Packer Central

There’s a New Name at Cornerback for Packers in NFL Mock Draft

The Green Bay Packers need a cornerback and took one in a new mock draft by The 33rd Team, but it’s not one of the usual suspects. Plus, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm breaks the first-round receiver streak.

Bill Huber

Iowa State defensive back Darien Porter (DB25) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Iowa State defensive back Darien Porter (DB25) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers need more help in the secondary, and they got it in a new NFL mock draft by The 33rd Team. But it’s not Jahdae Barron or Maxwell Hairston or one of the familiar names.

Rather, it was Iowa State’s Darien Porter, who is one of the more fascinating prospects in the draft.

“Darien Porter has zero limitations,” Ian Valentino explained. “He boasts elite 6-foot-3 size, top-tier ball skills as a former receiver, and is coming off one of the best Combine performances in history. He's still raw at cornerback but can be the face of the unit alongside Carrington Valentine and Nate Hobbs after Jaire Alexander is moved.”

Raw is an understatement. Porter was a little-used receiver in 2019, 2020 and 2021 before moving to cornerback. He played 153 defensive snaps in 2022 and 115 in 2023 before finally becoming a key contributor as a sixth-year senior in 2024.

He was nothing short of dominant. According to Pro Football Focus, Porter gave up 5-of-17 passing for 70 yards in 203 coverage snaps. With zero touchdowns and three interceptions, he allowed a passer rating of 4.7.

At the Combine, he measured 6-foot-2 7/8 with 33 1/8-inch arms and ran his 40 in 4.30 seconds. His Relative Athletic Score says it all.

“I think, obviously, I had great success this past season, but still think that there's a lot left,” he said at the Combine. “And, really, I’m just scratching the surface. My best football is still ahead of me.

For added appeal, he blocked five kicks in his career, and he said he had “double-digits tackles” as a gunner on punt coverage.

Porter was the third of four cornerbacks selected in the first round. The Vikings picked a running back and the Lions selected a premier pass rusher.

NFL.com: Receiver

NFL.com’s Eric Edholm knows the Green Bay Packers’ first-round history. But he did it, anyway, in selecting Texas receiver Matthew Golden.

“With Christian Watson recovering from a January ACL tear, the Packers might want to add another deep threat, even if Golden wasn't extensively used downfield at Texas,” Edholm wrote. “It's well-documented that the Packers have not drafted a receiver in Round 1 since Javon Walker in 2002, but I won't be shocked if the run ends here.”

Golden was the fastest receiver at this year’s Scouting Combine and the second-fastest player overall with a 4.29 in the 40. He caught an impressive 13-of-22 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield for Texas in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.

Golden spent his first seasons at Houston, where he caught 39 passes in 2023 and 38 in 2022, before landing at Texas for 2024 and catching 58 passes for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. He had only three drops during his final season.

Asked at the Scouting Combine what makes him a quarterback’s “best friend,” he said: “Being a reliable target. Whenever you need that clutch play, I’m going to be there. I can make any play that’s coming toward me, and being on the same page with the quarterback at the right time.”

In this mock, edge rushers Shemar Stewart and Mykel Williams, both of whom were on Green Bay’s lists of visits, were long gone.

More NFL.com: Defensive Tackle

In his second mock at NFL.com, Charles Davis sent Oregon’s havoc-creating defensive tackle Derrick Harmon to the Packers.

No interior defender applied more pressure than Harmon last season. Plus, it’s a position of need with TJ Slaton leaving during free agency this year and Devonte Wyatt a potential free agent next year.

“Packers DC Jeff Hafley did a terrific job in his first season in Titletown,” Davis wrote. “Now he gets help for three-time Pro Bowl DT Kenny Clark. However, if Green Bay wants to address the other side of the line first, North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel would be a great fit as a versatile piece for the interior.”

The Vikings added a safety, the Lions selected a premier pass rusher and the Packers passed on, among others Shemar Stewart and Emeka Egbuka.

Fox Sports: Cornerback

Fox’s Geoff Schwartz, the former NFL offensive lineman, grabbed Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron.

“Selecting Barron addresses a pressing need for the Packers, although he might get drafted multiple spots higher,” he explained. “He could be good value for the Packers, who need younger talent at cornerback.”

In this draft, receivers Tet McMillan and Matthew Golden were off the board, as was Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams. Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart landed with a Packers rival.

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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.