Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has been conducting drafts for the team since 2018. During that time, he has demonstrated several patterns in the way he selects players. One of them is the habit of selecting multiple players at the same position to address an area of need.
This habit started in his very first draft as Packers GM. With the team in need of an upgrade at cornerback, Gutekunst used both his first and second round picks to fortify the position. Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson were the picks. Alexander developed into a Pro Bowl corner while Jackson’s career was derailed by injuries and inconsistency.
Just last season, Gutekunst also addressed the tight end position, adding Luke Musgrave in the second round and Tucker Kraft in the third. Both contributed significantly to the offense in their rookie campaigns.
The multiple picks did not always need to be in the early rounds of the draft. The Packers added three interior offensive linemen in 2020 when they selected Jon Runyan, Jake Hanson, and Simon Stepaniak with all three picks coming in the sixth round.
In 2022, the team selected three offensive linemen again with Sean Rhyan in the third round, Zach Tom in the fourth and Rasheed Walker in the seventh. Tom and Walker were the starting tackles in 2023 while Rhyan saw regular action in the second half of the season in a rotation with the injured Runyan.
Gute also added three wide receivers in both the 2022 and 2023 draft. The result was a deep and talented young receiving corps that features Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks.
In addition, Gutekunst has doubled down at a position using a combination of free agency and the draft. In 2019, the Packers added edge rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith in free agency while selecting edge rusher Rashan Gary in the first round of the draft.
So, what are the most likely positions Gutekunst will double or triple down on in this year’s draft?
Cornerback would have to be one real possibility. The Packers still have Alexander as a starter, although he struggled with injuries last season and only played in seven games. That is still four games more than Eric Stokes who played in just three contests in between his injuries. While the Packers hope Stokes can return to his rookie form, he has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play over the last two seasons.
The Pack re-signed Keisean Nixon to be the starting slot corner although he was inconsistent in that position a year ago. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley liked what he saw on film from Nixon and thinks he can be a solid slot corner.
The Packers have depth here with Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine, but another starter is needed and perhaps more depth as well.
The Packers need at safety is even greater. The team’s top three safeties from a year ago were all unrestricted free agents. Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens have already signed elsewhere but Rudy Ford remains unsigned.
The Packers made a big splash in free agency with Xavier McKinney, but the only other player on the roster with even a chance to start is second-year man Anthony Johnson, Jr. Look for the Packers to add at least two safeties before training camp starts and to draft at least one.
The offensive line is another area that needs attention. Jon Runyan, Jr. signed with the Giants and the Packers parted ways with David Bakhtiari due to his extensive injury history and high cap hit. Swing tackle Yosh Nijman also departed via free agency.
The team needs someone to compete with Rhyan for the right guard position and they depth at both guard and center where Josh Myers has been inconsistent and is entering the final year of his contract. Depth at tackle is also needed after the loss of Nijman and Bakhtiari.
Linebacker is another position of need where Gutekunst may add multiple players. De’Vondre Campbell was let go which leaves Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie as the starters. Eric Wilson was re-signed to add depth.
The Packers still need depth here and potentially another starter as Hafley is going with a four-man front in his base defense.
Based on history, we know Gutekunst may look to add multiple players at positions of need. With 11 picks and a solid roster, he could select multiple players at more than one of the positions listed above.
