Green Bay, WI--As things stand currently, the Green Bay Packers have 7 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft which will be held in Green Bay.
After one season, the 2024 draft class played quite well for the green and gold.
"We believe in the draft. It's the biggest part of what we do so we put a lot of time and effort into it and I think that's why we've had a lot of the success we've had," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said a few days before the 2024 NFL Draft.
With 11 total draft picks last year, the question for Gutekunst became "Will the Packers yet again draft players capable of competing their rookie seasons?"
"You know, the last couple years I think there's been a lot of opportunity for these young guys where maybe there wasn't in the past," Gutekunst said.
"I think the opportunity can lead to these guys getting to where they've gotten to so quickly."
Of the Packers' 11 picks in the 2024 NFL draft, four played over 100 snaps from scrimmage. Three of those four became regular starters for Green Bay: second-round picks Edgerrin Cooper and Javon Bullard, as well as fourth round pick Evan Williams.
Cooper was the best player in the Packers' 2024 class. An all-rookie team selection, he received a pass rush grade of 90.1 from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 2nd-best among all linebackers.
His 13 tackles for loss ranked first among all linebackers, and were the most by a rookie linebacker since 2012.
"I mean, he just makes a lot of splash plays. I mean, you see how fast he is. He's a great tackler, a great blitzer. Sometimes he might not be in the right position, but he has that ability to make up for it," Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said during the 2024 season.
"The more he learns and the better he gets, he's going to get better and better and better."
Joining Cooper on the 2024 All-rookie team was Evan Williams. It took a few games for Williams to crack the starting lineup, but when he got his chance to in week 5 against the rams, his tight coverage led to an incomplete pass on 4th down that sealed the win for Green Bay.
Williams did show an encouraging mix of play making ability and reliability, but knows there's room for improvement.
"You know, just try to get one percent better this offseason so that coming into next year hopefully we have most of the same pieces and if we can execute our game plan, you know hold the same scheme, we can be real dangerous," Packers safety Evan Williams said.
A lot was asked of Javon Bullard his rookie season, having to bounce back and forth between safety and nickel depending on injuries in the secondary.
Bullard didn't make as many splash plays as Cooper or Williams.
Offensive lineman Jordan Morgan as well running back Marshawn Lloyd and safety Kitan Oladapo saw their rookie seasons effected by injuries.
Before Morgan had season-ending shoulder surgery, the first round pick played 120 snaps at right guard and 65 at left guard. Although Morgan was drafted as a tackle, Gutekunst reiterated he'll play where needed.
"We'll kind of probably go into it the exact same way. Wherever we think he's going to best fit is where he's gonna see his snaps," Gutekunst said.
Although Lloyd and Oladapo didn't make the impact they hope they would their rookie seasons, they shared their biggest lesson from year one in Green Bay.
"I would say perspective. Just perspective of how you look at things. If you want to look at the glass half full or fall empty. I think just changing your perspective for every opportunity, every obstacle you have is important," Packers safety Kitan Oladapo said.
"You take the adversity and just go with it. Nothing I can control. Been a very very rough year but I've got time. I'm getting healthy so I'm getting there. It's just about attacking the offseason and being ready to go," Packers running back Marshawn Lloyd said.