The Green Bay Packers put together a solid all-around 2026 NFL Draft class despite not having a first-round pick.
In the second round, Brian Gutekunst and the front office were able to land help at the cornerback position. They decided to select South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse. After that pick, they went defense with their next two selections, bringing in Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan and Penn State pass rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton.
McClellan will be asked to fill an important depth role on the defensive line. The Packers badly needed more defensive tackle talent.
While he stands in at 6-foot-4 and nearly 325 pounds, there are some concerns about McClellan. One NFL scout has weighed in and revealed a major red flag about him.
NFL Scout Throws Shade at Packers Rookie Chris McClellan
As shared by longtime Green Bay reporter Bill Huber on Sports Illustrated, an NFL scout did not love the pick by the Packers. He also admitted he hadn’t even talked about McClellan before Green Bay drafted him.
“I’m not going to lie to you, that was probably the most surprising,” the scout said. “We just didn’t know much about him. We didn’t talk much about him. Maybe we’re messed up. Like, we didn’t really like him. We didn’t really spend that much time on him. During the draft, I’m like, ‘Who is this dude?’ Usually, you remember guys during the draft, even if it’s a player you didn’t like, but I do not remember this dude at all.”
Those are strong words from a scout. McClellan not being on his radar at all could be a cause for concern.
Despite the scout’s take, Gutekunst and company clearly believe that McClellan was the right move. The Packers will hope that they’re right and that the former Missouri standout can come in and make an impact.
What Does Chris McClellan Bring to Green Bay’s Defense?
During the 2025 college football season at Missouri, McClellan racked up 48 total tackles to go along with six sacks and two defended passes.
He played his first two college seasons with the Florida Gators before transferring to the Tigers. McClellan totaled 133 tackles, 10.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and four defended passes over those four years.
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein provided his outlook of McClellan before the NFL Draft.
“Two-year starter who is solidly proportional with adequate length. McClellan is not a natural knee-bender, which limits his anchor, and he allows blockers too far into his frame too often. He has flashes where he can dominate a rep, but he will need to improve his take-on technique and hand usage to be more consistent,” Zierlein wrote.
“His first step is average and his pass rush isn’t overly explosive, but McClellan can pry open edges with strong hands. He plows through to collapse pockets once his foot is in the door and projects as a backup nose tackle in an even-front defense.”
Only time will tell whether or not McClellan can prove the Packers right for believing in him. At least one scout isn’t sure about the move, but he will have a chance to prove the doubters wrong.
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