Packers May Not Be Sold on Taking an Edge Rusher Early, Despite Mel Kiper’s Mock
The Packers need reinforcements in the 2025 NFL Draft, especially if they want to hold their own in a tough NFC North. But just because they need help doesn’t mean they’ll follow Mel Kiper’s advice.
In his latest mock draft, Kiper has Green Bay taking Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams. Kiper admits Williams didn’t have a monster year in 2024 just five sacks, mostly due to an ankle injury—but still sees him as an explosive pass rusher with major upside.
Not everyone’s buying it, though.
Mark Oldacres over at Packers Wire broke things down and basically said, “Nah.” His argument? The Packers usually care more about production than raw traits when it comes to drafting edge rushers. And by “production,” he’s talking about pressures, not just sacks.
According to Oldacres, Green Bay tends to go after edge guys who rack up around 37.5 pressures in their final college season. Williams only averaged about 28.3 over three years at Georgia. Another athletic freak, Shemar Stewart, had even fewer.
Oldacres thinks that kind of low-pressure output just won’t cut it for a team like the Packers even if the player is a physical specimen.
To back that up, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst recently said the team doesn’t feel the need to “go chasing” edge rushers in this draft. He believes the current roster, especially some of the younger players, still has a lot of untapped potential. Basically, they’re betting on internal development more than a flashy first-round pick.
So don’t be surprised if Green Bay passes on edge rushers early and looks elsewhere in Round 1. The front office seems to be playing the long game here.
Mock Draft Drama: Experts Disagree with Kiper’s Packers Prediction”
