Green Bay Packers NFL Draft Needs 2025: Top Priorities

Wide receiver. Cornerback. Defensive end.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

It seems these positional groups have been need areas for the Green Bay Packers since Brian Gutekunst became general manager in 2018. Don’t look now, but when the NFL Draft begins tonight, those will once again be the areas the Packers are most likely to address with the 23rd overall pick.

Green Bay, which went 11-7 overall last season and lost an NFC Wild Card game to Philadelphia, has a solid roster. But if the Packers hope to catch conference powers such as the Eagles, Detroit, Washington and the Los Angeles Rams, they must upgrade the aforementioned positions.

With the draft just hours away now, here’s a ranking of Green Bay’s needs on a scale of 1-through-10.

WIDE RECEIVER (9.5)

Green Bay’s young group of wideouts failed to make the jump in 2024 that many believed they would. The Packers then lost Christian Watson — their top deep threat — to a torn ACL in Week 18, an injury that’s likely to sideline him most of 2025.

“I think personally we need a guy that’s proven to be a No. 1 already,” running back Josh Jacobs said this offseason.

Right now, that player isn’t on the roster.

Jayden Reed led the Packers in receptions (55) for a second straight season, had a team-high 857 receiving yards and finished second with six TD receptions. While Reed has upside, he’s not a No. 1. In fact, he had seven games last year with two catches, or fewer.

Romeo Doubs finished third on the team with 46 catches last year, was third in receiving yards (601) and fourth in touchdowns. But Doubs also missed two games with concussions and another after he was suspended for going AWOL from the team.

Third-year man Dontayvion Wicks was a colossal disappointment in 2024. Wicks led the Packers in targets (76), but was just fourth in receptions (39) and fourth in receiving yards (415). His catch rate of 51.3% was the second worst in football among wideouts.

According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers had the third-highest number of drops in football last season (33) and the second-highest drop rate (6.9%). And Packers coach Matt LaFleur admitted recently that his receivers simply weren’t good enough in 2024.

“To be honest with you … we had a ton of drops, and that’s an area that we have to clean up,” LaFleur said.

Green Bay hasn’t drafted a wide receiver in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002. Can you imagine the bedlam on Lombardi Ave. and Oneida Street if Gutekunst’s first pick is a receiver?

CORNERBACK (8.0)

Let’s presume Jaire Alexander’s rocky career with the Packers is over. While Alexander remains on the roster, Gutekunst is trying to get any compensation possible before releasing the gifted, but injury-riddled corner.

So that leaves Keisean Nixon, free agent Nate Hobbs and Carrington Valentine to battle star-studded wideout groups like Detroit, Minnesota, Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Rams, etc., across the NFC.

Nixon and Valentine certainly played better than most would have guessed in 2024. And the Packers believe they have a versatile, rising player in Hobbs.

But Green Bay undoubtedly needs another player or two in the cornerback room to keep up with the Vikings, Lions and Eagles. The Packers will almost certainly add a corner in the first three rounds.

DEFENSIVE END (7.5)

By now, you know what seventh-year man Rashan Gary is. A try-hard player who’s a bridesmaid far more than the bride.

Gary traditionally ranks among the league-leaders in pressures. In 90 career games, though, he has just 39.0 sacks — one sack every 2.31 contests. The bottom line is he just doesn’t finish enough.

Lukas Van Ness, the Packers’ first round pick in 2023, had just three sacks, six quarterback hits and six tackles for loss last year. He now faces a critical Year 3.

“We talked a little bit about we need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players, and Lukas is a big part of that,” Gutekunst said. “I expect him to take a big jump this year.”

Kingsley Enagbare and Brenton Cox add depth. But the Packers need a difference-maker here, and there will be some intriguing options at pick No. 23 to add to a mediocre group.

OFFENSIVE LINE (6.0)

Green Bay has six starting caliber offensive linemen in Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan.

As the Packers discovered in their playoff loss to Philadelphia, though, depth is a real problem. Travis Glover, who was top reserve at guard last season, had three penalties in 13 plays against the Eagles. Kadeem Telfort and Jacob Monk weren’t ready either.

In addition, Tom, Walker and Rhyan are entering the final year of their rookie contracts. And the salary cap number for Jenkins balloons to $24.8 million in 2026.

Gutekunst drafted three offensive linemen in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Don’t be surprised if he adds two more this year and the Packers’ line looks dramatically different in 2026.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (5.5)

Kenny Clark’s tremendous career could be nearing the end after he posted just one sack and 37 total tackles last year. Devonte Wyatt set career highs in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (9.0) in 2024, but he remains an inconsistent player.

Mammoth T.J. Slaton left for Cincinnati in free agency. And Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden probably aren’t more than role players.

The group could use a jolt, and there will be some highly intriguing players on the board at No. 23.

LINEBACKER (5.0)

Edgerrin Cooper is a rising star who figures to be a staple of the defense for years to come. Cooper was the only player in the NFL last season with 75-plus tackles, 13-plus tackles for loss, three-plus sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

“When he was on the field, he was dynamic and it changed our football team,” Gutekunst said of Cooper.

The Packers gave Isaiah McDuffie a two-year, $8 million contract this offseason, locking him up through 2026.

The wildcard is Quay Walker, a 2022 first round draft pick. It’s uncertain if the Packers will pick up Walker’s fifth-year option, meaning this could be his last season in Green Bay.

SAFETY (3.5)

Gutekunst overhauled this position last offseason and the Packers should be in good shape for the foreseeable future.

Pro Bowler Xavier McKinney finished second in the NFL with eight interceptions. That was the most by a Packer since Charles Woodson had nine INTs in 2009.

Evan Williams, a fourth round draft pick in 2024, could be a future standout. And while 2024 second round pick Javon Bullard struggled at times, he showed the ability to play deep or in the slot.

While the group is good hands now, adding depth on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) would make sense.

QUARTERBACK (3.0)

The Packers have a solid duo with starter Jordan Love and backup Malik Willis.

Love threw 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and had a 96.7 passer rating in 2024, despite missing 2 ½ games due to injury. Love ranked 19^th in passing yards (3,389) and completed 63.1% of his passes.

“I think he is an ascending player that is going to get better and better and better,” LaFleur said of Love.

Willis helped save the Packers’ season in 2024 when Love was hurt. Willis — who was acquired from Tennessee in late August — went 2-0 as a starter, and rallied Green Bay to a win over Jacksonville when he relieved Love in the second half.

Willis finished with a 124.8 passer rating, threw three touchdowns without an interception and rushed for 138 yards — 55 more than Love.

Willis will be entering the final year of his rookie contract, though, and will almost certainly test the free agent waters next spring. So the Packers could be on the lookout for their future backup quarterback.

PUNTER (3.0)

Daniel Whelan ranked 26^th in both gross (46.1) and net yardage (40.2) last season. While the Packers might be able to upgrade here, it’s probably not worth a draft pick.

RUNNING BACK (2.5)

Green Bay struck gold with 2024 free agent Josh Jacobs.

Jacobs finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards last season (1,329), averaged 4.4 yards per carry and had 16 total touchdowns (15 rushing). The Packers also finished fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (146.8).

Emanuel Wilson (502 yards, 4.9 per carry) had a solid season as the Packers’ No. 2 back. Chris Brooks (183, 5.1) also played well after signing with Green Bay on Sept. 3.

The great unknown is 2024 third round pick Marshawn Lloyd, who played in just one game last season due to an ankle injury and an appendicitis.

TIGHT END (2.0)

Tucker Kraft was a Pro Bowl alternate after finishing second on the team in receptions (50) and receiving yards (707) in 2024. Kraft also led the Packers with seven receiving TDs.

Luke Musgrave had his second straight injury-riddled season. Musgrave missed 10 games after tearing a ligament in his ankle that required surgery. He finished the year with just six catches for 45 yards and has played in just 18 of 34 regular season games (52.9%).

KICKER (1.0)

Brandon McManus rescued the Packers from their kicking woes in 2024, making 20-of-21 field goals (90.5%) and all 30 of his extra points. That earned McManus a three-year, $15.3 million contract this offseason.

He won’t be going anywhere for a long time.