Packers Address Clear Weak Spot on Defense in New Mock Draft

The Green Bay Packers' Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions made it clear that general manager Brian Gutekunst must upgrade the defense this offseason.

There's no denying that the Packers boast one of the NFL's best offenses, however, the defensive side of the ball has left much to be desired. Green Bay's defensive play has been inconsistent throughout the 2024 campaign and one area that sticks out (for all the wrong reasons) is the pass rush, which Pro Football Focus ranks as 10th-worst in the NFL.

Fortunately, one NFL draft analyst has the Packers giving their pass rush situation a much-needed upgrade in April.

Packers Projected to Draft Arkansas DE Landon Jackson in 2025

In his latest mock draft, The Athletic's Dane Brugler is projecting that the Packers will land Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson with the 27th overall pick at the 2025 NFL draft.

"The Packers always consider defensive line in the first round, and Jackson has several traits that match up with what they target," Brugler wrote. "At 6-5 1/2 and 271, he isn’t a super fluid mover, but he plays with power in his hands and above-average backfield vision to retrace or find ways to the pocket.

With the Packers' pass rush ranking among the NFL's worst attacks, targeting a player of Jackson's talents is a no-brainer.

After transferring from LSU in 2022, Jackson has thrived under Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman. The promising defender showed a glimpse of his potential when he recorded career-bests in solo tackles (22), lost yardage tackles (14), and sacks (6.5) en route to earning first-team All-SEC honors for the first time.

Although following up on such a dominant performance could be tough for some, that hasn't been the case for Jackson. The stud pass rusher continues to dominate the Razorbacks' defensive line, having tallied 27 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, 10 lost yardage tackles, three defended passes, and a forced fumble in 12 games this season.

As a result of his dominant 2024 performance, draft experts are beginning to take notice of Jackson's potential. CBS Sports is currently ranking him as next year's 36th-ranked prospect while PFF has him coming in at No. 40 in the class and No. 7 among edge rushers.

With experts projecting Jackson to be a Day 2 pick, the Packers will likely have a shot at selecting him regardless of where they're drafting in Round 1. The pass rush is a need the team must address in the offseason, so 'reaching' for the Arkansas defensive disruptor might not be a bad idea — especially if he can live up to the hype.

The Packers are hosting the 2025 NFL draft at Lambeau Field beginning on Thursday, April 24.

More Green Bay Packers News: