With the first wave of free agency behind us, we have a clearer picture of what the Green Bay Packers will need in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Packers failed to add a pass rusher or impact wide receiver in free agency or via trade, making those two of their biggest needs in the first round. However, they could also go in another direction, as they tend to fill holes a year or two before they actually open up.
With one eye on the present and another on the future, here are five dream first-round picks for the Packers in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Green Bay has long prioritized the offensive line in the draft. They just spent their 2024 first-rounder on tackle Jordan Morgan, so why would they double-dip in back-to-back years?
For starters, you can never have too many quality offensive linemen—building a roster without them is like trying to construct a house on a foundation of sand. The Packers just let Josh Myers walk in free agency and handed Aaron Banks—an average-at-best starting guard—a four-year, $77 million contract.
That move leaves Morgan in limbo for 2025, but he could slide inside and replace Sean Rhyan when Rhyan becomes a free agent in 2026.
Speaking of free agents, Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom will join Rhyan in free agency next year. That means three starters could be on the move, and Green Bay won’t be able to keep them all. They might as well start drafting their replacements now.
Kelvin Banks Jr. started the last three seasons at left tackle for Texas and has the tools to thrive at the next level. He’s a mauler who uses his strength to overwhelm defenders, and once he gets his hands on an assignment, it’s game over. He’s equally effective in pass protection and the run game.
This pick would be about planning ahead—and if the Packers have learned anything, it’s that failing to prepare means overpaying for mediocre linemen down the road. Drafting Banks now could save them a lot of money and headaches in the future.