Packers Draft Report Cards: Here Are Experts’ Day 2 Grades

NFL Draft grades are the equivalent of eating a family-size bag of chips with a 2-liter cola chaser. Sure, individually, you love them and you’ll have the calories to get through the day. You’ll also have a belly filled with regret and a mouth filled with cavities.

But here you are, eager to dive into the report cards. So, let’s get the nausea meds, barf bag and dive in.

Sports Illustrated: Two B’s

Starting with the home team, Gilberto Manzano graded the picks individually. He gave the Packers a B-plus for cornerback Brandon Cisse, their pick at No. 52 of the second round.

“Green Bay needed to fill out its secondary after releasing corner Nate Hobbs, and did so with the addition of Cisse,” he wrote. “The Packers are going to pair Cisse with Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine, giving new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon another piece to deploy.”

The “hulking” McClellan, who the Packers traded up to get at No. 77, got a B-minus.

NFL.com: A-minus

Chad Reuter liked how both picks filled major needs.

Of Cisse in particular, he wrote: “He's an athletic player with great speed, fitting the Packers' prototype at the position. He needs to be more consistent in his technique to maximize his potential.”

The Athletic: A-Minus for Cisse

Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman tag-teamed the pick-by-pick grades. They gave the Cisse pick an A-minus.

“Cisse might need some time in the soup before he can be fully counted on as a starter, but his athleticism (at 6-0, 190) flashes signs of having legit CB1 potential,” Baumgardner wrote. “This is a classic Packers pick, as it’ll take work to get Cisse to his ceiling – but this is sort of what the Packers do.”

They gave the McClellan pick a B, but they also said Green Bay is transitioning to a four-man line.

Pro Football Network: Top 10

Pro Football Network has the classes ranked, with Packers placed at No. with a B-plus. Individually, Cisse got an A-plus and McClellan a C-minus.

“Brandon Cisse is a young and ascending cornerback prospect who … will be just 21 years old as a rookie, and his coverage mobility is a massive strength; these two factors alone make him a viable early-round prospect.”

USA Today: B-Minus for Both

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz gave the Packers a B-minus grade for both selections. He called Cisse “fast, long and dynamic," which isn’t necessarily true with 31 3/8-inch arms.

Of McClellan, he wrote, “Another classic Gutekunst pick. McClellan has the frame to make waves on the interior, though he's fairly inconsistent in several phases. He can help set the tone up front even if he never becomes much of a disruptor.”

CBS Sports: A-minus for Both Picks

Mike Renner handled the grades and gave the selection of the 20-year-old Cisse an A-minus.

“Cisse is one of the most explosive movers in this corner class,” he wrote. “His ability to click-and-close is special. He goes to the perfect defense for his skill-set with how much off-zone coverage the Packers ask from their corners.”

McClellan also got an A-minus.

“They needed a nose tackle so badly and McClellan has the traits to be a good one. His high-end reps are very impressive with how flexible he is with his lower half. He just needs to be more consistent.”

Added together, the Packers got an A-minus.

Sporting News: Straight A’s

Vinnie Iyer gave each of the picks an A.

“The Packers enter the draft with a bang with this big-playing corner who uses his frame well against the run,” Iyer wrote. “Cisse closes well in coverage but he might be better suited to play the slot for Jonathan Gannon.”

McClellan needs “more consistency with that flash.”

Walter Football: A-minus and B

The Packers got an A-minus for the Cisse pick.

“I love this value. Brandon Cisse should have been a first-round pick with his size, athleticism, and talent. He’s a bit raw, but I don’t think he’s that undeveloped. I’ll be surprised if he’s not a good starter for the Packers sometime soon.

The grade was a B for trading up for McClellan, who has “impressive quickness for his size.”

Pro Football Focus

PFF doesn’t have any grades but did list Cisse in a select group of Day 2 steals.

Also at PFF, receiver Jayden Reed was a Day 2 winner because of his contract extension and added opportunities in a slimmed-down receiver corps.

Bleacher Report: An Odd C

Brent Sobleski gave the Packers a C for drafting Cisse, who he called an “explosive athlete” but a suspect fit in … whoever is the defensive coordinator.

“The Pack will now transition to Brandon Staley's scheme after Jeff Hafley became the Miami Dolphins' head coach. Interestingly, Cisse could have developmental problems in Green Bay, because Staley's approach is built upon coverage disguises and dropping more into coverage to confuse opposing quarterbacks. Meanwhile, the incoming rookie isn't as polished in his recognition.”

The McClellan pick got a B.

Yahoo: Not Good

Charles McDonald was a much harsher grader than the others. He gave Cisse a C, calling him a “weird fit,” and McClellan a C-minus.

Of McClellan, he wrote: “In a normal draft he wouldn’t go this early, but the lack of depth in this draft is starting to show. Not explosive as an athlete, nor super technically sound, so he’ll need coaching.”

Our Draft Grades

Proper draft grades should be handed out in two or three years. I did the Packers' Day 2 grades within about two hours.
Cisse: https://t.co/mDDBFjOHe3
McClellan: https://t.co/o2QiLh64RK
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) April 25, 2026

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