Once at full strength, the Green Bay Packers offensive line should be a stout unit once again; however, the overall depth may not be as strong as it was a season ago–not to mention that it’s never a bad idea to build the offensive line unit through the draft every year.
When Brian Gutekunst will make that offensive line selection(s) will, of course, depend on how the board falls since it isn’t a position that must be addressed early on, but every year that he has been GM, Gutey has selected at least one offensive lineman, including six over the last two drafts.
So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Green Bay Packers were on hand at the Central Michigan pro-day to watch two “future NFL starters,” as Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy called them. According to Nagy, there were offensive line coaches from 11 different teams that were in attendance.
The future starters that Nagy was referring to and who the Green Bay Packers were there to see were the starting Central Michigan offensive tackles, Bernhard Raimann and Luke Goedeke.
Raimann measured in at 6’6″ – 303 pounds at the combine and impressed in every athletic testing event, posting a RAS of 9.81 out of 10. He is a former tight end, which explains his athleticism; however, the 2021 season was his first full year as a starting left tackle–although he still saw 447 snaps there during the shortened 2020 season.
This past year, Raimann allowed just one sack and 10 total pressures, according to PFF ($$). For what it’s worth, he was also PFF’s second-highest graded tackle in all of college football.
In many mock drafts, Raimann has been a popular selection for the Green Bay Packers in Round 1, but it is worth mentioning that he will be 25-years-old during his rookie season, and typically, the Packers stay away from older prospects. He also is still relatively inexperienced at the tackle position, which again, is another reason that Green Bay could stay away from an older prospect.
Now for more on Raimann’s game, here is a look at what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has to say:
"“With alluring athleticism and an impressive skill set, Raimann is just scratching the surface of his potential. His initial transition from tight end to left tackle occurred in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, making his rapid transformation fairly remarkable. He is a much better technician than he should be at this stage, but his approach is also mechanical and he could struggle against sophisticated edge defenders until he learns to diversify his pass sets and hand usage. Raimann’s instincts and fundamentals at the position are still in a developmental phase so bumps in the road are expected, but his best football is ahead of him and he should become a long-time starter at left tackle.”"
Goedeke had been the starting right tackle for Central Michigan during the 2019 and 2021 seasons, totaling 1,633 career snaps. From his first year to his second, Goedeke improved quite a bit, allowing 21 pressures in 2019 with only seven in 2021. He also gave up just one career sack, and like Raimann, he was one of PFF’s highest-graded tackles this past season.
Goedeke measured in at 6’5″ – 312 pounds, but did not test at the combine other than the bench press. Like Raimann, he is relatively inexperienced, with only two years of playing time over the last three seasons. Goedeke is also a former tight end, who moves well, and he too comes with plenty of upside as a potential starter, which will intrigue NFL teams.
At the NFL level, the 23-year-old Goedeke could find a home at guard rather than tackle, as Zierlein notes, but that ability to play either guard or tackle could have Green Bay’s attention. And while Raimann is a potential first-round pick, Matt Miller projects Goedeke to be a Day 2 selection.
For some added insight on Goedeke, this is what Zierlein wrote:
"“Tight end turned tackle whose final landing spot could be at guard due to a lack of necessary length. Goedeke is a rancorous run blocker with a talent for rooting opponents off the spot. He balances a surly field demeanor with above-average technique and frequently sustains and finishes the block like an NFL veteran. He has put the time in to build out his frame but shorter arms will offer matchup challenges from time to time. Goedeke had a strong 2021 season against modest competition, but his strengths profile well as a good starter with the ability to make an impact sooner rather than later.”"
Who knows how highly each of these players rank on the Green Bay Packers big board. Although there is plenty to like about each, there are also question marks such as Raimann’s age and wondering whether or not the Packers would spend an early-round pick on another interior lineman if that is where they see Goedeke’s best fit.
But as they should be, Green Bay is doing their due diligence, and as already mentioned, there is no such thing as too much offensive line depth.