It's hard to win championships without top-tier offensive line play. The Green Bay Packers are learning this the hard way, as the starting five has fallen short of expectations in the first half of the season. That includes guard-turned-center Elgton Jenkins, who hasn't adjusted to his new position as well as the team hoped.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jenkins has allowed more sacks this season than in the past two combined. His run blocking is the most concerning, as his disappointing 61.4 grade ranks 24th among all centers. With a cap hit of $24.8 million to come in 2026, the Packers could move on in the offseason and save $20 million.
Green Bay opened a multi-year Super Bowl window by trading for Micah Parsons, but the deal also leaves them without their next two first-round picks. Using NFL Mock Draft Database's simulator, we put together a way-too-early Packers mock draft, where the lack of a first-rounder became painfully evident.
Packers find cornerback and center help with top two picks in way-too-early 2026 mock draft
Round 2 (56): A.J. Harris, CB, Penn State
The Packers have already benched free-agent signing Nate Hobbs, while the Keisean Nixon CB1 experiment is producing below-par results. Green Bay needs to find another game-changer to play on the boundary.
Penn State's A.J. Harris isn't having his best season, but he offers sky-high potential.
Brian Gutekunst has made a habit of selecting players who shine two seasons before they are drafted, but a disappointing final year in college lowers their draft stock. Jordan Love is the most notable example — he dominated in 2018, throwing 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions, but he followed it with a 20-touchdown, 17-pick campaign in 2019.
Harris showed his elite NFL potential throughout the 2024 season. That year, his PFF coverage grade ranked 38th among 491 NCAA cornerbacks. He allowed just 26 completions on 46 targets (56.5 percent) for 281 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while breaking up three passes. Quarterbacks earned an NFL passer rating of just 72.8 in Harris' coverage.
That's how well Harris can play, and in Green Bay, he could become a CB1.
Round 3 (88): Jake Slaughter, OL, Florida
Florida's Jake Slaughter has previously received first-round buzz, so it's surprising to see him down at 90th on the consensus board. His draft stock could rise between now and April. For now, though, this would be an absolute steal.
Elgton Jenkins' departure feels inevitable, but the Packers lack an obvious replacement on the roster. Backup Jacob Monk has yet to prove he can start in the NFL.
That's where Slaughter would help.
He ranks second among 165 centers for PFF's pass-blocking grade, having allowed just one sack and three pressures on 337 pass-block snaps. Just as importantly, Slaughter also has the fourth-best run-blocking grade, where the Packers desperately need help.
Again, it was surprising to see him fall this far. It would be tremendous value if it happened, but the Packers may need to make a move earlier in the draft if Slaughter continues to play at this level.