Grading Packers’ 2018 Draft Class Proves Challenging

In his first draft as Green Bay Packers general manager, Brian Gutekunst landed Jaire Alexander in the first round but missed on just about every other pick.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ 2018 NFL Draft class is the definition of boom or bust.

Boom: Cornerback Jaire Alexander. The 18th pick of the draft, Alexander was All-Rookie in 2018, a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019 and a second-team All-Pro in 2020. While he missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, his four-year numbers include a 49.2 percent completion rate. He covers, he tackles and he leads.

Bust: Just about everyone else. Here are the other 10 picks:

Second round (45th overall): CB Josh Jackson, Iowa

Jackson started 10 games as a rookie and broke up 10 passes. He has two passes defensed the past three seasons. Traded to the Giants during training camp last summer, Jackson was released at midseason without playing in a game, then played in two games for Kansas City. His snap counts have gone from 718 to 103 to 331 to nine. He is a free agent.

Third round (88): LB Oren Burks, Vanderbilt

The Packers traded fourth- and fifth-round picks for Burks. Billed as a potential three-down linebacker because he started his career at Vanderbilt as a safety, Burks failed to break up a single pass in four seasons. If that’s not enough, last season, De’Vondre Campbell had 145 tackles and four misses. Burks had 26 tackles and also had four misses. He joined the 49ers in free agency.

Fourth round (133): WR J’Mon Moore, Missouri

Plagued by bad hands, Moore caught two passes as a rookie and never saw the field in another regular-season game.

Fifth round (138): OT Cole Madison, Washington State

Moore at least played in 12 career games. That’s 12 more than Madison, who was an outlier from an athletic perspective.

Fifth round (172): P J.K. Scott, Alabama

Scott finished third-to-last in the NFL in net punting in 2020. He kicked in one game for Jacksonville in 2021 and joined the Chargers in free agency.

Fifth round (174): WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, South Florida

Finally, another excellent draft pick. Valdes-Scantling led the NFL with 20.9 yards per reception in 2020 and signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Chiefs in free agency. Of the 34 receivers selected, he ranks seventh with 13 touchdowns.

Sixth round (207): WR Equanimeous St. Brown, Notre Dame

The media pundits liked St. Brown more than NFL general managers. The GMs were right. St. Brown caught 21 passes for 328 yards as a rookie, spent 2019 on injured reserve and caught 15 passes for 215 yards the last two seasons. He signed with Chicago in free agency. He has one career touchdown. The player taken right after him, Cedrick Wilson, signed a three-year, $22 million contract with Miami this offseason.

Seventh round (232): DT James Looney, California

Looney played three games as a rookie, got a shot at tight end and is out of the league.

Seventh round (239): LS Hunter Bradley, Mississippi State

Bradley snapped for three-and-a-half seasons, was released at midseason last year and remains unsigned.

Seventh round (248): OLB Kendall Donnerson, Southeast Missouri State

A workout warrior worthy of a late-round flier, Donnerson never played in a regular-season game.

Packers 2018 Draft Class: The Verdict

With the Packers (1): Alexander signed a contract extension this month that keeps him contractually tied to the team through the 2026 season.

With Other Teams (5): Burks, Scott, Valdes-Scantling, St. Brown. Only Valdes-Scantling is a lock to make a roster.

Out of the League (5): Jackson, Moore, Looney, Bradley, Donnerson.

Drafting an elite player at a critical position is the best-case scenario in any draft. That’s Alexander. However, completely whiffing in Day 2 and missing in the fourth round, as well, is a black eye. And going 0-for-2 with the specialists provides an extra dose of insult.

The greatest general manager in sports history goes by the last name of Hindsight. Gutekunst missed on Jackson at No. 45 and, making matter worse, bypassed a quality slot receiver (Christian Kirk at No. 47), a superb tight end (Dallas Goedert at No. 49) and a four-year starting lineman (Connor Williams at No. 50) in the next five picks. All three players, who are on their second contracts, would have hit on needs.

In the third round, Gutekunst skipped quality offensive linemen Joseph Noteboom and Alex Cappa to get Burks, who started just seven games in four seasons. In the fourth round, standout tight end Dalton Schultz was taken four picks after the Packers took Moore, the 15th of 34 receivers drafted but 28th in receptions.

With a 2-for-11 hit rate, Gutekunst’s inaugural draft looks like a flop. However, Alexander wasn’t just a hit – he was a home run – and his brilliant wheeling-and-dealing in that draft netted a 2019 first-round pick that was used on safety Darnell Savage, who is an above-average starter.

Getting Savage is why Pro Football Focus awarded the Packers a B-plus last week.

“Not only did the Packers turn their 2018 first-round selection into one of the top five cornerbacks in the NFL, but they also netted a 2019 first-rounder out that turned into Darnell Savage,” PFF’s Michael Renner wrote. “General manager Brian Gutekunst would go five more picks before he found another starter, though, in Valdes-Scantling, keeping this draft from a higher grade. MVS developed into a nice big-play threat who averaged over 1.4 yards per route over the past two seasons.”

Our 2018 Packers Draft Grade

Alexander has been fabulous in every way. He is a face-of-the-franchise type of player. But his greatness can’t cover up the rest of an awful draft. He is the lipstick on the proverbial pig.

In the NFC, Green Bay is chasing Tampa Bay. The Bucs’ draft class included defensive tackle Vita Vea in the first round, cornerback Carlton Davis in the second round, the aforementioned Cappa in the third round and safety Jordan Whitehead in the fourth round. That’s four high-quality starters.

Taking into account this draft netted an additional first-round pick, I’d give this group a C-plus.