Hard Not To Be Happy With Packers Draft

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Meet Your Green Bay Packers 2026 Draft Picks!

The 2026 Green Bay Packers draft class was, as expected, all about defense. The Packers may not have had a first round pick this year, but they still managed to address some key positions of need with players that fit the mold of what the Packers have historically liked to do with their draft picks.

As always, there's only so much you can say about a draft class when you're just looking at it on paper. But from a needs-based perspective, it's hard not to be happy about what the Packers just did.

Here's a look at your brand new crop of rookies coming to Green Bay!

Round 2 #52 Overall, Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina 

Cornerback has been the Packers' top position of need for a couple years now. There's no way the Packers could in good conscience walk into this year with the depth chart looking like it currently does. So the addition of Cisse was a welcome one; the Packers needed to spend a premium pick on the position. Cisse himself also looks the part of a Brian Gutekunst draft pick. He's fast and athletic, capable of catching up to receivers if he gets beat. He's versatile in coverage and good against the run, but also is going to have plenty of adjusting to do to the NFL game. But scouts love his upside, and his pick was met with a lot of praise from Packer fans and third-party analysts alike. Here's hoping he can work his way into the starting lineup sooner than later. CHTV write-up here.

Round 3 #77 Overall: Chris McLellan, DT, Missouri 

This is a large human. At nearly 6'4 and weighing in at 313 pounds, McLellan is a space eater with a lot of a lot of strength. He figures to be a rotational role player in the Packers' defense to help plug up some of the holes that appeared in the absence of Devonte Wyatt a year ago; there was a great need for more depth at this position. The Packers clearly liked him enough to trade up to make the pick, and reports are there were several teams who were hoping to make the selection themselves. McClellan isn't going to be someone who makes a lot of flash plays, but that's also not what he's going to be asked to do. He's got a lot of experience playing football already and has only gotten better each season. The Packers would be elated to have a situational nose tackle who can reliably hold down the middle of the field, and so if McClellan can accomplish that, he'll be an outstanding pick here in the third round. CHTV write-up here.

Round 4 #120 Overall: Dani Dennis-Sutton, DE, Penn State

Probably the best value pick of the Packers' draft. There were many who thought the Packers would take Dennis-Sutton with their second-round selection, which may have been a minor reach but would also have fit with a lot of the projections coming into the weekend. For the Packers to scoop him up on day three, that's a massive value victory. It gets better; he blocked three punts in his final season at Penn State, so he could be a strong special teams presence as well! Dennis-Sutton is an absolute freak athletically, grading out at a 9.96 RAS (the 9th-highest grade for any DE in the last 30 years). He has everything you could ask for athletically and in terms of upside. Le's tall, long, and strong, capable of being a power rusher and a run defender. He's working on continuing to add to his set of pass rush moves, but he should not be mistaken for a one-trick pony. With some coaching and experience, he could be a real steal here, especially considering he has a nonstop motor and a deep love for the game. Micah Parsons was particularly excited about this pick, according to his Instagram story, which you love to see. With Parsons probably not looking to be ready for the first few weeks of the season, Dennis-Sutton will get plenty of playing opportunities early on. CHTV write-up here.

Round 5 #153 Overall: Jager Burton, C, Kentucky

Burton is listed as a center in the draft, but has played both center and guard, so he'll likely be a depth player at any of the interior line positions. He had a lot of starting experience at Kentucky, and generally is a good fit for zone running schemes, which is probably one of the reasons why he drew the Packers' attention. Burton has some of the drawbacks you will generally see from late-round offensive linemen, including some consistency issues and limits against certain types of pass rushes. But he also is very clearly the kind of fit the Packers look for; he's an elite athlete with a 9.88 RAS and a guy who can play multiple positions on the line. If that doesn't scream Brian Gutekunst late-round lineman I don't know what does. There's probably not a team that finds linemen more consistently on day three than the Packers, so here's hoping they've got another one. CHTV write-up here.

Round 6 #201 Overall: Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama

The Packers decide to double up at CB, which makes sense, as it was their greatest position of need. Once again, you get Brian Gutekunst picking a player with elite athleticism (9.00 RAS, ranking in the top 10 percent of players of the last 30 years at hte position). He's fast and rangy and decent height for the position at 6'1. Highly recruited out of high school, it took a few years for him to catch on to the college game, after he got to Alabama. Probably had a stronger junior season than senior season. Worth taking a shot on; elite athleticism and big-school pedigree. CHTV write-up here.

Round 6 #216 Overall: Trey Smack, K, Florida

The Packers trade up again, this time for a kicker! Could this spell the end of Brandon McManus? Smack was ranked by ESPN as the best kicker available in the draft. He was 10 of 13 from 50+ in his career at Florida (a school record for number of long kicks) and had a career 82.8% field goal accuracy over three seasons. Has a high trajectory on long kicks, according to scouting reports. Definite position of need for the Packers.

2026 Packers Draft Reaction and Review

CHTV co-founder Aaron Nagler chats with Green Bay Packers fans after the selection of the team's six-man draft class in 2026.

Packers sign WR Jayden Reed to three year extension

The Green Bay Packers have locked up one of Jordan Love’s top targets, agreeing to a three-year contract extension with wide receiver Jayden Reed worth $50.25 million in new money. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed.

Reed has quickly become a key piece of Matt LaFleur’s offense with his versatility, explosiveness, and ability to create big plays both as a receiver and runner. By securing Reed long-term, the Packers continue investing in their young offensive core and ensuring Love has another trusted playmaker in Green Bay for years to come.

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Message Received: Packers Draft Picks Fuel Competition Within

The Packers did not have a first-round pick going into the 2026 draft because of the Micah Parsons trade last offseason. Knowing that, each pick had to cover a significant roster need. With a strong emphasis on defense and long-term stability at premium spots, their six selections accomplished just that.

On Day 2, when the Packers finally made their first selection in this year’s draft, the message was made loud and clear, solve the issue.

The Packers' greatest roster need, cornerback depth, was addressed with the selection of Brandon Cisse (Round 2, Pick 52). Cisse adds size, speed, and physicality to a position group that needs both instant results and future starters. The ability, along with mindset of Cisse will add competition to a room that needs it. As Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine enter contract years and newly acquired Benjamin St. Juste still to be acclimated.

The secondary focus was further enforced with Domani Jackson (Round 6, Pick 201). Jackson's background at USC and Alabama gives Green Bay another outside cornerback with starting potential, providing insurance and potential.

Throughout the draft, each selection had a specific purpose, from protecting Jordan Love, bolstering the defensive front, reinforcing a weak secondary, to tightening up special teams. By selecting players that suit their scheme, meet urgent needs, and perhaps provide an element the team has lacked for some time now, improve the competitive floor through the team. Adding pressure from within will only help Green Bay realize who they can build through.

Way Too Early Packers 53-Man Roster Projection

CHTV co-founder Aaron Nagler and Justis Mosqueda of ACME Packing Company take a full roster-wide look at where Green Bay stands, examining the locks, the bubble players, and the biggest camp battles that could define the summer.

Packers Draft Picks Not to Sleep On

Who gets the most pomp and circumstance in the NFL draft? Obviously, the first-round picks have the most hype around them. No matter who your team drafts in the first round, you expect to see big things from them soon. The second and third round picks have a little leeway, but they also garner some high expectations to show up within at least the first year or two. When you hit day 3, that's when the high contributors become more of a surprise than an expectation. Finding those "diamonds in the rough" on day 3 can change a franchise.

The Packers have done well to find these players over the years, and that's what has largely contributed to their continued success. So, which of those players from this year's draft may be those "diamonds in the rough" or players not to be slept on?

Brandon Cisse Could Be the Packers’ CB1 of the Future

Did the Packers just find their future No. 1 cornerback? CHTV NFL Draft analyst Newt Westen takes a closer look at Brandon Cisse and why Green Bay may have landed one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Packers Defense Needs Some Nasty

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Bored On The Beat: Talking Packers With Beat Reporters Covering A Team With No First Round Pick

Aaron Nagler is joined by Rob Demovsky, Wes Hodkiewicz, Matt Schniedman and Pete Dougherty during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with stories from the beat and late-night banter.

Skill Position-Free Draft: A Historical Rarity

What provides the most excitement in an NFL game? Probably offense, right? A deep shot down the field from the quarterback to a receiver, a long run by a running back, a powerful scamper after the catch by a tight end, at least for the more casual fans, it's the offensive stars that put butts in seats. Those positions are commonly referred to as "skill positions," and you need good ones on your team if you're going to find any success.

Last week, many NFL franchises selected skill position players who sent shock waves of excitement through their fan base for the upcoming season. But Green Bay Packers fans were not among them. That's because the Packers didn't select a single skill position player in this year's draft. There were some small expectations around a possible tight end, backup quarterback, or even a running back being selected by Green Bay, but none of those expectations came to fruition. The Packers selected players at areas of need, and currently, they have a good list of options at each skill position. So, the need may not have been great enough, or players available may not have been enticing enough to pull the trigger.

It’s interesting to think that we're so used to at least a wide receiver or a running back being taken in the late rounds for competition. When was the last time the Packers didn't select a single one? This is the first skill position-free draft since 2004. Okay, to those of us over the age of 30, that's not that long ago. Oh, and do yourself a favor and don't look back at that draft, it'll bring back long-suppressed nightmares. But before 2004, there wasn't a single Packers draft without a selection who would've qualified as a skill position player.