Latest news with #UnpackingFuturePackersCountdown
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 7, Georgia DE Mykel Williams
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. Since 2021, Brian Gutekunst has drafted four Georgia Bulldogs defensive players, with three of those picks happening in the first round. Advertisement If Gutekunst targets another Bulldog defender in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft for the Green Bay Packers, a potential target is Mykel Williams. The Georgia defensive end checks in at No. 7 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A five-star recruit and a Georgia native, Williams recorded 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks during his first season with the Bulldogs. In 2023, Williams posted identical numbers. This past season, Williams battled through an ankle injury and was sidelined for two games. He finished the season with 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. At 6-5, 260 pounds with 34-inch arms, Williams looks the part of an NFL edge rusher. He's a ready-made run defender and can hold a firm edge. He possesses tremendous length and uses that to maintain separation from offensive tackles who try to block him. He's very alert and appears to enjoy the physical side of the game. The former five-star recruit has good open-field burst to track down the football. He has a large tackle radius and was tagged with nine career missed tackles. Advertisement "He utilizes his length and initial quickness to win in multiple ways as a run stopper, from stacking and shedding, to slipping inside offensive linemen," Devin Jackson, an NFL Draft writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, said. "Williams is a brawler as a run defender, embracing contact at the line of scrimmage, using full extension to create physical separation between he and opposing offensive linemen. He knows how to collapse offensive linemen to close down holes in the run game and willing to go through their chest." Williams needs to develop a more detailed pass rush plan. He got by at the collegiate level by letting his long arms and power do the work with no backup or counter plans. He wants to jackhammer his way through offensive tackles. When he wins the corner, he closes quickly with his long strides. To go along with his power, Williams has good initial quickness of the snap and converts speed to power. "Right now, it's all athlete for Williams, and he showcases some potential as a speed-to-power rusher," Jackson said. "A decent amount of his pass rush reps came as a reduced inside pass rusher where he doesn't have nearly the lateral quickness to be a two-way go type of pass rusher, but on the edge, he's looking to go through offensive tackles and occasionally works an inside spin move." Fit with the Packers Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness are slated to be the starting defensive ends for Jeff Hafley's crew when the season opens up in September. Advertisement The hope is Gary enjoys a bounce-back season and that Van Ness, the 2023 first-round pick, enjoys a breakout season during his third year in the league. Even if both of those things happen, the Packers could stand to add talent to that room. If Williams slides to the Packers in the first round, his talent and upside may be hard to pass up. "I would take Williams because the floor is an elite run defender, but if he can find a go-to pass rush move that he can win with consistently, you're getting a high-ceiling edge rusher," Jackson said. "He fought through injury in his final season at Georgia and the sky is the limit for his potential, so long as he can become a more efficient pass rusher." Williams checks the boxes with his length, movement skills, and age (21 in June). He can step in and provide an immediate impact against the run and has the tools to develop into an impactful pass rusher. Advertisement A team can never have enough talented defensive linemen. Williams has a safe floor as a run defender. If he can develop more of a pass rush plan, he could quickly become an impactful three-down player who could have teams kicking themselves for passing on him. If he is on the board when the Packers are on the clock, don't be shocked if Gutekunst adds yet another Bulldog defensive player. This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 7, Georgia DE Mykel Williams
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 12, California CB Nohl Williams
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. The Green Bay Packers have had a lot of moving parts at the cornerback position this offseason. They've lost Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell in free agency and inked Nate Hobbs to a four-year deal. Advertisement The biggest domino that has yet to fall is the status of Jaire Alexander. Brian Gutekunst continues to comb the trade market for a potential deal and if they can't find a dance partner, the Packers could release him, or maybe there's a universe in which he's still on the roster when the Packers open the 2025 season. The mini remodel of the cornerback room inside 1265 Lombardi Avenue will continue during the 2025 NFL Draft, where it's likely that Gutekunst uses a pair of picks on the position. A potential target on Day 2 of the draft is Nohl Williams. The California Golden Bear cornerback checks in at No. 12 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A three-star recruit out of California, Williams started his collegiate career at UNLV. During his three seasons at UNLV, Williams recorded five interceptions and 10 pass deflections. Advertisement Williams transferred to California for the 2023 season and recorded 53 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and six pass deflections. This past season Williams recorded 52 tackles, one tackle for loss, nine pass deflections and an FBS-leading seven interceptions. "Nohl was the anchor of the Cal defense," Jim McGill, the editor for Bear Insider, said. "He had a solid junior season but took it to a different level last season." Williams is solidly built for the position. A high school wide receiver, Williams has natural ball skills and is opportunistic in coverage. His instincts and outstanding field vision put him in a position to make plays on the ball. He has disciplined eyes and processes route concepts quickly. Combine his instincts with his explosive trigger and you get a player who led the FBS in interceptions this past season and finished his career with 14 interceptions. The UNLV transfer does a nice job of using his length to play through the hands of the receiver. Advertisement "HIs confidence in his ability to be both physical and fast enough to stay with his man had Nohl in position to make plays all season," McGill said. "It was very difficult for receivers to get past him, and he played the ball like a receiver when it was in the air." William is smooth in his pedal and has good foot agility. While he's not an explosive athlete, he has good change-of-direction skills and is able to run routes for wide receivers. He's subtle in using his hands and is able to redirect receivers. Williams is a willing downfield tackler and doesn't shy away from contact. Missed tacklers were a rare sight in 2024. He does a nice job of tackling in the open field and getting his man to the ground to limit YAC. After missing 14 tackles during his first season as a Golden Bear, Williams missed just three tackles in 2024. During his time at UNLV he was tagged with 17 missed tackles in three seasons. "Nohl was fourth on the team in tackles, which is fairly unusual for a cornerback, especially in Cal's system, where middle linebackers and safeties tend to make the most tackles,," McGill said. "He's towards the upper end of physical corners with good ball skills." Advertisement Williams brings special teams value as a return specialist. He returned 27 kickoffs and returned one for a touchdown and averaged 24.1 yards per return. He also returned 11 punts during his career and averaged 6.7 yards per return. On top of that, he logged 617 snaps on special teams and recorded four tackles. Fit with the Packers The Packers have a lot of cornerbacks and that can play on the boundary and in the slot. Williams only logged 101 snaps in the slot during his collegiate career and would give the Packers a bonafide boundary cornerback who could challenge for reps as a rookie. Gutekunst spoke at the NFL Scouting Combine about how Jeff Hafley's defense may require cornerbacks who are instincitive and have good field vision. From Gutekunst: 'I do think with what Jeff's trying to do, there's a lot more vision and awareness and instincts out there than maybe we've played with in the past." Advertisement Williams is an instinctive cornerback with a knack for making splash plays. He's always in the right place at the right time and gives up little separation in coverage. He checks the boxes for what Gutekunst described in the aforementioned quote. Hafley emphasizes taking the ball away and only one cornerback in this draft class (Quincy Riley) took the ball away more than Williams. With his frame, instincts and ball skills, Williams could be high on Green Bay's board when Day 2 of the draft kicks off on April 25. This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 12, California CB Nohl Williams
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 1, Oregon DL Derrick Harmon
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 1, Oregon DL Derrick Harmon The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. A position that the Green Bay Packers could target early during the 2025 NFL Draft is defensive tackle. Kenny Clark is coming off the worst season of his career and is entering his 10th year in the league. His play in 2024 could just be a blip on the radar, or it could be a sign that a decline is coming. Brian Gutekunst recently said that they'd like to keep Devonte Wyatt around beyond the 2026 season. Even with Wyatt part of the long-term plans, the Packers need another impactful interior presence to team with Clark and Wyatt. A potential target in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is Derrick Harmon. The Oregon defensive tackle checks in at at No. 1 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A three-star recruit out of Michigan, Harmon started his collegiate career at Michigan State. During his three seasons with the Spartans, Harmon recorded seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Harmon transferred to Oregon for the 2024 season and recorded 45 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and four pass deflections. "Harmon was such a massive pickup for the Ducks," Zachary Neel, the Oregon Ducks beat writer for Ducks Wire, said. The fact that he was able to contribute as much as he did after coming in following the spring football season is incredible. He was a consummate professional, establishing himself as one of the best defensive tackles from the start of the season. Alongside Jordan Burch and Jamaree Caldwell, it's almost as if Harmon was the cherry on top of an already talented defensive line, but talk about a massively impactful cherry." Harmon is an active interior defender. At 6-4, 313 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, Harmon has an NFL-ready frame. Harmon is a powerful defensive tackle and has brute strength to drive offensive lineman backward to cave in the pocket. His go-to move as a pass rusher is a swim move. The Michigan State transfer has active hands and has plenty of backup plans in his chamber. Once he wins his matchup, he closes in on the quarterback with burst. To go along with his five sacks, Harmon recorded 55 pressures. "You usually expect someone at Harmon's size and position to mainly be a run-stopper, but pass-rushing is really is strong suit," Neel said. "He led the FBS in QB pressures among all DTs with 55 last season, which is a remarkable number. That's 11 more pressures than any other DT in the nation. He has a variety of moves, from punches to spins and swims that let him get the better of offensive linemen matched up on him throughout the season. This is an elite interior pass-rusher." Against the run, Harmon is stout at the point of attack and he stays balanced through contact. He puts down roots to anchor and control his gap. He's got good initial quickness to beat offensive linemen off the snap and get into the backfield to disrupt the action. If he doesn't win off the snap, he's got power in his hands and a strong upper body to toss offensive linemen to the side. Harmon has nimble footwork and has the quickness to chase down ball carriers. His length gives him a wide tackle radius. He's able to stick his arms out and slow down ball carriers. "While not as impressive as his pass rush, Harmon was still a very solid run defender," Neel said. "With the 44th-best run defense grade in the nation, per PFF. Filling rushing lanes and drawing multiple defenders is something." Fit with the Packers The Packers need to find ways to disrupt the action in the backfield, both against the run and the pass. Their pass rush was stale at times last season and they need a more active interior presence. This past season, the Packers' defensive tackle group recorded 10.5 sacks, with five of those sacks coming from Wyatt. The Packers desperately need to bolster their interior pass rush. Harmon is coming off a season in which he recorded 55 pressures, which was the most among defensive tackles. To go along with that, he recorded 11 tackles for loss, 25 run stops and five sacks. He's the type of disruptor that Gutekunst is looking for up front. "Regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in the draft, a lot of mocks don't have him going that high," Neel said. "One lucky team should be able to grab Harmon in the late teens or early 20s, and they're going to feel as if they got a steal doing so." Harmon does not like being blocked. He's an active interior presence who checks all the boxes, with his strength, length, athleticism and age (22 in August). If Harmon is somehow still on the board when the Packers are on the clock with the 23rd overall pick, expect Commissioner Roger Goodell to announce him to the Packers. It would not be shocking to see Gutekunst make a minor trade up from 23 to 17 to snag the Michigan State transfer and make him the crown jewel of the 2025 draft class. The Packers need more impact players up front and Harmon fits the bill.
USA Today
23-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 2, Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 2, Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. The Green Bay Packers haven't drafted a wide receiver in the first round since 2002, when they selected Javon Walker with the 20th overall pick. The highest the Packers have drafted a wide receiver since 2002 was when Brian Gutekunst traded up in the second round to select Christian Watson with the 34th overall pick in the 2022 draft. Jayden Higgins is a wide receiver that Gutekunst could target in another trade-up during the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Iowa State wide receiver checks in at No. 2 on the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A two-star recruit out of Florida, Higgins started his collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky. During his two seasons at Eastern Kentucky, Higgins hauled in 13 receiving touchdowns. Higgins transferred to Iowa State for the 2023 season and recorded 53 receptions for 983 yards and six touchdowns. This past season, Higgins led the Cyclones in receptions (87) and touchdowns (nine). He also eclipsed the 1,000 yard receiving mark (1,183). 'Jayden meant a lot to the success we had this past season,' Noah Pauley, the Iowa State wide receiver coach, said. 'The way he works on and off the field is unmatched. No moment was ever too big for him. When we needed someone to make a big play, we knew we could count on him.' Before we dive into the on-field traits, let's talk about the work ethic that Higgins possesses. Talk to anybody who is around the Iowa State program and you'll hear nothing but glowing reviews about the way Higgins goes about his business. 'His greatest strength is his work ethic and preparation,' Pauley said. 'He has worked for everything he has and I truly believe it's what has separated him to be one of the best receivers in all of college football. His daily process caught the attention of a lot of his teammates and many of them have followed his daily routine.' At 6-4, 214 pounds, with 33 ⅛" arms, Higgins is a big-bodied wide receiver with a large catch radius. Pair that frame with his explosive leaping ability and he has a go-go catch radius. He turns 50-50 balls into 90-10 balls. He has outstanding body control and is able to contort his body to adjust to throws. Put the ball in his zip code and he's probably going to catch it. The Eastern Kentucky transfer has maybe the strongest hands in the class and he has excellent hand-eye coordination. He spears the ball away from his frame and tracks the ball well downfield. He finished this past season with two drops and had just three drops during his time in Ames. 'Jayden has some of the most reliable hands because it's something he works on daily,' Pauley said. 'He would be in there working on catches from all different angles and body positions at all times of the day. He's a true pro and there's no fluke as to why his drop rate is so low.' Higgins ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. An excellent time for a wide receiver who weighs 214 pounds. He has a good release package and good foot quickness to win off the line of scrimmage. He's urgent into his routes. He's crisp and clean out of his breaks to create separation. 'He can run every route asked of him,' Pauley said. 'He's a big body receiver who runs routes like a slot. We were able to line him up all over the field to create mismatches, knowing he could run any route from any position.' Nobody is going to confuse Jayden Higgins for Luther Burden III. The Missouri wide receiver is the most dangerous YAC threat in this draft class. However, Higgins has some wiggle and is capable of making the first defender miss. He runs hard after the catch and uses his long strides to quickly chew up yards like Pac-Man. 'Yards after the catch was a big point of emphasis for our position group heading into the 2024 season,' Pauley said. 'Jayden took a big jump from his junior to senior year in yards after the catch. He did an unbelievable job making the first guy miss and continuing to move the chains for us.' No block, no rock. That might as well be plastered above the wide receiver room at 1265 Lombardi Avenue. With his frame, Higgins can stalk block with the best of them and his willingness to get after it as a blocker is just another box checked for the Iowa State wide receiver. 'Jayden was challenged about mid-way through his junior year to become a better blocker,' Pauley said. 'He has become extremely reliable since that challenge was issued. There's no job on the field that he's not willing to do.' Fit with the Packers The Green Bay Packers have a short-term and a long-term need at wide receiver. Watson, arguably the team's most dynamic weapon, will miss a large chunk of the upcoming season as he recovers from a torn ACL that he suffered during the team's final regular-season game. In the long-term, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks are the only receivers under contract beyond the upcoming season. In the short and long term they need an alpha in that room and Higgins has all the tools to develop into a team's No. 1 wide receiver. 'I would draft Higgins for the person that he is,' Pauley said. 'His character is through the roof. He's an unbelievable teammate and he makes everyone around him better. You will get a player that will put himself in a position to not only be the most prepared on Sunday's, but for every meeting and practice as well. A team would be getting one of the most productive wide receivers in the country that can win from any position on the field and instantly make your locker room and team better.' Higgins checks all the boxes for the Packers. With his frame, strong hands, route running, and athleticism, he'd have a chance to lead the team in every receiving category as a rookie. Another feather in his cap is that Higgins was in Mobile for Senior Bowl week. A few years ago, Gutekunst traded up in the second round to draft a wide receiver (Watson) who was coached by Noah Pauley. Fast forward to 2025 and Gutekunst could once again trade up for a Pauley-coached wide receiver in Higgins to give Jordan Love a big-bodied wide receiver with the strongest hands in the 2025 NFL Draft.
USA Today
23-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 3, Arkansas DE Landon Jackson
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. During Jeff Hafley's first season as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, the pass rush did disappearing acts in big games far too often. The Packers dismissed defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich and replaced him with DeMarcus Covington, who spent this past season as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. Brian Gutekunst made it crystal clear during the NFL Scouting Combine that they need the defensive line to create more chaos if they are going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. "We need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players," Gutekunst said. "I'm excited about the guys we have in the room, we'll see if we add to it, but that's gotta get better if we're going to accomplish our goals we want to accomplish in this season." A player who could help affect the quarterback is Landon Jackson. The Arkansas edge rusher checks in at No. 3 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A four-star recruit, Jackson started his collegiate career at LSU. After suffering a torn ACL during his freshman season, Jackson transferred to Arkansas for the 2022 campaign. During his first season at Arkansas, Jackson recorded four tackles for loss and three sacks. In 2023, Jackson recorded 44 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. This past season, Jackson recorded 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Jackson was built in the Brian Gutekunst edge rusher lab. He's got an ideal frame. He checked in at the NFL Scouting Combine at 6-6, 264 pounds and 33 1/4 arms. To go along with the frame, he showcased his athleticism at the combine, clocking a 4.68 40-yard dash with a 1.65 10-yard split. He showcased his explosiveness with a 40.50-inch vertical and a 10-09 broad jump. At his pro day, Jackson clocked a 7.13 three-cone time. "Jackson should not be as big as he is and turn the corner as well as he does," Devin Jackson, an NFL Draft analyst for The Philadelphia Inquirer, said. "He has a relentless motor, can work an inside move with ease, but most of his explosiveness is linear, as he does not change direction as well." Jackson's a power-packed pass rusher. He's a sledgehammer, with the power to drive through offensive tackles. He has strong, violent hands that stun offensive linemen. To go along with all that power, Jackson has a quick first step and converts speed to power, using his long arms to his advantage. Once he wins the corner he uses long, explosive strides to close in on the quarterback. Over the past two seasons, Jackson has recorded 57 pressures along with his 13 sacks. With his power, active hands and athleticism, it would not be shocking if Jackson posted double-digit sacks early in his career. "Jackson has a nice speed to power conversion," Jackson said. "He's got a nice swim move as well, and uses the long arm bull rush in his repertoire. He's got impressive tools to work with." Jackson is a disruptive player with a relentless motor. The Arkansas defensive end is a sturdy and assignment-sound run defender. He's strong at the point of attack and uses his long levers to lock out and stay detached. With his power, he can deconstruct blocks and explode into the backfield to disrupt the action. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson recorded 65 run stops over the past two seasons. "Jackson is solid against the run, using his length to stack and shed players," Jackson said. "His run recognition ability can improve but he's an average run defender who doesn't need to come off the field on early downs." Fit with the Packers A team can never have enough pass rushers and while the hope is for internal growth from Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, the Packers need another potential disrupter in that room. Enter Jackson. The Arkansas defensive end checks the boxes with his frame, power and burst off the snap. He's also 22 years old. "Jackson was an impressive player in college but if he continues to hone the tools and skills that's he's shown, he's got a chance to be a double digit sack player," Jackson said. "The flashes he's shown of high level play have come against good college tackles, and if he can become dominant as a speed to power rusher, he can be an upside player that had a similar impact that Jared Verse did as a rookie last season." Gutekunst clearly has a type when it comes to drafting edge rushers and Jackson checks all the boxes. He's a well-rounded player with freakish tools to develop into a dominant force off the edge. Even if he isn't a starter, Jackson will make an impact as a rookie and would bolster Green Bay's pass rush, while being a strong edge setter against the run. Take that type of player in the second round all day.
