Cornerback. Pass-rusher. Wide receiver. Anything other than those positions at No. 23 in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Green Bay Packers fans will have plenty of strong opinions.
Understandably, too. It's more than fair to wonder what the Packers' plan is to fix their pass rush or find Jordan Love the game-changing receiver he needs while Christian Watson is sidelined (and potentially leaves as a free agent next offseason).
An offensive lineman in the first round? It's always smart to prioritize the trenches, but it's hard to imagine it going down well, considering a rookie might have to spend a season on the bench. The Packers drafted Jordan Morgan with their most recent first-round pick, and he still isn't guaranteed a starting role.
Packers fans, we need to talk. While an offensive lineman might not sit at the top of the team's priority list, we can't rule out Brian Gutekunst drafting a tackle on Day 1.
And *whispers* it would make sense.
NFL mock draft has Packers landing Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons in the first round
Picture the scene. Roger Goodell takes the stage in the shadows of Lambeau Field to announce the selection. And with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select...
Josh Simmons, tackle, Ohio State?!
That's how Jacob Westendorf of Sports Illustrated predicts it will play out in his latest Packers mock draft. Would Packers fans like it? Almost certainly not. But Simmons to Green Bay might be more realistic than it initially seems, and for good reason.
Beyond starters Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom, how many players can the Packers confidently start at tackle?
Jordan Morgan played left tackle in college, but many projected he would slide to guard in the NFL due to his arm length. The Packers seemingly agreed, wasting no time moving him inside. It doesn't rule out a return to tackle, but can we confidently say he could play outside?
Elgton Jenkins? While he has experience at tackle, he is a far better interior player and will likely replace Josh Myers at center.
Still, No. 23 is a bit rich for a backup tackle, right?
Well, a backup for how long? Walker and Tom will enter the final season of their contracts in 2025. The Packers will have to pay Tom top-of-the-market money, and retaining both starters won't be easy. Simmons could be a 2025 backup but a 2026 starter in Green Bay. Gutekunst always has one eye on the future, and next year's free-agent list could weigh heavily on his draft-day decisions.
As Westendorf notes in his mock draft, it's about value.
"In Simmons, the Packers would be landing a prospect that never would have been available had he not missed the second half of the season with a knee injury," he writes.
It would be a classic Packers move. Simmons has experience at both tackle positions, meets Green Bay's size thresholds, and has the athleticism they covet.
He could even win a starting job as a rookie by outperforming Walker for the left tackle job. Even if he sat for a year, Simmons could become a quality starter in Year 2. The Packers may struggle to pay both starters next offseason, and Gutekunst may prefer to draft a backup plan.
Packers fans wouldn't love it, but Simmons at No. 23 might be more realistic than it seems.