At this time of year, fans of all 32 teams have their shopping lists ready ahead of the NFL draft, having identified the urgent needs their club needs to fill, as well as their favorite players at those positions.
In Green Bay, general managers over the years have made a habit of looking ahead with their premium draft picks, analyzing what their long-term roster needs could be, rather than just the holes that need plugging in the present.
That, along with their general preference to simply take the best player available, has led to some 1st and 2nd round picks Packers fans may not have seen coming, or thought were the best use of resources at the time, given the state of the roster at that moment.
This year, the defensive tackle (specifically nose tackle) and cornerback spots have been earmarked as the most in need of additions.
It is true that Green Bay is overdue for premium draft investments at those spots, having taken just one defensive tackle in the first three rounds since Brian Gutekunst succeeded Ted Thompson in 2018, and three cornerbacks, two of which were in his first draft.
Based on how the board looks to be shaping up though, and the underrated need for another pass rusher, do not be surprised if the Packers go EDGE with their first pick in the 2026 draft.
Green Bay is slated to make their first pick 52nd overall. Looking at the consensus big board, here are the volumes of each position between number 47 and 83 (the Packers pick 84th in round 3):
Wide receiver - 7
EDGE - 6
Cornerback - 5
Linebacker - 3
Safety - 3
Running back - 2
Tight end - 2
Offensive tackle - 2
Defensive line - 2
Center - 2
Guard - 1
Quarterback - 1
The Packers do not have room on the roster right now to add another highly-drafted receiver, and also do not need bodies at linebacker or safety. They still have a day 2 pick invested at running back in MarShawn Lloyd behind Josh Jacobs and just re-signed Chris Brooks.
None of the cornerbacks in that range are their type in terms of build, and the offensive tackles are not ideal fits either. A center they might draft would need to be able to play guard as well as they just re-signed Sean Rhyan. They do not draft college guards and won’t be taking a QB that early.
The two options on the defensive interior could make sense in Gracen Halton and Domonique Orange, but Green Bay’s spot in the 2nd round is not exactly a sweet spot for defensive tackles.
Then there’s EDGE. The Packers just jettisoned Rashan Gary and watched Kingsley Enagbare leave. Micah Parsons should return early in the season, but he is still coming back from a very serious knee injury.
If the season started tomorrow, Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell might be the starters. Van Ness made real strides in 2025, but he had his own injury issues. Sorrell was a strong run defender but ranked 123rd out of 124 eligible edge defenders in pass rush win rate as a rookie.
They do have Brenton Cox Jr. returning, but he missed almost the entire 2025 season. Collin Oliver is a situational pass rusher as an undersized player.
Gutekunst has generally preferred to have three pass rushers on the roster who are either highly paid veterans or early-round draft picks. After trading Gary, they are down to two.
There are three edge rushers specifically who fit what the Packers look for in terms of size: Gabe Jacas from Illinois, Derrick Moore from Michigan and Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State.
All three are physical players rather than finesse guys, which would replace Gary’s skillset well and along with Van Ness, complement Parsons’ more speed/skill style.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are a testament to having waves of pass rushers. They did not have a single player with more than 7 sacks, but were a fearsome pass rush collectively.
Investing in the position again makes sense for the Packers, especially as this strong EDGE class should mean talented players like the ones mentioned above could fall lower than they usually might.
Green Bay has often used their first pick for the best player available, then filled needs later on. They do not have a 1st rounder this year, but the approach could stay the same, taking a swing on upside early before finding cornerback and defensive tackle competition in rounds three and four.