Packer Central

Emotional Packers Fourth-Round Pick Barryn Sorrell ‘So Blessed and Thankful’

After the first three picks of the 2025 NFL Draft were spent on the offense, the Green Bay Packers selected Texas defensive end Barryn Sorrell during the fourth round on Saturday.
Bill Huber|
The Green Bay Packers selected Texas Longhorns defender Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round.
The Green Bay Packers selected Texas Longhorns defender Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Barryn Sorrell came to Green Bay to check out the NFL Draft scene. Now, he gets to stay.

The Green Bay Packers added some depth to their pass rush on Saturday by selecting Sorrell, a defensive end from Texas, in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Sorrell said he arrived in Green Bay on Wednesday. After hanging out in the Green Room on Friday, he said he had to make a decision about going home on Saturday or staying here.

“Just so blessed and thankful. It couldn’t have turned out better,” he said.

After being picked, he exchanged countless high-fives with fans. He then went out to Lambeau Field and did a Lambeau Leap.

“It’ll definitely be one of the best memories I’ll have in my life,” he said.

Sorrell was joined by his family, who followed him to the media auditorium and sat in the front row. As he started to talk about his mom, who was seated maybe 5 feet away, he broke down for several moments.

“Her and my dad, they sacrificed so much for me to be here,” he said, fighting back tears. “I’m just happy that I get to share this opportunity with them because they deserve it. They deserve it so much.”

Sorrell played in 49 games in four seasons and started 40 games in the last three. He finished with 15.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for losses, including career highs of six sacks and 11 TFLs in 16 games in 2024.

“I’m a leader, I’m a winner and I’m a competitor,” he said. As for his skills, “I’d rather just show you.”

Sorrell was the 124th pick of the draft. For what it’s worth, he was Dane Brugler’s No. 11 prospect at The Athletic and Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 115 prospect at NFL.com.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein considered Sorrell a third- or fourth-round prospect.

“He plays with adequate power at the point and can work around blocks and into the backfield,” Zierlein wrote. “Sorrell’s rush lacks speed and power but he wins with his hands and has an above-average feel for creating entry points with positioning and body turn. He doesn’t have high-end traits, but he’s productive and reliable. Sorrell could become an average starter in time.”

According to Pro Football Focus, there were 98 FBS-level, draft-eligible edge defenders who got at least 240 pass-rushing opportunities in 2025. Sorrell ranked 14th in pressures, 34th in pass-rush win rate and 19th in pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing opportunity.

At 6-foot-3 1/4 and 256 pounds with 32 1/4-inch arms, he ran his 40 in 4.68 seconds. His Relative Athletic Score was 9.31.

"I got some really good feedback on (my testing)," Sorrell said at pro day. "That's why I didn't come out here and redo anything, the tests looked good and I think in everything I was about top 10 or top five or something. So that was a good thing for me."

Sorrell will join a group heeded by former first-round picks Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness. Kingsley Engabare, a fifth-round pick in 2022, will be a free agent after next season. Following the trade of Preston Smith, Brenton Cox showed promise as a pass rusher. Arron Mosby rounded out the group.

"I'm obviously just showing that I'm a competitor. That's what the coaches really want to see, who's not going to back down from those challenges," Sorrell at at pro day. "I know the player I am and know what I can do. I wanted to go out there and take advantage."

Sorrell will be joined on the Packers by first-round pick on Matthew Golden. He will be battle-tested after playing in the best conference in college football.

“Coming from the SEC, I've played with some good talent, but coming out here and doing one-on-ones and showing out in that," Sorrell said after the season. "I think I've particularly shown my ability to rush the passer, and I don't think people necessarily realized until now just how good I am as a pass rusher, really getting to the quarterback.”

Next, he had a standout week at the Senior Bowl.

Sorrell was a key figure at Texas on and off the field. He was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a team leader.

“It’s been a metamorphosis,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Barryn Sorrell is one of our leaders because he does all the things we ask of our players and holds his teammates accountable. We’re benefiting from a whole lot of levels from an older, truly wholeheartedly committed version of Barryn Sorrell. We’re seeing the best version of him that we’ve seen in any of the previous three years. Physically, he’s in great shape. He’s in a great mental space this season.”

Hall of Famers Dave Robinson and Jerry Kramer announce Packers third-round pick Savion Williams.
Hall of Famers Dave Robinson and Jerry Kramer announce Packers third-round pick Savion Williams. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 Draft Picks

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

More Green Bay Packers News

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.