Packers Draft Georgia’s Warren Brinson, Who Will Bring ‘Interior Juice’

Defensive tackle Warren Brinson played five seasons at Georgia but started less than 10 games. But he’s from Georgia, so he’s ready.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Warren Brinson was picked by the Pckers in the sixth round. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers went back to one of their favorite football hotbeds, the University of Georgia, and selected defensive tackle Warren Brinson with their sixth-round pick at the NFL Draft on Saturday.

“Honestly, it was a long day, just full of prayer and hoping I get the right fit,” he said. “I’m just blessed that I get to swap out one ‘G’ for another, honestly.”

“Interior juice,” he said, is what he’ll bring to the defense.

Defensive tackle was one of the team’s biggest needs entering the draft. Instead, it waited until pick No. 198.

“I think teams shouldn’t look past drafting a Bulldogs player, because nobody comes from a culture that we come from,” Brinson said at the Scouting Combine. “Every NFL scout knows Georgia has the hardest practices in the country and our coaches demand the most from us at all times.”

Brinson will have a golden opportunity to carve out a role with only Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden having played in a game last season after T.J. Slaton signed with the Bengals in free agency.

Brinson said he had a Scouting Combine meeting with the Packers as well as a Zoom call. One of the Green Bay defensive line coaches called him on Saturday morning.

“It’s always the team that you don’t expect,” he said.

Brinson played in 59 games but started only eight times in five seasons. He finished his career with six sacks and 14 tackles for losses, with two sacks and a career-high six tackles for losses in 2024 despite playing through Achilles and ankle injuries.

“I wouldn’t even say anything changed,” he told The Draft Network recently. “I was probably playing at 70 percent the entire year. I went into the season wanting to be as productive as possible. I think the biggest thing is when you know your movements are limited, it makes you rely on your technique. You want to play more sound.

“I was playing sound. I wanted to play sound defense. My biggest thing was to do my one of 11. I was playing disciplined football.  I realized as the seasons went on, the plays come to you when you’re doing your job. It was a blessing to put up those numbers this year. I wish the numbers were even better, but I was happy with what I put on film.”

The competition at Georgia should have him as ready as possible for the NFL.

“How did Georgia prepare me? Georgia prepared me by the physicality aspect of going through something so hard,” Brinson said at the Combine.

“I came in with 14 guys at Georgia, and I think only five us made it through. That’s the biggest thing. It’s hard at Georgia, If you can last at Georgia, you can last anywhere, they build a culture of men. If you can make it at Georgia, you can make it anywhere.”

While the sack numbers were minimal, Brinson believes he can help a pass rush. According to Pro Football Focus, there were 116 FBS-level, draft-eligible defensive tackles who had at least 226 pass-rushing opportunities. (That was Brinson’s number.) Brinson was 31st in pass-rush win rate.

“I do feel that way,” he told The Draft Network. “Teams shouldn’t look at the sack production. They are looking at how many plays I disrupt by pushing the pocket and recording a quarterback pressure. I was beating my man pretty consistently and getting in the backfield even when I wasn’t getting a sack. That’s what teams told me at the NFL Combine. They told me I’m a very disruptive player. Scouts see me as an interior pass-rushing threat.”

Brinson helped replace Wyatt, a first-round pick by the Packers in 2022. Entering the 2023 season, he spoke confidently he could provide the impact after Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis were drafted.

“You say not having any game-wreckers, I feel like I can wreck the game,” he said.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein gave Brinson a fifth-round grade. Dane Brugler of The Athletic had him as a sixth-rounder.

“Brinson is the best version of himself when he’s allowed to get up the field and make things happen. He gets upfield with purpose and pad level,” Zierlein wrote.

At 6-foot-5 1/4 and 315 pounds, Brinson ran his 40 in 5.09 seconds, had excellent numbers in the jumps and finished with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.10.

Brinson was arrested in 2022 for a “TikTok challenge gone wrong.”

The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 Draft Picks

Kids and adults ride in the NFL Draft Bike Parade on Saturday | Nadia Scharf / Green Bay Press-Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Day 3: Packers pick Collin Oliver | Packers pick Barryn Sorrell

Second round, NC State OL Anthony Belton: Belton’s fit | Where did he rank? | Packers select Belton. Third round, TCU WR Savion Williams: Williams’ fit | Where did he rank? | Packers select Williams.

First round, Texas WR Matthew Golden: Relive the moment | NFL Draft grades | Our grade | Golden’s fit | Where did he rank? | Packers select Golden

Report cards: Day 1 | Day 2 | Golden | Belton | Williams