Re-grading Green Bay Packers’ 2018 NFL Draft Class

There are beginning to be whispers about Green Bay Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst’s job stability on social media, so I thought I’d take it year by year to review his roster-building. Let’s begin with his first draft class in 2018.

Gutekunst didn’t get off to a hot start, making many questionable decisions early and often. Of the 11-man draft class, only one player remains on the team just five years later. Many are out of the NFL entirely.

Going pick-by-pick, let’s hand out a grade for each selection before giving him an overall grade at the end of the exercise.

Let’s re-grade the Green Bay Packers’ 2018 NFL Draft class, Brian Gutekunst’s first as the general manager.

Props to Gutey for kicking off his drafting career with a home run. The Packers traded back with the New Orleans Saints, receiving two first-rounders in the process and landing one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL with the 18th overall pick. Jaire Alexander has ascended to stardom and is one of the cornerstones of the Packers’ defense. His massive extension kicks in next year and Green Bay is lucky to have him.

Grade: A+

At the time this pick was made, it was seen as an absolute steal for the Packers. I’m going to be honest, I hoped the Packers would use their first-round selection on Josh Jackson and was elated he fell to them in the second round. Unfortunately, he turned out to be too slow to play cornerback in the NFL and only played three years with the Packers. He’s still bouncing around the NFL, but provided minimal impact for the Packers, especially considering he was a top 45 selection.

Grade: F

Gutekunst certainly continued the Packers’ tradition of making awful selections in the third round, and that began with Oren Burks. Green Bay was intrigued by his athletic abilities to play safety and/or inside linebacker, and reached for him in the third round as a result. He was a good special teams player, but not worthy of a third-round pick.

Grade: F

J’Mon Moore’s career stats: 12 games, two receptions and 15 yards. He only lasted one season

with the Packers

in the NFL. He struggled with drops, among other things, and wasn’t cut out for the professional life. It was a wasted fourth-rounder for the Packers.

Grade: F

I will abstain from grading this draft pick, as circumstances outside of Gutekunst’s control heavily contributed to Madison’s lack of success in the NFL. Madison missed his entire rookie year due to personal reasons and then tore his ACL in his second year before being cut.

Grade: Incomplete

Gutekunst made plenty of rookie mistakes in his first draft, including using a fifth-round pick on a punter. If you’re going to use that high of a pick on a punter, he better be the best in the game. Scott is an average punter and is still in the NFL, even if it’s not with the Packers. That’s a fine career and one he should be proud of. But when it comes to grading purposes, the Packers used a draft pick on a position they could’ve easily filled with an undrafted free agent or a cheap free agent signing.

Grade: D

Continuing the boom-or-bust trend, Marquez Valdes-Scantling turned out to be a great pick for the Packers. He was a bit of a project and it took some time for him to get going in the NFL. He turned into an excellent deep threat for Green Bay, even if his hands weren’t the most reliable. Unfortunately, he had his best season the year he left Green Bay and has an even brighter future ahead of him.

Grade: A

Equanimeous St. Brown was a solid late-round draft pick, even if he didn’t last his entire rookie contract. When grading these picks, it’s on a sliding scale that accounts for draft position. At this point in the draft, selecting someone who stays with the team for at least three years and makes a positive impact will earn you positive marks.

Grade: B-

It’s hard to earn an F at this point in the draft, but that’s what Gutekunst gets for his selection of James Looney. Looney was selected as a defensive end, but moved to tight end as well. Still, he appeared in three total games as a Packer.

Grade: F

Here is another selection of a special teams player in long-snapper Hunter Bradley. Gute is driving me crazy. Bradley was fine, but he didn’t last his entire rookie contract. He’s another guy the Packers could’ve signed as an undrafted free agent.

Grade: F

We end this class with yet another bust–the sixth F I’ve handed out. Donnerson had/has potential due to his athleticism, but hasn’t played in an NFL game.

Grade: F

Overall Class:

This class would be a total disaster if it wasn’t for Alexander. He single-handily saved it from being an overall F. It’s amazing Green Bay only has one player remaining from this class five years later and only three players who even finished their rookie contracts. Not a great start in this process for Gutekunst.

Grade: D+