Here Are Packers’ 11 Draft Picks and Biggest Needs

The Green Bay Packers own five of the top 100 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Here is the full list of picks and their six biggest needs.

The Green Bay Packers will be on the clock on April 25. / File photo

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With 11 picks and the sixth-most capital in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers have a big-time opportunity to close the gap on the Detroit Lions in the NFC North.

First, here are Green Bay’s 11 picks, which include five selections in the first three rounds.

• Round 1, Pick 25 overall
• Round 2, Pick 41 overall (from New York Jets in Aaron Rodgers trade)
• Round 2, Pick 58 overall
• Round 3, Pick 88 overall
• Round 3, Pick 91 overall (from Buffalo Bills in Rasul Douglas trade)
• Round 4, Pick 126 overall
• Round 5, Pick 169 overall (compensatory pick for Allen Lazard)
• Round 6, Pick 202 overall
• Round 6, Pick 219 overall (compensatory pick for Jarran Reed)
• Round 7, Pick 245 overall
• Round 7, Pick 255 overall (compensatory pick for Dean Lowry)

Quantity and Quality

No team has more picks than the Packers. Only two teams have more picks in the Top 100, with the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders having six apiece. Thus, quantity and quality should be in Green Bay’s favor.

A Harvard Sports study put point values on every NFL draft pick. Using those, the Packers have the sixth-most draft capital overall but rank just third in the NFC North, according to Tankathon.

The Chicago Bears, who own the first and ninth selections of the first round, have the third-most capital. The Minnesota Vikings, who hold the 11th and 23rd picks of the first round, have the ninth-most capital. However, the Detroit Lions, who the Packers are chasing in the NFC North, own the 29th pick of the first round and at one point go 90 picks between selections, have the 29th-most capital.

If general manager Brian Gutekunst can capitalize on those picks, like he did the last two drafts, he can help push the Packers back to the top of the North.

“Draft and develop is the core of what we believe in and it always will be,” Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. “I think that’s the best way to build a team. But I think every avenue to acquire players that’ll help your football team, is going to be a part of how we go about it.

“We had a lot of guys [play immediately in 2023] and very excited about where they’re going, but they just had a lot more opportunity than maybe these guys have had and they capitalized on it, and that’s a credit to them. But that’s always going to be the foundation of how we build football teams around here is the draft and develop. I think that’s really important that we’re committed to that.”

Biggest Draft Needs for Packers

The Packers have a young and potential-packed roster. They also have plenty of needs, not limited to these six:

Safety: The Packers opened the vault for Xavier McKinney in free agency. He might be the team’s best safety since Nick Collins. Anthony Johnson would be the other starter; Darnell Savage tackled like Jack Tatum by comparison. The depth chart is rounded out by Zayne Anderson, Benny Sapp and Tyler Coyle.

Offensive tackle: Rasheed Walker was just fine at left tackle, but can the Packers do better? “We’ve seen some great flashes from him,” coach Matt LaFleur said last week. If nothing else, they’ll need depth at a position at which Caleb Jones or Luke Tenuta would be the next man up.

Linebacker: In the new 4-3, Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie are starters. Who’s the third starter? Is McDuffie good enough to be on the field for 800-plus snaps? And where’s the depth? Remember, McDuffie and Eric Wilson combined to play 57 percent of the snaps as backups last year. Moreover, McDuffie, Wilson and Kristian Welch will be free agents next offseason.

Cornerback: If only Gutekunst had a crystal ball. After a turbulent rookie year, is Carrington Valentine ready to be a season-long starter? Which version of Eric Stokes will they get? The brilliant 2021 rookie season? The dismal 2022? Or the injury-plagued 2023? Will Jaire Alexander stay healthy, be fully engaged and return to elite form?

Interior offensive line: The Packers wouldn’t have kept playing Sean Rhyan at right guard last year if they didn’t like his progress. However, the only backup for the three interior positions is Royce Newman. Moreover, center Josh Myers and Newman will be free agents next offseason.

Defensive end: This is the old outside linebacker group. With Kingsley Enagbare set to miss most of the season with a torn ACL, the Packers have only Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Lukas Van Ness as proven players. Brenton Cox was inactive in favor of another undrafted rookie, Keshawn Banks, for the playoff game at San Francisco. Plus, Smith is the oldest player on the roster at 31.

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