After a long, quiet offseason, the Green Bay Packers are finally approaching draft week. This year’s draft hype is a bit muted after the Packers traded their 2026 first-round pick to acquire Micah Parsons last summer. But that hasn’t stopped fans’ dreams of possibly trading up from their first scheduled selection at No. 52 overall.
A blockbuster trade would fit the Packers’ quest to turn a good team into a championship contender next season. But expecting them to get back into the first round is a pipe dream. Instead, it may be a smaller move that has them jump a few spots in the second round, and the idea was called “plausible" by Packers team writer Weston Hodkiewicz, albeit with a caveat.
“I just don’t think the Packers have the firepower to get back into the first this year – not without touching that 2028 first-rounder or sacrificing Day 2 picks next year," Hodkiewicz wrote. "The problem with moving up this year is the value of picks plummets on Day 3. …Green Bay might be able to move up five or six picks in the second round by trading their fourth-rounder and maybe two or three spots by dealing their fifth. [General manager Brian Gutekunst] likes to wheel and deal, but this could be a great year for the Packers to let the board come to them.”
If the Packers follow Hodkiewicz’s advice, they could take a patient approach and wait to turn in their card when they’re on the clock. But it also means they’ll have to pass on a few talents who could slide further than expected, which will only add to the temptation for Brian Gutekunst to make a big move.
1. RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
Running back isn’t as big a need as depth on the offensive line or a capable cornerback is. Despite that, Gutekunst suggested it will be addressed in his comments at last month’s NFL owners meetings. While Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love will be long gone, his Irish teammate, Price, could be within striking distance for a trade-up.
Price was RB2 to Love in South Bend, but he has starting-level talent after averaging 6.2 yards per carry last season. He possesses a combination of power and speed that allows him to create big plays, as shown by his career average of 4.28 yards after contact on 281 career attempts, according to Pro Football Focus. Price also racked up 31 breakaway runs, defined by PFF as designed runs of 15 yards or more, and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Unfortunately, there are a few warts that come with Price that will allow him to slip into the second round. He had just 15 receptions, albeit for 162 yards and three touchdowns, during his collegiate career, and had four fumbles, with three of those coming during the 2025 season. Those issues could have him falling into the middle parts of the second round, but it could cost too much to get him.
With the Packers hosting Indiana’s Kaelon Black, Arkansas’s Mike Washington Jr., and New Mexico’s Damon Bankston for pre-draft visits, the Packers may bide their time and scoop up their backup running back solution on the final day of the draft.
2. DL Caleb Banks, Florida
The Packers are looking for more impact from the middle of their defensive line, and Banks could be a borderline first-round talent that falls into the second round. At 6'6" and 327 pounds, Banks has the size to be a down lineman in Jonathan Gannon’s 3-4 scheme and the versatility to play anywhere as part of a four-man front with the Gators.
While Banks has power, his durability has been a problem after undergoing three foot surgeries over the past 18 months. Banks initially sustained the injury late in the 2024 season, then aggravated it early last season. Despite returning for the final two games of his senior season, he was injured again right before going through tests at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Banks’s talent has him ranked 39th on the NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, and without the injuries, he’d likely be much higher. But even if he slides into the range where a trade-up is possible, or is on the board when the Packers are on the clock, it might be a better idea to look elsewhere to get an impact lineman.
3. LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
While Quay Walker left for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, with the Packers quickly moving to replace him by acquiring Zaire Franklin in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, you could argue the Packers still need a linebacker. Edgerrin Cooper remains a strong starter and long-term foundational piece of Green Bay’s defense. Franklin’s struggles in coverage and advanced age (he’ll turn 30 in July) could have the Packers looking ahead to add depth at linebacker, though.
One of the most undervalued prospects in this draft is Rodriguez. A leader for the Texas Tech Red Raiders on their way to the College Football Playoff, Rodriguez has accumulated 254 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 11 pass defenses, and five interceptions over the past two seasons. A former quarterback to start his career, Rodriguez was also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, a rarity for a pure defensive player.
If the Packers went with a “best player available” strategy, Rodriguez would be a fine candidate. But while Green Bay has been known for addressing needs before they appear, selecting the Texas Tech star may be overkill with Isaiah McDuffie also in the room. With needs at cornerback, edge rusher, and guard, the Packers may choose to address a bigger hole on the roster, leaving some other team to select Rodriguez in the second round.
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