Packers Seven-Round Mock Draft 7.0: ‘Winning in the Trenches’

With the rest of the NFC North having strengthened their rosters, Brian Gutekunst has work to do for the Green Bay Packers to keep pace.

The 2025 NFL Draft will start in exactly five weeks, with our seventh Packers mock draft of the year addressing several of the team’s shortcomings. The draft will be critical because their NFC North rivals got better in free agency.

The Vikings may be going with a first-year starting quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, but Minnesota loaded up its roster around him with two new starters on the offensive line and two proven veterans on the defensive line.

The Bears added three offensive linemen around Caleb Williams and fortified their pass rush with two defensive linemen.

The Lions signed cornerback D.J. Reed in free agency and will get Aidan Hutchinson back when the season begins.

Having signed guard Aaron Banks, cornerback Nate Hobbs and receiver Mecole Hardman in free agency, Gutekunst is working on getting his team back to the top of the NFC North and the NFC as a whole.

The Packers have not won the division since 2021. That was not that long ago, but it is an eternity in Green Bay. They have not won the conference since 2010, when they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.

With the difference-making players in free agency having signed contracts, Gutekunst will need a great draft to help get his team over the hump.

Using the Pro Football Network simulator, our seventh all-Packers NFL mock draft starts in the trenches.

Round 1, Pick 23: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

It could be classified as a shocker if the Packers were to use their first-round pick on an offensive tackle one year after selecting Jordan Morgan. That is, if you never listen to a word Brian Gutekunst says.

Gutekunst often talks about his need to continually build and strengthen the offensive line. He has never shied away from picking a talented big man.

“Those big guys are hard to find, so that’s never something we’re not going to address,” Gutekunst said.

“We’ve been pretty consistent (with) that in our time here. We very much believe that, with the exception of quarterback, winning in the trenches is how we need to get it done. And so we’ve got some decisions to make as we move forward on the offensive line and, as we go through that, there could be some shuffling around.”

The decisions included not re-signing Josh Myers. The shuffling included moving Elgton Jenkins to center to make room for Banks.

In Simmons, the Packers would be landing a prospect that never would have been available had he not missed the second half of the season with a knee injury.

Simmons is talented enough to potentially play as a rookie. Otherwise, he’d sit behind free agent-to-be Rasheed Walker for a year before competing for the left tackle job as a second-year player. In that scenario, Morgan might be the long-term answer at right guard.

Either way, as Gutekunst has said before, he will not shy away from taking a talented big man.

Round 2, Pick 54: Landon Jackson, edge, Arkansas

While Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur lamented the team’s inconsistent four-man pass rush, the team did not bolster the group in free agency. Plus, it doesn’t appear a trade for Trey Hendrickson is coming anytime soon. That means the Packers will be looking at internal development as well as the draft.

In Round 2, the pick was Arkansas’ Landon Jackson. He’s got the size (6-foot-6 and 264 pounds) Gutekunst prefers and is explosive (9.88 Relative Athletic Score).

Jackson has good technique and refined handwork that could make him an immediate contributor. He had 6.5 sacks each of the last two seasons.

Round 3, Pick 87: Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

While their paths never crossed, cue the storylines about Jalen Royals attending the same college as quarterback Jordan Love.

The Packers, even with the recent addition of Mecole Hardman, are in need of a vertical threat, and Royals’ 4.42 40-yard dash suggests he could be the man for the job.

He’s not just a speed threat. Royals is able to make plays after the catch, as evidenced by his 7.9 YAC per catch in 2024.

Could Jalen Royals be the next @seniorbowl WR to be drafted by the Packers?

Dynamic playmaker, YAC, former track athlete. He'd be a fun addition to Green Bay's aerial attack. https://t.co/mfg2f5uMZn pic.twitter.com/Xz1j9PhNV5
— Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) January 10, 2025

Receiver is arguably the team’s biggest need. Grabbing Royals here gives the Packers a chance to get some impact from a player as a rookie while also getting some potential upside for the future, with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs entering the final seasons of their rookie contract.

Round 4, Pick 123: Anthony Belton, OT, NC State

Yes, another offensive tackle.

This one is a giant. Anthony Belton measured 6-foot-6 and 336 pounds at the Scouting Combine. The Packers typically have shied away from the massive blockers, but Anthony Banks is big. So is Sean Rhyan. Both men tip the scales at more than 320 pounds.

With the added emphasis on pushing the pocket, perhaps the Packers want a little more size in the interior of their offensive line. If Belton were picked in the fourth round, he’d likely be cross-trained at tackle and guard to increase the depth and competition.

Round 5, Pick 160: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse

A quarterback!

With Malik Willis entering his final season under contract, the Packers might need a long-term solution at backup quarterback. They have not shied away from adding players earlier than what the public expects.

Sean Clifford, a fifth-round pick in 2023, is a good recent example. Kyle McCord would be competing against Clifford for a spot on the roster or practice squad.

After throwing 406 passes in three seasons at Ohio State, McCord had a breakout season for the Orange. He led the nation in completions, attempts, passing yards and passing yards per game.

Round 6, Pick 200: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB, Kentucky

Jamon Dumas-Johnson, a highly productive linebacker with some upside, would fill the void left when Eric Wilson signed with the Vikings in free agency.

Dumas-Johnson tallied 13 sacks, 25 tackles for losses and two interceptions in three seasons at Georgia and one at Kentucky. With last year’s third-round pick, Ty’Ron Hopper, moving up a peg, Johnson would round out the linebacker room and contribute on special teams, where he played 297 snaps between Kentucky and Georgia.

Round 7, Pick 239: Jermari Harris, CB, Iowa

Our first addition to the secondary, much like a year ago, comes in the seventh round with Jermari Harris.

Playing mostly on the boundary, Harris had four interceptions in 2021 and three in 2024. He also logged 250 snaps on special teams in five collegiate seasons.

At 6-foot 1/2 and 191 pounds, Harris allowed a 43.2 percent catch rate in 2024, according to PFF. A significant medical history could push him down draft boards.

Round 7, Pick 251: Tim Smith, DT, Alabama

The final pick attempts adds some beef to the defensive line with Tim Smith. Listed at 314 pounds by the school, he had 6.5 sacks and 15 tackles for losses in five seasons for the Crimson Tide.

The Packers need some help up front in the run-stuffing department with TJ Slaton signing with the Bengals in free agency.

What Worked?

Adding an offensive tackle early in the draft would be controversial, but similar to eating your vegetables. You may not like it but, ultimately, it is good for you. Simmons is a contingency plan at left tackle if Rasheed Walker leaves in free agency next offseason or Jordan Morgan does not work out on the edge.

Landon Jackson adds some punch to the pass rush, while Jalen Royals gives the wide receivers some help at creating yards after the catch and helps start the next wave at wide receiver with all of their top four receivers needing a contract within the next two years.

What Didn’t Work?

Nate Hobbs is going to help the secondary, regardless of where he plays, but not adding a cornerback until the sixth round might cause some angst among the fanbase. In this scenario, however, it’s just the way the board fell.

The deepest part of the draft class is widely considered to be defensive tackle, but we were unable to pick one until the last pick of the class. That will put some pressure on internal development or perhaps kicking the can into 2026 to add some reinforcements up front.

More Green Bay Packers News

Earlier this week, we held our second beat writers' mock draft. There were plenty of quality prospects available at the #Packers' positions of need. Here's why I did what I did in trying to guess how they'd use the 23rd selection.https://t.co/IebRMKUfRV
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 20, 2025

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