How Can the Packers Take Advantage Of A Middle-Heavy Draft?

As the 2025 draft class takes shape, it’s starting to look middle-heavy. There is a ton of value in the late first and second rounds, where many analysts have similar grades on these players.

That should benefit the Green Bay Packers, who hold the 23rd pick in this draft. It’s only one of their seven picks in this mock, where I examine how the Packers can take advantage of the middle of the second round.

The mock below probably doesn’t accurately reflect Green Bay’s approach. Still, it takes advantage of the heart of this draft class and gives the Packers an infusion of talent.

We started with two trade-backs and landed three second-rounders while keeping our first. I wanted Jahdae Barron, but the Baltimore Ravens grabbed him at pick 27, prompting the second trade back.

Round 1 (30) - Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss

Amos had a fantastic final year in Oxford, with a 54.5 completion percentage allowed and two pick-sixes on three interceptions. At 6’1”, 190 lbs., he’s got the size to play in press and had elite grades across the board in man, zone, and run support.

He’s the full package at corner and would provide the Packers with another talented defensive back.

Round 2 (55) - Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

Hear me out before you get upset at me for taking another Georgia linebacker with a high pick. Walker is a tremendous asset who can play all three linebacker positions and gets after the ball carrier.

He’s instinctive and looked a lot like Edgerrin Cooper. Walker’s slide ends here. By drafting him, the Packers have the makings of the most athletic linebacker group this side of the Mississippi.

Round 2 (56) - Jack Bech, WR, TCU

Bech has tremendous heart and character. He had over 1,000 yards for TCU last season and an elite grade on contested catches while dropping passes at a 1.6% rate. He can play in the slot or out wide and looks a lot like another receiver the Packers drafted in the second round out of a school that wears purple.

I swapped some late picks away, so it was time to get some back, prompting a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.

Round 3 (75) - Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky 

Pick No. 75 was difficult for me because Jalen Royals (Utah State) and Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) are two of my draft favorites. Royals and Hairston were available, but I got Amos in the first, and the Packers already have Jayden Reed.

Therefore, I chose Walker.

Walker is a 6’7”, 345 lb. interior lineman who can play all over the front and had solid grades wherever he lined up. He showed out at the Senior Bowl and would add athleticism to the front seven. Walker is a chess piece that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley would love to play with. Oh, and he won’t turn 21 until after the draft.

Round 4 (111) - Tyler Baron, ED, Miami

Baron is a super-athletic edge rusher who had special bend and quickness around the edge. However, he occasionally takes plays off and is very hot and cold. Still, he has the traits and tools to be a serviceable edge rusher in the NFL. Baron would be another player in the pass rush room to develop.

Round 4 (137) - Tyler Cooper, G, Minnesota

With back-to-back picks here, the Packers look to bolster the interior of the offensive line.

Cooper is an experienced player who would go a long way in preventing the Packers from running into a repeat of the nightmare scenario in the playoffs when Elgton Jenkins got hurt, and they had no ready backup.

Round 4 (138) - Jonah Monheim, C, USC

With another nod to the interior, the Packers nab their center of the future in Monheim out of USC.

Monheim has been solid all over the line in the last three years. He played center all last season but left tackle the year before. Two seasons ago, he played right guard and right tackle.

The Packers love their cross-trained lineman, and Monheim would be a good transition from Josh Myers, who probably will be too expensive for Green Bay.

Round 5 (160) - Jaylin Smith, CB, USC 

Back-to-back USC picks to close out the draft. Smith had a tremendous final season in Southern California. He was great in man and had two interceptions while also being solid in the run game.

Smith is a little smaller at 5’11”, 190 lbs., but he came on last season. He's worth taking a flier on to see if he can carry that momentum into the NFL, where the Packers could use the depth at defensive back.

Lots of moving parts to this draft, but the Packers were able to make the most of their picks and get some solid players in the middle of the draft. I don’t love the absence of late-round picks. However, this approach filled holes on offense and defense, and this would be a promising class for Green Bay.