All 11 Packers Draft Picks Make Initial 53-Man Roster

Big final games were the difference for Samori Toure and Rasheed Walker, a pair of seventh-round draft picks.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The tie goes to the draft pick. It almost always goes to the draft pick.

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst drafted 11 players in April. All 11 made the team’s initial 53-man roster.

There was no doubt first-round picks Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt would make it. Young receivers Christian Watson, who was taken in the second round, and Romeo Doubs, who was taken in the fourth, were locks, too. On the offensive line, third-round guard Sean Rhyan and do-it-all fourth-rounder Zach Tom were sure things, too, even if Rhyan struggled and Tom looked like a future starter.

Players in the first four rounds are expected to make the roster. All bets are off after that. Instead, the team’s final five selections all punched their ticket onto the opening roster, some more impressively than others.

Fifth Round

Outside linebacker Kingsley Enagbare: Enagbare had a strong final couple weeks of camp to cement his 53-man status. He beat out a couple players with NFL experience, La’Darius Hamilton and Kobe Jones. Among all edge rushers, Enagbare finished 14th in the preseason with a team-high nine pressures (and fifth among rookie edge rushers), according to Pro Football Focus.

Seventh Round

Safety Tariq Carpenter: Fast and physical, Carpenter didn’t make much headway at safety during training camp but he tackled well in his preseason appearances against the 49ers and Chiefs. The veteran depth is either gone (Vernon Scott and Shawn Davis suffered injuries and were released) or coming off an injury (Dallin Leavitt).

DT Jonathan Ford: The Packers released Chris Slayton, a 2019 draft pick who finished the preseason with 13 tackles, and Jack Heflin, who made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and had 10 tackles. In their place, they kept Ford, a bigger if less athletic and less polished option. He had five tackles in the preseason.

OT Rasheed Walker: For most of the summer, undrafted free agent Caleb Jones was the No. 2 left tackle and Walker was the No. 3 right tackle. Their standing reflected their performances. Walker sat out the first two preseason games but played well in the finale against the Chiefs. Offensive line coach Luke Butkus has been tough on Walker but, apparently, one preseason game and draft status was the difference.

WR Samori Toure: The last of 28 receivers selected, Toure closed the preseason with a bang with six receptions against the Chiefs. Among all rookie receivers, he tied for fifth with nine catches and was seventh with 125 yards. For the last spot at receiver, Toure beat out Juwann Winfree, a 2019 draft pick by the Broncos who had a “big fan” in Aaron Rodgers.

Gutekunst covets his draft picks. In 2021, eight of the nine draft picks made the 53, with the exception being Cole Van Lanen. In 2020, seven of nine made the 53. One of the exceptions, offensive lineman Simon Stepaniak, was due to injury. In 2019, all eight made the roster. In 2018, Gutekunst’s first draft, “only” eight of the 11 picks made the roster. One exception was offensive lineman Cole Madison for personal reasons.