With the 2025 NFL Draft less than a month away, the Green Bay Packers have a lot to figure out, as they've done very little in free agency.
In fact, they've made the fewest external additions of any team in the league thus far, signing only offensive lineman Aaron Banks, cornerback Nate Hobbs, and wide receiver/kick returner Mecole Hardman. So, again, there's work to be done.
Furthermore, with the draft being held in Green Bay for the first time ever, general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur have only put even more pressure on themselves to get these picks right, as the faithful Cheeseheads in attendance will undoubtedly let them know how they feel about each and every selection.
Over the last several months, we've looked at mock draft after mock draft—even coming up with a few of our own—and have seen the Packers linked to all sorts of players at various positions, the most common typically being wide receivers, edge rushers, and cornerbacks.
The cornerback position certainly stands out, as Green Bay has yet to make a decision on the future of Jaire Alexander, who has two years remaining on the four-year, $84 million extension he signed in 2022.
The issue, of course, is that while the two-time Pro Bowler is still one of the best in the game when healthy, he's missed 20 games over the past two seasons. So, finding a trade partner has been tricky. And releasing him would obviously give the Packers a considerable dead cap hit, even with a post-June 1 designation.
Bringing Hobbs in helps, but he's more comfortable in the slot. He can play the perimeter, but the nickelback position far better suits his skill set at this point. One has to wonder if the Packers are thinking about retaining Alexander and brought Hobbs in as somewhat of an insurance policy.
Our pals at NFL Spin Zone seem to think that's the case, as they've constructed a mock draft that has Green Bay not taking a cornerback in the first three rounds, which is kind of a rare thing to see at this point.
Upon closer inspection, though, the Packers get a pretty strong haul in this particular mock by filling some gaps that undoubtedly need such treatment.
3-round mock draft has the Packers taking a wide receiver and a pair of edge rushers
Despite the fact that Green Bay hasn't taken a wide receiver in the first round since 2002, the three-round mock from NFL Spin Zone's Lou Scataglia has the Packers selecting Missouri's Luther Burden III with the No. 23 overall pick.
And this would be a tough selection to argue with, as Burden certainly fits the explosive wideout Jordan Love so desperately needs right now, racking up 192 catches for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns in his three-year run with the Tigers.
From there, Scataglia has Green Bay selecting edge rusher Landon Jackson with its second-round selection at No. 54 overall.
After starting his college career at LSU, Jackson transferred to Arkansas ahead of the 2022 campaign and went on to record 16.0 sacks in his three years with the Razorbacks, including 6.5 in each of the last two seasons.
The two-time All-SEC selection has good size and strength at 6-foot-6 and 273 pounds and has great length as well. Even with his height, he's a solid run defender, as he's very physical at the point of attack, and he's got fantastic arm technique when attempting to get after the quarterback.
And finally, in Round 3 at No. 87 overall, Scataglia has the Packers adding a second edge rusher in Shemar Turner, who earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2023 after recording 33 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles.
He regressed a touch in 2024, but the 22-year-old is still a solid Day 2 pick for the Packers. At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, Turner's size and strength won't be an issue, and his overall athleticism helps him against both the run and the pass.
His hands could still use some work, and he does struggle at times after initial contact. But for a Green Bay team that had an inconsistent pass rush a season ago, this is a strong depth move.