Mock Draft
1/13/25
8 min read
Green Bay Packers 2025 7-Round NFL Mock Draft: Adding Defensive Depth, Receiving Upside
The Green Bay Packers were knocked out of the playoffs in the wild-card round, but the future is bright for a franchise facing a big offseason.
Along with all of their draft picks, the Packers finally removed Aaron Rodgers' dead cap hit from their books, giving them more than $63 million in cap space for this offseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst can be aggressive with that kind of cap space, going after established veterans to boost key positions.
Green Bay's draft needs will change dramatically based on free agency, but before the Packers start making those moves, here's what a seven-round mock draft could look like for the Packers.
Packers 2025 NFL MOck Draft
What makes DL Shemar Stewart a 1st rounder? Freaky traits at 6-6, 290.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 9, 2024
Burst off the ball. Power/length to create knockback. Awareness to find the football. Range to pursue and make the tackle. pic.twitter.com/aUCz0G2vfl
Round 1, 24th Overall
Pick: Shemar Stewart, DL/EDGE, Texas A&M 
The Packers need to spend the offseason building around Jordan Love, but they also need to find better scheme fits for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Shemar Stewart fits that bill as someone who could be a legitimate three-down playmaker as a 4-3 defensive end. He's an imposing presence at 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, along with the length and athletic ability to be a future game wrecker.
Stewart's length and play strength allow him to dominate the point of attack when he can explode off of the snap. His power and downhill explosiveness translate against the run and as a bull rusher, but he also has the short-area quickness to make cuts as a rusher to keep blockers on their toes.
While Stewart still needs to work on his hand usage and overall technique, his size and athletic profile make him such a unique prospect and one who could be a perfect fit for Hafley's 4-3 scheme.
Shemar Stewart's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Round 2, 55th Overall
Pick: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Injuries devastated the Packers' receiver room this year but also revealed that the team desperately needs more juice at the position, particularly with players who can separate against man coverage. Christian Watson was supposed to be that answer, but his torn ACL in Week 18 means he'll likely miss all of the 2025 season.
The Packers historically don't take a receiver in the first round but have hit some home runs at the position on Day 2. Matthew Golden has the chance to be that home-run pick in the second round, especially with how well he played in the college football postseason.
Golden is one of the most electric receivers in this class, winning in a variety of ways but predominantly with play speed and explosiveness. He can take the top off of any defense but also has the deceleration and movement skills to be a precise route runner, maximizing his separation ability.
In addition to his speed, Golden has excellent body control and athleticism to make acrobatic sideline catches or haul in 50-50 balls through contact. His lighter 195-pound frame hurts his ability as a run blocker, but at this point, the Packers need to start prioritizing his ability in the passing game to get Love some help in his third year as a starter.
This was such a game changing play by Zy Alexander pic.twitter.com/vxUIpdI0CB
— LSU_Capital (@lsu_capital) September 15, 2024
Round 3, 88th Overall
Pick: Zy Alexander, CB, LSU
Jaire Alexander is likely a cap casualty this offseason. While he's been a top-tier cornerback when healthy, his countless injuries and the potential cap savings from cutting him could end his time in Green Bay.
Even if Jaire returns to Green Bay, cornerback should be a huge need for the Packers. It's a position they'll likely target in free agency, but they also find great value in this mock by landing Zy Alexander in the third round.
Zy Alexander has prototypical size for an outside cornerback at 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds. Along with the length and speed to stay with receivers downfield, he shows good deep-ball tracking so as not to panic and start grabbing receivers, instead relying on his instincts and ball skills to make a play on the ball.
The tackling technique isn't bad, but Alexander needs to focus on finishing tackles by driving through contact with his legs, especially as a lighter player. He can continue improving his technique in coverage as well, but his overall ability and length are impressive enough to deserve a Day 2 pick.
Round 4, 123rd overall
Pick: Dylan Fairchild, iOL, Georgia
The offensive line that the Packers have leaned on for years suddenly looked much thinner than expected in the playoffs. Once Elgton Jenkins went down, things got ugly quickly, and although the Packers will be getting first-round pick Jordan Morgan back in 2025, they could also be without center Josh Myers, who enters free agency.
Jenkins will likely be asked to kick inside to center, with Morgan potentially starting at guard. However, if anyone goes down, the Packers will have another problem, so OL depth will be a priority this offseason.
A 315-pound guard, Dylan Fairchild was a two-year starter at Georgia, allowing just one sack in pass protection. He's a fluid mover with good overall athleticism and is technically sound in pass protection while being able to operate in space.
Play strength isn't his calling card, but the Packers can work on bulking Fairchild up to improve on that front while filling in as a spot starter early in his career.
JAY HIGGINS FORCES THE FUMBLE #HIGGINIZED pic.twitter.com/g7i1dy8D4m
— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) October 5, 2024
Round 5, 159th Overall
Pick: Jay Higgins, LB, Iowa
Edgerrin Cooper looks like a budding star for the Packers' defense, but the linebacker room still needs some help, particularly in coverage. Green Bay was gashed in the middle of the field all season, so a linebacker who can excel in later downs and coverage could play a key role on this defense.
Jay Higgins is the perfect pass-coverage linebacker fit for the Packers. He's a smaller ILB at 232 pounds but has fluid movement skills and excellent instincts to read the quarterback's eyes and jump routes in the zone. Quarterbacks posted a passer rating of just 46.6 when targeting him this season, coming up with four interceptions and five pass breakups.
Higgins isn't going to be the best linebacker against the run, and his smaller frame will have him struggling on early downs at the NFL level. Still, for a specific role as a rookie, Higgins could fit in quickly in Green Bay to help clean up their issues covering the middle of the field.
Round 6, 197th overall
Pick: Elijah Roberts, EDGE, SMU 
If the Packers can't find a cheaper veteran EDGE in free agency, then they'll need to consider double-dipping for pass rushers who can fit in a 4-3 scheme.
Elijah Roberts was an afterthought to start his college career at Miami but burst onto the scene in two years with SMU. In those two years for the Mustangs, Roberts racked up 17 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 131 pressures.
Robert is another big-bodied EDGE prospect who possesses a great burst off the snap to win with speed and convert speed to power on his bull rush. His size and strength also allow him to hold his own against the run.
High pad level and too many missed tackles raise some concerns about Roberts as an overall player, but the pass-rushing potential on that frame could have him shoot up draft boards with a strong pre-draft process.
— go to ➡️ collegefootballnetwork.com (@PickettsPool) September 29, 2023
Round 7, 235th Overall
Pick: Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
What does the future hold for the slot position in Green Bay? Will Keisean Nixon hold the spot down with a healthy and filled-out secondary, or will one of the rookie safeties, Javon Bullard or Evan Williams, take over?
Regardless of what the future holds, the Packers need a suitable backup answer in the slot when injuries pop up. Upton Stout isn't a top-tier prospect, but could be an ideal backup slot for the Packers.
Stout was an elite run defender despite being a 5-foot-9 corner this year, generating 26 defensive stops and a missed tackle rate of just 7.9 percent. That willingness makes up for some of his deficiencies, and he can thrive in coverage with quick twitch and explosiveness.
That limited size and length will hurt him against the run and pass, but he's wired the right way to contribute to an NFL roster and continue developing as a long-term project.
Round 7, 250th overall
Pick: Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State
The Packers love their late-round fliers on offensive linemen. It'll be hard for Gutekunst to pass up on one with the physical tools that Jalen Travis has.
A Princeton transfer, Travis comes in at 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds. Despite that size, Travis has surprisingly solid foot quickness, along with the power to move bodies in the run game.
The big concerns with Travis are his fluidity, his ability to handle run-blocking assignments in space, and whether he can handle speed rushers at the NFL level if he stays at tackle. It's still a work in progress, but Travis' size makes him an appealing seventh-round option for a team looking to add OL depth.
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