The Green Bay Packers' decision to draft Chris McClellan over Domonique Orange was met with both optimism and skepticism.
Optimism for McClellan's undeniable pass-rush potential and what that means for Micah Parsons.
Parsons had to generate pass rush all by himself in the latter stages of last season before he suffered a torn ACL. Pairing McClellan with Javon Hargrave on the inside helps support the Packers' All-Pro edge-rusher, especially since he will miss the start of the season.
But Orange was a popular choice for the Packers in mock drafts and also among many in the fanbase. The consensus board agreed.
Green Bay went with McClellan at No. 77 overall, while Orange fell to the rival Minnesota Vikings at No. 82. It's a similar feeling to when the Packers drafted Josh Myers ahead of Creed Humphrey, only for the Kansas City Chiefs to take Humphrey one spot later. That decision aged horribly for the Packers.
The good news is that the (very) early signs are encouraging for McClellan.
Chris McClellan has made the start the Packers hoped for ahead of training camp
As always at this time of year, it's important not to get out over our skis. It's not even training camp yet, let alone time for real football in the fall. But McClellan has made exactly the start to life in Green Bay that you'd hope for.
McClellan continued to get first-team reps during the offseason program, and he received high praise from the coaching staff.
"What we were able to do in two days from a technique, a scheme standpoint, he was picking it up, picking it up, picking it up faster than I thought he would," said defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase, via The Athletic's Matt Schneidman.
McClellan has made a strong first impression, something he'll need to build on when the players hit practice at training camp on July 29.
Ultimately, though, we won't know whether picking McClellan over Orange was the right decision for at least a couple of seasons.
The move went against the Packers' tendencies. Brian Gutekunst tends to favor athleticism, even if that means taking a prospect who has less proven college production and requires more development.
Orange has the edge in athleticism, while McClellan had the better production over the past two seasons. Gutekunst went for the better football player over the better athlete, or at least that's the hope.
McClellan posted 8.5 sacks in his final two seasons in college, compared to Orange's one sack. McClellan also wins in tackles for loss, with 13.5 compared to five.
Orange, though, offers the potential to become an elite run-stopper in the NFL. He could be a home-run pick for the Vikings, and exactly what their defense needs after losing Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.
Only time will tell whether the Packers made the correct call. For now, at least, McClellan is impressing the coaching staff and showing early signs of proving Gutekunst right.
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