Packers NFL Draft Review: Immediate Starters, Sleepers and Long-Term Bets

Every year, there’s a tremendous amount of hype revolving around the draft class.

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, like he does every year, touched the brakes on expectations.

“When you’re looking at the draft, most seasons are determined by the guys that are coming back, not necessarily the guys you’re getting in the draft,” he said after the draft wrapped up on Saturday.

“These guys are just starting their NFL journey, and there’s so much in front of them and I feel really good about all of them, and I think they’re going to have a chance to have an opportunity to be very good players in this league. But you don’t win the Super Bowl during the draft.”

No, but those picks could give the team a kick out of its seventh-seeded rut and help the team along its Super Bowl path.

Here’s a look at their Year 1 roles.

Immediate Starter

Kicker Trey Smack: Smack, the team’s sixth-round pick, was the best kicker in the draft. Statistically, he was much, much better at Florida than 2023 sixth-round pick Anders Carlson was at Auburn. A scout who’s worked for a cold-weather team downplayed concerns over Smack’s ability to kick in Lambeau Field in December and January.

It’s certainly possible that Brandon McManus, who has a long track record, could outkick Smack during training camp and the preseason to win the job. But, common sense points to the reality that Gutekunst gave up two draft picks to select Smack. Anything close to a tie probably will go to the rookie.

“The kicker spot’s very important, (and) we have a couple of guys here that we felt good about,” Gutekunst said of McManus and Lucas Havrisik, “but we also wanted to increase that competition and make sure that we come out of this thing with a guy that can go win us games.

“Brandon’s been excellent for us in his time with us, with the exception in that past game, which we all recognize. But I feel it’s important that we address that and have a guy who can go win us games.”

Midseason Starters

DT Chris McClellan: Among the position players who were drafted, McClellan probably has the best chance of being a Week 1 starter. There is a big opening at the nose tackle position in Jonathan Gannon’s new defensive scheme. Jonathan Ford and Nazir Stackhouse are the in-house contenders that McClellan will have to beat out. McClellan might not have their experience but he brings more juice with six sacks as a senior.

The Packers traded up in the third round for McClellan. It was a decision based on equal parts talent and necessity. Gutekunst said he considered drafting McClellan in the second round. As the third round progressed, Gutekunst figured it might be now or never to get an impact defensive tackle, so he traded away one of his fifth-round picks to move up seven slots.

“The way that our board was falling, we knew that the big guys, there wasn’t going to be a lot of them left. So, we made the decision to move up to get him,” Gutekunst said. “That was probably the only time that I felt, like, ‘OK, if we don’t do this we just might not be able to add to the interior or add to an area that we wanted to.’”

It’s perhaps worth remembering that Kenny Clark, as the team’s first-round pick in 2016, started only two games as a rookie. So, the Packers might want to ease McClellan into things before giving him a big role.

“I really like that room right now. I think we all do,” director of football operations Milt Hendrickson said. “If he’s the best guy [for Week 1], I fully expect him to be ready to roll.”

South Carolina Gamecocks cornerback Brandon Cisse (15) breaks up a pass intended for Clemson Tigers receiver Tristan Smith. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

CB Brandon Cisse: Cisse was the team’s first draft pick and the 52nd overall selection in the second round. He was excellent at South Carolina last season. Of the 41 corner prospects ranked by Sports Info Solutions, he was 14th with a catch rate allowed of 41 percent. He had only one interception, though, which his position coach for the Gamecocks called a “fair” critique.

Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine were last year’s starters. They weren’t good enough to be considered untouchable but they weren’t so bad that they need to be replaced immediately. Chances are Cisse will grow his way into the starting lineup.

“Just a player that can play everywhere, play fast, physical, relentless, be a student of the game, and just looking to contribute in any way they want me to contribute from Day 1 and give the organization everything that I have,” Cisse said.

Sleeper

OL Jager Burton: A scout saw Burton, the team’s fifth-round pick, as a potential long-term answer at center should Sean Rhyan not play up to his contract. He’s a “much better” player than Jacob Monk, the guard-center they drafted in the fifth round in 2023.

Burton is the quintessential Packers lineman, with a lot of experience at all three interior positions. He’s got good size and above-average athletic ability.

“He fits us, quite frankly, because he’s so versatile,” Gutekunst said. “We always try to build that so that we have different kinds of combinations and, certainly, fits that role.”

It’s a key role, obviously. One minute, Rhyan lost the starting job at right guard last year. The next minute, he was the starting center.

“Big time,” Packers director of college scouting Matt Malaspina said of versatility, “because anything can happen, right? You turn an ankle, all of a sudden your sixth man becomes a fifth man and so forth. But you always want to have guys that can be ready on gameday and that you can move around and feel good about it to protect your quarterback and be able to run the ball.”

Long-Term Bets

Edge Dani Dennis-Sutton: Late in Day 2, Gutekunst wanted to trade back into the third round to draft Dennis-Sutton. He happily grabbed him in the fourth round.

Dennis-Sutton had 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for losses in 2024 and 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for losses and three forced fumbles in 2025. A scout thought Dennis-Sutton was much better in 2024, noting he had a six-game streak last season with no sacks before a five-game stretch with 6.5 sacks to end the season.

He called him a “wonky” rusher and not as athletic as the testing suggests. However, he saw a player who is “super-competitive.” That’s the bet: That Dennis-Sutton can become the sum of his parts. He thought the Packers might envision a player who, if he hits his ceiling, could be in the mold of Danielle Hunter.

“His production is really, really good,” Gutekunst said. “His size, his speed, and I just think he’s got so much in front of him as far as his best football goes.”

CB Domani Jackson: Jackson started a total of 34 games at USC (11 in 2023) and Alabama (23 in 2024 and 2025). He was pulled from the starting lineup for five games last season. Remember how Cisse finished 14th in completion percentage allowed among 45 cornerback candidates ranked by Sports Info Solutions? Jacksons was 45th, though he rebounded late in the season.

Jackson is 6-foot 3/4 with 4.41 speed. The Packers are hoping their coaches can maximize his excellent skill-set.

“Second-round traits all day long and has shown first-, second-round potential in his college career,” the East-West Shrine Bowl’s Eric Galko said. “So, you’re getting him on a discount because of the 2025 season, which is fair.”

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