NFL Mock Draft season is finally here! For teams that did not make the playoffs or those that saw their season end during Wild Card Weekend, like the Green Bay Packers, they can rejoice. With just over three months before the 2025 NFL Draft, teams and their fans can look towards a brighter future. As each franchise scouts and constructs their draft boards, fans do the same, but online, via the plethora of mock draft simulators. However, one analyst ups the ante by scouting over 400 college players annually. He then comprises each report into what is called “The Beast.”
While the collection will arrive sometime in April, the anticipation has started to build. In accordance, the Athletic’s Dane Brugler has released his first NFL Mock Draft of the 2025 season. And for Green Bay Packers fans, it is one worth getting excited about.
The Green Bay Packers Select…
The Green Bay Packers will be on the clock with the 23rd overall pick after finishing 2024 with an 11-6 record and making the playoffs for the second consecutive season. While the team may not have a shot to snag a blue-chip prospect, they can still add an instant-impact player.
Sitting just outside the top twenty, Green Bay has multiple options open. They could attempt to replace two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, who feels guaranteed to be playing elsewhere in 2025. The Packers could also create an electrifying edge-rusher tandem with Rashan Gary or even draft another wide receiver in hopes of finding a true alpha in the room.
However, in the first round of his NFL Mock Draft, Brugler envisions the Packers doubling down on defense by selecting Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Tyleik Smith.
“The Packers’ defensive line was disappointing this season, and the front office must balance the possibility of players already on the roster getting better against premium talent,” Brugler explained. “If general manager Brian Gutekunst looks for an upgrade in the first round, Williams, and his disruptive nature, would make sense.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams (6’3, 327 lbs) finished the 2024 season with an 88.6 run-defense grade, totaling 20 run stops — the sixth most in the Big Ten Conference. Williams is not much of a pass-rusher, creating 20 pressures and snagging just one sack. However, pairing him with Kenny Clark could create a dominant, space-eating duo.
Adding D-Line Help in the Second Round
Brugler continues the theme of trench warfare in the second round. At pick 54, the draft analyst has the Packers selecting Oregon edge rusher Jordan Burch.
While Brugler did not explain his thoughts on the pick, Burch is a hyper-talented edge rusher with a massive 6’6 frame. With a combination of size and speed, the Oregon product can help improve the Packers’ under-performing defensive line.
The Packers finished 2024 with 45 sacks, ranking 8th in the league. Burch’s effective bull rush led to a 32-pressure and 10-sack Junior year campaign. Despite his size, Burch only offers above-average run defense. Burch may not be an every-down player, see his 68.1 run-defense grade, but he can add another valuable sack artist to Jeff Hafley’s unit.
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