What to Know: Packers in attendance at Iowa State and Ohio State Pro Days
By Paul Bretl
Following the NFL Combine, the major college programs will also host Pro Days, and so far, we know that Green Bay Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has attended the Iowa State Pro Day, and he will be in attendance at Ohio State’s on Wednesday.
Also joining Gutekunst in Ames, Iowa, on Tuesday was Director of Football Operations Milt Hendrickson. Below are the players who participated in the Iowa State Pro Day.
Will McDonald – Edge Rusher
Xavier Hutchinson – Wide Reciever
Anthony Johnson Jr. – Safety
MJ Anderson – Edge Rusher
O’Rien Vance – Linebacker
Trevor Downing – Center
Colby Reeder – Linebacker
Darren Wilson Jr. – Wide Receiver
McDonald and Hutchinson are the two players ranked inside The Draft Network’s (TDN) top 100. McDonald is expected to be an early-round pick in what is a deep edge rusher class. He recorded 25 pressures and six sacks in 2022, although it’s worth noting that the Packers typically prefer big bodies at edge rusher, and McDonald is on the lighter side at 239.
Rounding out the edge rusher rotation, while finding more production is a big need for the Packers this offseason. Anderson, who is No. 140 on TDN’s big board, has the bigger frame that the Packers covet at the position, weighing 269 pounds. He recorded 19 pressures in 2022.
Hutchinson, meanwhile, was a high-volume target for the Cyclones, with 161 passes thrown his way in 2022 alone. He averaged 10.9 yards per catch with six touchdowns. At 6’2″ – 203, he has a bigger frame, which Green Bay prioritizes at reciever, but it’s worth noting he posted a Relative Athletic Score of 7.28, below the Packers’ usual standards.
An intriguing player from this Iowa State team is Anthony Johnson, who played cornerback for most of his college career but moved to safety for the 2023 season. Safety is a big need for the Packers, and Johnson brings versatility and a willingness to help in the run game.
The Ohio State Pro Day will take place on Wednesday, and per usual, there won’t be a shortage of talent in Columbus. Here are the players who will be participating.
Cameron Brown – Cornerback
Jerron Cage – Defensive Tackle
Palaie Gaoteote – Linebacker
Zach Harrison – Edge Rusher
Ronnie Hickman – Safety
Paris Johnson – Offensive Tackle
Dawand Jones – Offensive Tackle
Tanner McCallister – Safety
Bradley Robinson – Long Snapper
Mitch Rossi – Tight End
Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Wide Receiver
CJ Stroud – Quarterback
Taron Vincent – Defensive Tackle
Luke Wypler – Center
From this group, there could be any number of players that Gutekunst is going to have his eyes on, with six of these players in TDN’s top 100.
Offensive tackles Johnson and Jones are two players that the Packers met with at the combine. As I wrote recently, while the offensive tackle position in Green Bay seems to be in good shape for 2023, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gutekunst add to this position early on this year’s draft. Johnson and Jones are two players who could start right away at right tackle for the Packers.
Smith-Njigba is considered one of the best receivers in this draft class. He had a huge 2021 season for the Buckeyes but appeared in only a few games this past year due to injury. All eyes will be on Smith-Njigba and how he performs in the 40-yard dash, the one event he didn’t participate in at the combine.
At edge rusher, Harrison very much fits the mold of what Green Bay looks for at the position, measuring in at 6’5″ and weighing 274 pounds. He posted 31 pressures and five sacks this past season, according to PFF. One name outside of TDN’s top 100 to keep your eyes on is Ronnie Hickman, who is versatile, a willing tackler and run defender, and would provide some needed depth at safety for the Packers.
Pro Days give draft prospects the opportunity to go through the athletic testing and positional drills outside of the combine, while the NFL personnel in attendance have the chance to meet with players, watch them go through these drills up close, and see how they compare to others within their same position group. All in all, this is just another data point that NFL teams use as part of the evaluation process that either helps confirm what they’ve seen so far or tells them they need to go back to the tape.