June 3rd, 2026
This assessment explains the picks that were made by the Green Bay Packers. There will be grades given out based on my thoughts about each player’s current and future projection.
Round 2(52) - Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina, 6’0” and 189 pounds: Cisse is a 20-year-old cornerback with plenty of upside due to his age and athleticism. He ran a 4.41 40-yard dash and his vertical jump was 41 inches, which are all quite impressive. And due to his age, he could get even better as he grows into his body more. It should be noted that he is not an immediate starter this year for Green Bay, but he has a bright future ahead of him.
Grade: B+
Round 3(77) - Chris McClellan, DT, Mizzou, 6’4” and 313 pounds: McClellan will likely get plenty of playing time right away, whether that would be in a rotational role or as a starter. He is very versatile too, as the team thinks he can move around the defensive line. Additionally, his stats were good in his final year of college, as he accumulated six sacks. He is less of a project and more of a pro-ready prospect.
Grade: A-
Round 4(120) - Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State, 6’5” and 256 pounds: Dennis-Sutton is a player that many draft experts were high on because of his ridiculous athletic abilities. His RAS (Relative Athletic Score) is a 9.96 out of 10, which is nearly perfect. However, he fell down the draft board; and the Packers were able to snag him. While he did have 8.5 sacks each of the last two years at Penn State, he is considered somewhat of a project. He should have had better production due to his freaky athleticism, and he will need more practice to become a full-time player. His high upside is what makes him an intriguing pick though.
Grade: A+
Round 5(153) - Jager Burton, C, Kentucky, 6’4” and 312 pounds: It is not out of the realm of possibilities that Burton could be the starting center sooner rather than later. It all depends on how well (or bad) center Sean Rhyan plays this upcoming season. Burton is surprisingly athletic despite his frame, scoring a 9.88 RAS out of 10. Not only that, but he has played guard at Kentucky before, so he has the flexibility to play along the interior of the offensive line. What likely will happen is that he will be a backup for both guard spots and center. However, he could start if one of the starting guards gets injured or if Rhyan plays poorly. Overall, this is a pick for the future; but he could play right away if absolutely necessary.
Grade: B
Round 6(201) - Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama, 6’0” and 194 pounds: Jackson is the definition of a lottery ticket. He has all the ability in the world to become a starting cornerback in the NFL, but there are a few roadblocks preventing this from happening. He does not play technically sound football and at one point, he lost his starting job at Alabama last season. That is definitely worrisome. However, if he can learn how to play the position correctly and not rely solely on his athleticism, he could become a good cornerback in the league. But it is doubtful that this will happen, so this was not that good of a pick.
Grade: D-
Round 6(216) - Trey Smack, K, Florida, 6’1” and 188 pounds: Round 6(216) - Trey Smack, K, Florida, 6’1” and 188 pounds: This is by far the biggest surprise of the Packers’ draft class. Teams can usually find good kickers by signing UDFAs (Undrafted Free Agents) or veterans. Because of this, Green Bay took a risk by selecting Smack. However, there are some stats that do support the Packers’ decision. According to the team’s website, he set a school record by making 10 out of 13 field goals that were 50 yards or longer during his three years at Florida. Throughout his college career, he made 82.8% of his field goal tries, and his longest completed field goal was 56 yards. While he has great stats, there could have been value found somewhere else. This pick is too reminiscent of Anders Carlson.
Grade: C
Overall Summary and Grade
This was a calculated draft by Green Bay Packers’ General Manager Brian Gutekunst, considering the limited amount of resources that the franchise had. He also proved that he is willing to make aggressive moves during the draft, even if that means losing picks. The team originally had eight picks entering this year’s draft. Most of the players selected are above-average talents too, so this class gets a B+ for now.