These Edge Rushers Might Not Be on Packers’ NFL Draft Board

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers haven’t been living on an edge, but edge rushers have been living on airplanes on flights to Green Bay.

During the predraft process, Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, Tennessee’s James Pearce, Oregon’s Jordan Burch and SMU’s Elijah Roberts have visited the Packers. So, it seems clear general manager Brian Gutekunst is looking to improve.

In a deep class of edge defenders, here’s who fits … and who might not.

Size Matters

This whole process is tricky for two reasons. One, general manager Brian Gutekunst has drafted only five edge defenders. Two, all five were picked to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Gutekunst’s preference for big, physical edge setters should translate from one scheme to the other, though.

Here are his five picks:

2023 first round, Lukas Van Ness: 6-5, 272 pounds, 34-inch arms.

2022 fifth round, Kingsley Enagbare: 6-3 3/4, 258 pounds, 34 3/4-inch arms.

2020 seventh round, Jonathan Garvin: 6-4 1/8, 263 pounds, 34-inch arms.

2019 first round, Rashan Gary: 6-4 3/8, 277 pounds, 34 1/8-inch arms.

2018 seventh round, Kendall Donnerson: 6-3, 250 pounds, 33-inch inches.

Height

Donnerson was the outlier, a seventh-round Hail Mary on a player with incredible athleticism.

Shorter prospects include Jeff Hafley’s former pupil, Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku (6-foot-2 1/2), who is expected to be a first-round pick. In Day 2, Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart is 6-foot-1, Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton is 6-foot-2 3/4 and Louisville’s Ashton Gillotte is 6-foot-2 7/8.

Moving into Day 3, the short prospects are Central Arkansas’ David Walker (6-0 7/8), North Carolina’s Kaimon Rucker (6-1 1/4), Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein (6-2 1/2), Missourir’s Johnny Walker (6-2 5/8) and Virginia Tech’s Antwaun Powell-Ryland (6-2 5/8).

Weight

Regardless of the scheme, the Packers like big guys who can set the edge against the run. Tennessee’s James Pearce, who at 6-foot-5 1/4 and 245 pounds, is so lanky that it’s almost impossible to believe the Packers would draft him. Yet, he had a predraft visit, which is what makes the process so interesting.

Ezeiruaku is 248 pounds but is much stouter than Pearce because he’s 3 inches shorter. Other players who would seem to be odd fits and potentially not under consideration include Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen (6-4 3/8, 244) and Alabama’s Que Robinson (6-4 1/4, 243).

Arm Length

The historic Scouting Combine average for arm length is 33 1/2 inches. Van Ness, Enagbare, Garvin and Gary were all at 34-plus inches.

Edge prospects with shorter arms include Marshall’s Mike Green. Green, who led the nation in sacks and is considered almost a sure-fire first-round pick, has 32 3/8-inch arms.

Other prospects who checked in at shorter than 33 inches include Texas’ Barryn Sorrell (32 1/2), Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer (32 1/8), Louisville’s Gillotte (31 7/8) and Michigan’s Stewart (31 7/8), all of whom could go in Day 2.

Moving into Day 3, North Carolina’s Rucker (32 5/8), Boise State’s Hassanein (32 1/2), Central Arkansas’ Walker (31 7/8), Oklahoma’s Ethan Downs (31 5/8), Virginia Tech’s Ryland (31 1/2) and Georgia’s Chaz Chambliss (31 3/8) fall short.

Forget About the 40

What an assortment. Van Ness and Gary ran their 40s in 4.58; Garvin was in 4.82 and Enagbare was in 4.87. (Donnerson’s ridiculous 4.45 is why he was drafted, though he never played in a game.)

The historic Combine averages are 4.80 in the 40 and 1.65 in the first 10 yards of that 40. Garvin and Enagbare, who were Day 2 picks, just missed the 10-yard time in 1.67. Going through all of Green Bay’s edge picks made by Gutekunst and Ted Thompson, whether it was Van Ness in 2023 or Brady Poppinga in 2005, 1.67 was the slowest. (Donnerson’s 1.55, Van Ness’s 1.57 and Nick Perry’s 1.58 were the fastest).

Many of the edges who will be taken in the first four rounds didn’t run a 40, so also didn’t have a 10-yard time. Of those who did, none were slower than 1.65 (Arkansas’ Landon Jackson and Texas’ Sorrell).

Looking deeper in the draft, here’s who was slower than 1.65: Ole Miss’ Jared Ivey (1.84), Missouri’s Walker (1.72) Georgia’s Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (1.69), Boise State’s Hassanein (1.69), BYU’s Tyler Batty (1.69), SMU’s Elijah Roberts (1.67) and Minnesota’s Jah Joyner (1.67).

Broad Jump

For the edge defenders, the historic Combine average for the broad jump is 9 feet, 8 inches. You have to go back to Ricky Elmore, a sixth-round pick in 2011, to find one that came up short of that mark.

Almost all of the top prospects skipped this test. Ole Miss’ Ivy (9-5) and Boise State’s Hassanein (9-5) fell short.

Relative Athletic Score

Relative Athletic Score takes all the testing data and combines them into one 0-to-10 based number relative to other players at the position. The RAS for Gutekunst’s five edge picks: Gary, 9.95; Van Ness, 9.39; Donnerson, 9.39; Garvin, 8.98; Enagbare, 6.24.

Including Thompson’s selections, the Packers have picked 16 edge defenders since 2005. Other than Enagbare and Elmore (5.12), they were all over 7.00.

Here is the short list of draftable prospects who were under 7.00: Minnesota’s Joyner (6.85), SMU’s Roberts (6.84), Notre Dame’s R.J. Oben (5.35) and Missouri’s Walker (4.70).

Roberts had a predraft visit. At 285 pounds, he could be viewed as a potential Karl Brooks-style end-to-tackle conversion.

Who Are the Best Fits for the Packers?

Strictly from a size-speed perspective, these players might be the best fits for the Packers.

Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart: 6-5, 267. 34 3/8 arms. 4.59 40, 1.58 10, 10.00 RAS.

Georgia’s Mykel Williams: 6-5 1/8, 267. 34 3/8 arms. 4.77 40, 1.61 10, No RAS.

Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau: 6-4 1/4, 264. 34 7/8 arms. DNP 40, DNP 10, 9.34 RAS.

Arkansas’ Landon Jackson: 6-6, 264. 33 3/4 arms. 4.68 40, 1.65 10, 9.78 RAS.

Oregon’s Jordan Burch: 6-4 1/8, 279. 33 3/4 arms. 4.67 40, 1.65 10, No RAS.

LSU’s Bradyn Swinson: 6-3 5/8, 255. 33 3/8 arms. DNP 40, DNP 10, No RAS.

LSU’s Sai’vion Jones: 6-5 1/2, 283. 34 arms. 4.75 40, 1.59 10, 9.20 RAS.

UCLA’s Oluwafemi Oladejo: 6-3 1/4, 261. 33 7/8 arms. DNP 40, DNP 10, No RAS.

South Carolina’s Kyle Dennard: 6-4 1/8, 254. 34 arms. 4.73 40, 1.63 10, 8.58 RAS.

Syracuse’s Fadil Diggs: 6-4 3/8, 257. 33 3/4 arms. 4.57 40, 1.60 10, 9.36 RAS.

Miami’s Tyler Baron: 6-4 5/8, 258, 33 1/8 arms. 4.62 40, 1.61 10, 8.66 RAS.

SMU’s Elijah Roberts: 6-3 5/8, 285. 34 arms. 4.78 40, 1.67 10, 6.84 RAS.

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