Packers land dream Preston Smith replacement in 2025 NFL mock draft

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is one of the best in the business at fixing the team's biggest needs. He will need to do it again in the offseason.

Gutekunst recognized the Packers' need to upgrade the safety room, replacing all four safeties who started a game last season and bringing in Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard, and Evan Williams. McKinney has six interceptions, Williams is already one of the Packers' most important players on defense, and Bullard has provided quality play in the slot.

Under Gutekunst's watch, the Packers have a high success rate at fixing areas of need, including tight end and wide receiver.

The next area of concern is the pass rush. Even if Green Bay's underperforming front seven finally plays to its potential in the second half of the season, the team will need to add more depth after trading Preston Smith.

Per PFF, Rashan Gary ranks 46th among edge-rushers with 20 pressures, while Lukas Van Ness is 118th with six. They have combined for just 3.5 sacks. Green Bay will have to prioritize its pass rush if the production doesn't improve between now and January.

Packers prioritize defense early in 2025 NFL mock draft

Round 1 (24): James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

Tennessee's James Pearce Jr. would be a perfect Preston Smith replacement. He is quickly rising on draft boards after making 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss in nine games this season. His pressure numbers are even more impressive. Per PFF, only two edge defenders in all of college football have more quarterback pressures than Pearce's 43.

"James Pearce Jr. is the best true pass rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft class," writes Travis May of A to Z Sports. "His flexibility, burst, and finish make him one of the easiest first round projections in the nation."

Draft analysts still have Pearce falling into the 20s, including a mock draft from The 33rd Team, but his stock will keep rising if he continues to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. Where Pearce ends up going remains to be seen, and the Packers may need to trade up for him, but there's no doubting his fit as a game-changing pass-rusher in Jeff Hafley's defense.

Round 2 (55): Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Gutekunst tends to identify areas of need, but his failure to find cornerback help is hurting the Packers this season. That must change in the offseason, especially with Eric Stokes' contract expiring. Stokes' role in Hafley's defense has decreased as the season has progressed.

Enter Jahdae Barron, who is having an excellent year for Texas.

Barron offers inside-outside versatility, although most of his snaps have come at the right cornerback position this season. He is among the semifinalists for this year's Bednarik Award, which goes to the best defensive player in college football, after breaking up seven passes and intercepting three.

According to PFF, he has allowed a completion percentage of 58.3, zero touchdowns, and an NFL passer rating of just 31.5. It doesn't get much better than that, which is why he has PFF's third-highest NCAA coverage grade.

Round 3 (88): Parker Brailsford, OL, Alabama

There might not be a higher compliment for a center than to be compared to six-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler Jason Kelce. That's the kind of praise Alabama's Parker Brailsford has received.

Maybe it's an exaggeration to compare him to a future Hall of Famer, but Brailsford is having an excellent season. While Josh Myers is having arguably his best year with the Packers, he faces an uncertain future with an expiring contract. Can he do enough between now and then to land a new deal, or will the Packers move forward with a new starting center in 2025?

If Brailsford is on the board at No. 88 overall, they will have an easy choice.

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