The Green Bay Packers missed Rashan Gary in the interior of their defensive line last season. As such, they used their No. 77 pick to seek out a replacement in Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan.
While that made sense to a degree, and there was an obvious positional need for GM Brian Gutekunst, that selection may have been a bit of a reach. He wasn't a consensus top-100 player, and there was more value at the time, with guys like Domonique Orange looking like a better option. Now, he'll have to do plenty of heavy lifting to justify that selection.
Chris McClellan Will Have to Step up from Day 1
Standing at 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, McClellan provides some much-needed physicality in the interior of Jonathan Gannon's defensive line. He should have a rotational role next to Javon Hargrave and pick up some of the slack left by Colby Wooden's departure.
McClellan is also a good fit for Gannon's four-down line. That said, as much as he's physically imposing and could turn out to be a starter after a couple of years, the Packers could've probably gotten a more NFL-ready guy or someone who could make an impact right out of the gate. This is not an indictment of McClellan, but about the wasted value of this selection, given that he probably would've been available much later, especially after the first run of defensive tackles was already in the books.
He's still quite raw around the edges, with most of his pass-rushing prowess coming from strength rather than technique, and his use of the hands left plenty to be desired on tape. That can all be taught and improved, though.
As things stand now, McClellan will most likely play some snaps behind Devonte Wyatt, with Hargrave working mostly as a nose tackle except for some occasional snaps elsewhere. That's not a bad group to be part of, and he will have some excellent mentors to help polish his flaws.
This was an overall solid draft by the Green Bay Packers, and perhaps criticizing this selection is just nitpicking. Nevertheless, the draft is all about finding value, maximizing assets, and making the board work in your favor. The Packers could've certainly done a better job with that at No. 77, as they could've traded down and still gotten the guy they coveted. The jury is out for now, and only time will tell if they took the right approach.
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