General manager Brian Gutekunst said the Green Bay Packers had a second-round grade on Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton. Gutekunst had tried to trade up into the end of the third round to snag him.
Instead, in Round 4 and at pick No. 120 overall, Dennis-Sutton fell right into Green Bay's lap.
The Packers could feel this rookie's impact in more ways than just one.
Dani Dennis-Sutton racked up 8.5 sacks in each of his final two years in Happy Valley. He also piled up 25 tackles for loss in those two years. In an edge rusher room that won't have Rashan Gary or Kingsley Enagbare in it anymore, the opportunity to stand out will be attainable for Dennis-Sutton even as a rookie.
Add to that the reality that Micah Parsons will miss the start of the regular season, and the opportunities will be there for the grabbing.
Green Bay still has Lukas Van Ness, who hasn't shown a lick of consistency after being a first-round pick three years ago. Last year, Van Ness recorded only 1.5 sacks in 9 games.
Fellow fourth-rounder Barryn Sorrell is entering his second season after a rookie year that found him struggling to carve out a role in a crowded room. Collin Oliver, a fifth-round selection from last year, is in a similar situation. However, that once-crowded room is a bit emptier without the services of Gary and Enagbare.
We'd be remiss not to mention Brenton Cox Jr., who missed a lot of time in 2025 due to injury. However, he has shown flashes when healthy and on the field. Still, even as a fourth-round pick, Dennis-Sutton will have the chance to stand out and earn some run during the regular season.
There’s something to be said for just plain wreaking havoc. Along with stuffing the stat sheet with sacks and tackles for loss, Dennis-Sutton also forced seven fumbles the past three seasons. For any position on defense, that's an elevated number. It's just one of the things that stood out to Packers director of player personnel John Wojciechowski during the process.
“Players like that seem to just have a knack,” Wojciechowski said. “He's able to defeat blocks. It's uncanny of how some of those guys just know where the ball is, and they attack it, whether it be with their fists or the helmet.”
The impact Dennis-Sutton could have on the defensive front in his rookie campaign isn't the only area where he could excel.
Dennis-Sutton led the FBS last season in blocked punts with three. One is nice, two starts to become a trend, and three insists there's an art to it that Dennis-Sutton has mastered. Dennis-Sutton described the method to his madness when it comes to blocked punts.
“On punt [team], usually you've got one guy trying to block you, so if you beat that one guy and then you beat the shield (you can) block the kick,” Dennis-Sutton said. “You just pass rush, beat my guy, and then instead of sacking the quarterback, just put my hands on the foot.”
He sure makes it sound simple.
Green Bay lacked those types of game-altering plays last season on special teams. If Dennis-Sutton can get his mitt on even one or two a year, it'd be an overwhelming positive. It's hard to tell whether punt blocking is transferable from college to the NFL, but Dennis-Sutton seems convinced he has it somewhat figured out.
Regardless of what role Dennis-Sutton has as an edge rusher in 2026, it'd be surprising not to see him on multiple facets of special teams.
While he's a fourth-rounder based on the spot he was selected, it's important to remember the Packers had Dennis-Sutton as a second-round grade on their own board. Those types of players will typically get some run early on if they can show something — anything — in training camp and the preseason.
The cherry on top of all of this for the Packers? Dennis-Sutton’s passion for the game is evident. After being selected by Green Bay, he talked about how instrumental football has been in his life.
“I love and I need football,” he said. “Football to me has always been an outlet. It's been something for me to express who I am. Anybody who knows me, I'm very emotional and exciting guy, so football's a way for me to express that and have fun.”
It didn't end there.
"My favorite time of the day is when I'm going out to football practice and playing on Saturdays, which will now be Sundays, and going out there and making plays," he said. "Yeah, I live and breathe football. It's something I've done since I was a little boy. I'm just excited now to do it for the Green Bay Packers."
That's music to the ears of everyone at 1265 Lombardi Ave.
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