The Green Bay Packers didn't have a first-round pick, but they may have had one of the strongest draft performances across the NFL in 2026. Many like the defensive upgrades in rounds 2, 3, and 4, with South Carolina Gamecocks corner Brandon Cisse, Missouri Tigers defensive tackle Chris McClellan, and Penn State Nittany Lions EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, respectively, being brought into the fold.
The sneakiest pick, though, was Kentucky Wildcats interior offensive lineman Jager Burton, who was taken with the No. 153 overall pick in the fifth round. Burton, who allowed no sacks in 426 pass-blocking snaps, earned a 79.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus and is a freakish athlete capable of playing both guard and center. His NFL Combine performance proved he's a danger to defensive tackles everywhere.
With a 4.94-second 40-yard dash time and the top Next Gen Stats athleticism score (96), Burton comes to the NFL ready to contribute to winning. The Lexington, Kentucky, native brings versatility, too, having made 23 starts at left guard, 15 at center, and nine at right guard. He missed three games over five seasons after redshirting as a freshman in 2021. Burton kicked off his time as a contributor at Kentucky by earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2022. So, there's another trait Burton has that few are talking about: durability.
Will Jager Burton Start For the Packers in 2026?
More than likely, Burton will be a depth piece in 2026, with big money invested in most of the IOL. Starting center Sean Rhyan just signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension in free agency, while guard Aaron Banks inked a four-year, $77 million contract last year that's since been restructured. Anthony Belton is still on a rookie contract and may be the most vulnerable to losing his spot.
With that said, Burton would likely have to drastically outshine Burton in training camp for coach Matt LaFleur, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, and OL coach Luke Butkus to give him the starting job.
Maybe that's not impossible, with Burton featuring a cool head in pressure-cooker situations and having the utmost respect from Green Bay's director of college scouting, Matt Malaspina, who said he'd "never, ever would have thought" Burton would be available in the fifth round.
Burton's early-career struggles at the center position for the Wildcats took the shine off his name, but he's about to show that everyone has underestimated his game. Well, besides the Packers, that is.
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