The Green Bay Packers need to figure out some sort of way to get their pass rush outside of Micah Parsons back on the right track, but they may not even need to leave the state of Wisconsin in order to accomplish that goal after one standout Day 3 performer has emerged.
Pass-rusher Mason Reiger spent multiple years at Louisville and missed 2024 due to injury. After overcoming the odds and making a comeback, Reiger put more than enough on tape to warrant some consideration from a team like Green Bay on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
While Reiger is a developmental project who needs to be used in a very specific way, an experienced defensive mind like Jonathan Gannon might be skilled enough to get the most out of him in the same way he did with Josh Sweat in both Philadelphia and Arizona.
The Packers should target Wisconsin pass-rusher Mason Reiger in the 2026 NFL Draft
Reiger is weirdly built for the position. While he stands 6-5 with very long arms, which will get teams interested in him, he played at right around 250 pounds. That weight might scare away 4-3 teams who would ask him to play with his hand in the dirt. His tackling in the open field leaves a lot to be desired as well.
Reiger, who absolutely destroyed the competition at the Shrine Bowl, has an exceptionally quick first step, and he is slowly adding more moves to his pass-rush toolbox. Despite his size, Reiger has been able to set the edge fairly effectively. In a 3-4 scheme, his talents could be used to maximum effectiveness.
The Packers are in a position where they likely will need to use multiple picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on pass-rushers, even if they address their holes in this area early.
With Lukas Van Ness not exactly doing much to earn a plurality of snaps due to his flatlining play and the lack of spending in free agency, leaving this room entirely dependent on Parsons getting back to full strength, Reiger's style of play and very correctable issues make him the type of developmental pass-rusher that Gannon would love to get his hands on.
The Packers shouldn't pick him just because he comes from Wisconsin, but it would help him immediately become a fan favorite if he replicates his Shrine Bowl domination in the pros.