Despite not having a first-round pick due to the Micah Parsons trade last year, Green Bay had some solid players on the board for them in the 2026 NFL Draft. How does our would-be haul (using our draft rankings) compare to the actual selections?

 

Actual selections

2.52: CB Brandon Cisse

3.77: DL Chris McClellan

4.120: EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton

5.153: C Jager Burton

6.201: CB Domani Jackson

6.216: K Trey Smack

 

Wolf Sports selections

2.52: LB CJ Allen

3.77: G DJ Campbell

4.120: DL Zane Durant

5.153: LB Harold Perkins Jr.

6.201: QB Jalon Daniels

6.216: TE John Michael Gyllenborg

 

Thoughts

The Packers have a new defensive coordinator in Jonathan Gannon after Jeff Hafley was hired by the Dolphins, so it made sense for their draft class to begin with three defensive selections to fit a new system. Brandon Cisse feels like an ideal fit as a balance between Green Bay’s recent style of cornerback and what Gannon might want, so look for him to immediately push for a starting job across from Keisean Nixon.

 

Moving up for D’Angelo Ponds (who went No. 50 overall) would have been the move made by us, but staying put, CJ Allen was simply a case of best player available; the team just acquired Zaire Franklin, but a long-term duo of Allen and Edgerrin Cooper would have matched each other perfectly.

 

With their next two selections, the Packers took Chris McClellan to join the defensive interior and Dani Dennis-Sutton as a big, athletic option on the edge—with each prospect likely having heavy influence from Gannon as the team goes to more of a 3-4 front (though the new DC has said it will be a multiple system) based on what works.

 

We would have taken DJ Campbell in the third round much earlier than he went in real life (No. 200 overall), but he’d seamlessly slide in at right guard—which is currently the biggest question mark with Anthony Belton kicking inside as one of the options for the Packers. Then, Zane Durant would have been a penetrator type alongside Javon Hargrave and Devonte Wyatt for what could have been a very disruptive trio.

 

In the fifth round, the Packers got Jager Burton with center/guard versatility as they try to figure out a combination that works up front, while we were high enough on Harold Perkins Jr. to take another linebacker; and the versatility to rush the passer provides some early-season insurance for Micah Parsons as he recovers from a torn ACL.

 

To close things out, the Packers took another cornerback in Domani Jackson out of Alabama, and it’s somewhat reminiscent of Gannon and the Cardinals taking Denzel Burke out of Ohio State last year as a highly touted player earlier in his college career. Arizona got the most out of Burke in Year 1, so maybe history will repeat. And finally, Green Bay got the top kicker in the draft with Trey Smack.

 

We instead went with a developmental option at both quarterback (Jalon Daniels) and tight end (John Michael Gyllenborg). Focusing on Daniels, he seemed like the ideal quarterback to craft his game under Matt LaFluer, but the team ended up signing Tyrod Taylor after the draft to fill in behind Jordan Love.