The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Green Bay Packers had what many think is another excellent draft. From investing in protection for Quarterback Jordan Love to adding a bunch of speedy defensive players, this draft looks to be one that will propel Green Bay to the next step. Let's break it down, pick by pick.
Round 1, Pick 25 - Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
While this pick surprised a lot of people who were looking just on the edge of the prospects, this was a total "Packer type" player through and through. Jordan Morgan, a tackle out of Arizona, standing 6'5, 311 pounds, is an athletic freak for his size. Not only can Morgan step in at left tackle, where he has played a lot of his college ball, but he can also step in at guard, making this pick much better for the Packers. While many people saw this pick as a defensive pick, you can't argue against protecting your franchise Quarterback in Jordan Love. There were reports of multiple teams right behind the Packers that had interest in Morgan, and most reports stated he wasn't making it out of the first round if the Packers hadn't taken him, so they made sure that they got their guy.
Round 2, Pick 45 - Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
This was a pick I got right in my previous mock draft, which can be found here! Here's an excerpt of what I had to say about the newest linebacker and home run of a pick by Gute.
"While Cooper could be taken in the first round, he fell to 41 in this mock and wouldn't slide any further. This would be a dream pickup to pair alongside Quay Walker in the front seven, as Cooper would be an excellent replacement for former Packer De'Vondre Campbell. With the Jeff Hafley movement in full effect, so is the 4-3 defense returning to Green Bay. Hafley's defense needed a stud safety, which they got by bringing in star safety Xavier McKinney through free agency, but his defense will also need three linebackers. Cooper slides in perfectly alongside Quay Walker in this scheme, and along with a nice NFL Combine, Cooper could very well be in Green and Gold in a week.
Cooper, on film, shows his ability to stuff the run but not only can he stuff the run, but he can also cover and rush. With a 1.54 10-yard split, Cooper is an athletic freak that can translate as a spy, but it allows him to run with any tight end or running back. If that doesn't sell you enough, throw in the 10 sacks Cooper recorded his senior year, and you have a player who can do multiple things from the linebacker position incredibly well. With an intense day at the NFL Combine and an 8.46 RAS score, Cooper could find himself in Green Bay for a week."
Nonetheless, Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker might be the most athletic pair of linebackers in the league, and this pick was arguably my favorite of the draft.
Round 2, Pick 58 - Javon Bullard, SAF, Georgia
Speaking of athletic, the Packers kept their trend here by selecting surprise, another Bulldog out of Georgia, safety Javon Bullard. Bullard was in some previous mocks that I had done and is an athletic freak who can play both Safety and Nickel. He will be the other safety to pair with Xavier McKinney, and those two, plus a Cornerback room headlined by Jaire Alexander, make that secondary one that should be lockdown. As for the film on Bullard, his coverage is excellent, especially in press man, but zone isn't far behind. As for the tackling and run-filling, Bullard excels there as well. The pairing of himself, and McKinney fits perfectly, and Gute made his second round count in a big way.
Round 3, Pick 88 - MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC
If you wanted to keep the athletic trend going, MarShawn Lloyd out of USC did just that. Lloyd has the power and speed to do anything the Packers need if they need a spark. At 5'9, 220 lbs, he runs a 4.46 40-yard dash, which proves that he has both the size and the speed that analysts were in a debate that he is arguably the best running back in the draft. This pick will also allow Josh Jacobs not to be alone in the passing game, as Lloyd can step in there, too. Overall, this pick added a new element of running back to a room, including Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, and Emanuel Wilson. Adding another spark to the already young and talented offense is another good pick.
Round 3, Pick 91 - Ty'Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri
Here was the first head-scratcher of a pick, in the opinion of most analysts. The Packers doubled up early on the linebacker position by taking Ty'Ron Hopper out of Missouri. Hopper was lower on some draft boards than others, but the Packers' must've seen something with this pick to take him this high up. On film, the two things that Hopper does well are his pass-rush ability and his run defense. Regarding special teams, Hopper may double up and play some special teams as well, so the value of being able to do both helps him here.
Round 4, Pick 111 - Evan Williams, S, Oregon
The Packers used picks from their first trade down earlier in the draft to come back up and snag their second position double up of the NFL Draft. Evan Williams, who is out of Oregon, brings another quality safety to the room and gives Jeff Hafley the ability to play Javon Bullard at the nickel spot. Williams, on film, is powerful in both man and press coverage, and he tested out well as most of the Packers' draft picks do. This was someone Gute wanted enough to go up to get, and the flexibility that this gives Hafley makes this pick even better.
Round 5, Pick 163 - Jacob Monk, C, Duke
I seem to mention versatility and athleticism on most of these picks at some point, but that's because these are "Packer-type" picks. This pick of Duke Center, Jacob Monk, is no different. Having started 12 games at tackle, 12 at guard, and 10 at center, Monk is very capable of being moved around the offensive line, and the Packers tend to trend toward players who can do that. Monk can come in and contribute in multiple ways for the Packers and will be a key piece to have, whether it's starting or being able to back up multiple players.
Round 5, Pick 169 - Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State
Kitan Oladapo was the Packers' third safety in the 2024 NFL Draft. Oladapo has shown the ability to play cornerback and safety, making this pick much more interesting. At Oregon State, his film showed his true makeup speed and ballhawk ability to go up and win the high point against bigger receivers. That ability, along with McKinney, Bullard, Williams, and Anthony Johnson, suddenly makes the safety room very loaded with both young stars and potential.
Round 6, Pick 202 - Travis Glover, OT, Georgia State
Travis Glover, a very mobile tackle out of Georgia State, would be the third lineman in this draft for Gute and Co. When taking a deeper look into Glovers' film, you can see that not only does he take care of the first guy in the run game, but he will work to the second level and finish the play with a pancake. This pick screams Yosh Nijman's replacement for the Packers, as they are similar prospects in their game as Nijman departed this offseason to the Carolina Panthers. The Packers have had success in finding hidden gems in the late rounds, especially along the offensive line, and Glover will look to be the next.
Round 7, Pick 245 - Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
Gute had repeatedly stated about wanting to get back to drafting at least one Quarterback per year like the front office used to. The goal is to find themselves the best value possible, and Gute saw a Quarterback in Michael Pratt, whom many scouts had third and fourth-round grades on, sitting in front of him late in the seventh round, so he decided to select him. With the new rule that teams can roster three Quarterbacks, Green Bay will have an excellent competition in camp between Sean Clifford, Michael Pratt, and Alex McGough. Pratt mentioned that he already had one friend on the team in his interview with the local media: fellow Packers QB Sean Clifford. He mentioned that he has already trained with Clifford and has had a group chat with him, Titans' QB, Will Levis, and others. Pratt, on film, shows that he can place the ball anywhere that they need him to, but the strong part of his game is the deep ball. He will look to beat out one of McGough or Clifford to earn at least the QB3 spot in Green Bay.
Round 7, Pick 255 - Kalen King, CB, Penn State
STEAL is the best way to describe this pick. Someone who multiple scouts said a year ago would've gone in the first or second round fell all the way to the seventh round for the Packers and Gute after an off year in his last college season for Penn State. The potential that Kalen King has is seen by many, including NFL players such as Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and fellow teammate, wide receiver Jayden Reed. Reed even shared a screenshot on Instagram from January in which he told King, "We gonna come get you." King responded, "Tell them to come get me".
In 2022, King posted a 90.6 coverage grade on PFF, which was 4th out of all cornerbacks in college that season. Needless to say, King has quite the potential to be a starter, and if he can put it all together, this will be something the Packers already do, as they have found Rasheed Walker, Carrington Valentine, and Anthony Johnson, among others, in the seventh round that became starters at some point.
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