NFL mock draft 2025: Packers land future star in way-too-early prediction

The Green Bay Packers have only just wrapped up their 2024 draft class, but it's never too early to look ahead.

After all, the 2025 NFL Draft will take place in Green Bay, so why not predict who will be introduced as the Packers' first-round selection at Lambeau Field?

Green Bay is an ascending team with one of the league's youngest and most talented rosters. General manager Brian Gutekunst upgraded the team's significant areas of need, including linebacker, safety, and offensive line depth.

One area the Packers surprisingly didn't address until late in Round 7 was cornerback. Despite Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes struggling to stay healthy and the Packers banking on seventh-rounder Carrington Valentine playing a featured role, they didn't make any significant moves at cornerback. The only addition was Kalen King with their final pick.

Add in that Stokes' rookie contract expires next offseason, and it's reasonable to predict that cornerback could be Green Bay's biggest need in 2025.

That's where we focus in this way-too-early mock draft.

Way-too-early Packers 2025 NFL mock draft

To put this mock draft together, we used the NFL Mock Draft Database simulator, which already has an option for 2025. It currently has the Packers picking 19th, which is incorrect. We all know they will hold the 32nd selection.

At No. 19, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson was still on the board, making it an easy choice.

Johnson could be the top cornerback off the board next year. He has star potential in the NFL. PFF's Max Chadwick recently ranked the top 50 draft prospects if everyone in college football was eligible. Johnson was 11th overall and ranked higher than any other cornerback, including all of the 2024 prospects. Chadwick notes that Johnson allowed only three catches with one interception when covering Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze last season.

"He has all the physical traits you want in a cornerback, at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds with excellent speed, footwork and ball skills for the position," writes Chadwick. "Johnson has the makings of a special prospect who will likely be a top-five pick next April."

Things can undoubtedly change between now and next year's draft, but Johnson is expected to be one of the best defensive prospects.

A playoff season for Green Bay could make it challenging to get in position to draft Johnson. But holding the 19th pick was enough in this simulator to land a future star at cornerback. We'll take it.

Hopefully, cornerback won't be a major need for the Packers in 2024, but it's hard not to worry that Gutekunst is rolling the dice by not making an early-round addition this year.

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