Only six selections. No first-round pick. It'd be understandable to have low expectations for the Green Bay Packers' draft class.
While nobody knows whether a class is successful 48 hours after Mr. Irrelevant is chosen, it appears to be a job well done by Brian Gutekunst and his staff. The Packers addressed positions of need, traded up when necessary, and added an infusion of talent where it was needed most.
Not everyone is a winner, though. Some Packers find themselves under pressure following the draft.
Biggest winners and losers for the Packers after the 2026 NFL Draft
Winner: Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons is the Packers' defensive superhero, but he finally has some sidekicks. Once the Packers lost Devonte Wyatt to injury, Parsons carried the entire defensive line on his back last season.
It felt like an intentional decision to go and get some more disruptors to play alongside Parsons.
The Packers traded up for Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan, whom they preferred over Domonique Orange. While Orange had been a more popular pick in mock drafts, he is an elite run defender but offers little interior pass rush. McClellan can get after the quarterback. So can Deni Dennis-Sutton, who, like Parsons, is a Penn State alum.
Between them, McClellan and Dennis-Sutton recorded 14.5 sacks and 65 pressures last season, per Pro Football Focus. McClellan's PFF pass-rush grade ranked 81st among 887 defensive tackles, while Dennis-Sutton's ranked 147th among 852 edge defenders.
Green Bay prioritized adding talent up front, and Parsons has to be delighted.
Winner: Desmond Ridder
The Packers lost Malik Willis in free agency but didn't find a replacement in the draft. They signed undrafted rookie Kyron Drones, but he may need to spend time developing as the QB3 on the practice squad.
Desmond Ridder is the current backup to Jordan Love, and the Packers are running out of veteran options to compete with him. The odds of Ridder sticking in Green Bay this summer have skyrocketed.
Winner: MarShawn Lloyd
It's never been a question of talent for MarShawn Lloyd, but health. He has missed all but one game since arriving in Green Bay two years ago. He could be the perfect tag-team partner to Josh Jacobs, the lightning to Jacobs' thunder. But he just hasn't been available.
The Packers did their homework on several running backs, hosting three for 30 visits. They didn't address the position in the draft, though.
Green Bay signed UCF's Jaden Nixon, who went undrafted, and handed a tryout opportunity to Jacobs' brother, Isaiah. But that's it. The Packers' lack of significant moves suggests they are confident Lloyd can stay healthy and play a big role this season.
Loser: Brandon McManus
The Packers didn't just draft a kicker to compete with Brandon McManus. They traded up, giving away both of their seventh-round choices to land Trey Smack. Gutekunst wanted to draft Smack so badly that he punted on an entire round of the draft to trade up.
McManus, who missed three kicks in the Packers' playoff loss, struggled from long distance last season. Smack's biggest strength is kicking from range – he converted more kicks from 40-plus yards last season (83.3 percent) than from the 30-39 range (66.6 percent).
Green Bay's veteran kicker is under severe pressure.
Loser: Carrington Valentine
Carrington Valentine started 11 games last season, but those days may be over. The Packers already added competition in free agency with Benjamin St-Juste. They then added two cornerbacks in the draft, including South Carolina's Brandon Cisse with their top pick at No. 52 overall.
Cisse may need some time to reach his potential, but based on pure talent, he might already be the Packers' best cover corner. Sixth-round choice Domani Jackson is further away from earning significant snaps, but the Packers have created competition in the room, something they lacked last season.
Valentine may still maintain his grip on a starting job, but he'll have to earn it. Cisse's arrival likely relegates him to the bench.
Add us as a preferred source on Google