The Packers Chose The Right Season To Have A Small Draft Class

The Green Bay Packers exited the 2026 NFL Draft with just six selections, the lowest in Brian Gutekunst's nine seasons as general manager and tied for the smallest in Green Bay's history.

Green Bay already lacked a first-round pick thanks to trading for Micah Parsons, and gave up even more for two trade-ups. The Packers used the fifth-round pick from the Dontayvion Wicks trade to move up in the third for defensive tackle Chris McClellan. Meanwhile, Gutekunst sacrificed his two seventh-rounders to trade for kicker Trey Smack at the end of the sixth.

All of that was very atypical for Gutekunst, who loves to throw more darts at the board. But if there was ever a season for a smaller draft class, it was this one.

League experts viewed the 2026 class as a weak group overall, especially at the top. That doesn't mean there won't be star players who emerge or unexpected twists in the coming years. On the other hand, experts predict the 2027 class to be a deep group of lads at multiple positions. Multiple teams, not just the Packers, are looking to stock up for next year.

Given how the board shaped up after Day 1, Gutekunst didn't feel the need to trade up for a player. He said that if he had traded up on Friday, as he eventually did, he would have used this year's picks rather than next season's. Future year picks are generally considered a round lower than an equivalent one from the current season in any year, and many teams use future picks to move up the board.

Gutekunst didn't believe there was a massive difference in quality between later-Round 1 types and those who would be available around pick 52.

Despite trading up twice, Gutekunst was patient. He didn't react to any positional runs or make any wild moves against consensus decisions. Instead, he ate his vegetables, attacking needs and only trading up for players within an immediate range.

Cornerback, defensive line, and interior offensive line were the largest perceived needs, and four of Gutekunst's six selections targeted those groups. Two corners, including Brandon Cisse, Green Bay's first selection this year, add boundary depth. McClellan can see immediate play at nose tackle. Jager Burton could be the center of the future and adds depth at all three interior spots.

The other two selections were in a similar vein. A team can never have too many pass rushers, especially after Green Bay lost Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare in free agency. Had the Packers drafted Dani Dennis-Sutton at 52, it would have made tons of sense. Instead, they got him at 120, a tremendous value and potentially the most lauded pick by the national media.

Drafting a kicker won't rev up everyone's engine, and there is plenty of evidence that teams don't need to draft a kicker to find a good one. But kicking has hindered the Packers since Mason Crosby left, and Smack was this year's top-ranked kicker prospect. It's a noble endeavor, and at the end of the sixth round, it's not like it was a reach.

Gutekunst attacked all of his major needs, brought competition to a spot that desperately needs it, and added to one of the most important position groups. It was a compact draft, but one in which each player could earn some time during their rookie season.

The smaller class also allows the Packers to cast a wider net to priority UDFAs. Usually, the downfall of a large draft class is finding spots for all of them on the roster and for developmental UDFAs who teams could otherwise poach from the practice squad.

Gutekunst said after the draft he broke his own tenets, but added, “This was a unique year -- and it certainly wasn’t lost on me as we went through it that we ended up with six and not more,” according to Jason Wilde.

“I didn't think the opportunities to move back and add picks made a lot of sense for us. And the times that we moved up, I thought it did.”

Instead, Gutekunst added picks that “gave him some peace” and plans to be back to his usual tricks in 2027.

“I'm probably going to try to get to 20-some picks next year,” he added, in jest.

Gutekunst took promising players at positions of need this year without using any of next year's capital. But with Green Bay set for 10-plus picks in next year's deeper class, even without a first-round selection, expect Gutekunst to take more shots — and potentially riskier ones — in 2027.