If the Green Bay Packers hope to contend with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC next season, bolstering the trenches on both sides of the ball needs to be a top priority during the offseason.
The Eagles’ defensive line dominated in Super Bowl LIX, sacking Patrick Mahomes six times—without blitzing once, according to ESPN Sports Analytics Writer Seth Walder.
On the offensive side, Philadelphia did a nice job against Steve Spagnuolo’s blitz-heavy defense, limiting pressure and protecting Jalen Hurts for most of the game.
At the very least, this year’s Super Bowl exposed some glaring needs for the Packers. Throughout the 2024 season, Green Bay struggled to generate pressure while sending a four-man rush. The Chiefs’ offensive line was considered one of their biggest strengths entering Sunday’s game, but the Eagles’ pass rush completely wrecked Kansas City’s gameplan without needing to send extra bodies.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, in addition to getting sacked more times than he had ever been in a single game, Mahomes was pressured on 16 of his 42 dropbacks.
The Packers also have some work to do up front offensively. While Pro Football Focus rated them as the third-best pass-protecting team in 2024, their run blocking was a meager 22nd.
Last year, Green Bay used their first-round pick on offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, only for him to sit out the rest of the season with a shoulder injury after appearing in only six games. It’s not out of the question for the Packers to dedicate one of their early 2025 picks to the offensive line, especially in a division that features one of the best pass rushers in the game in Aidan Hutchinson, and a defensive coordinator in Minnesota’s Brian Flores touting the league’s highest blitz rate.
Given the importance of the trenches in building a Super Bowl contender, we will only address the offensive line and defensive line in a three-round mock draft using PFF’s mock draft simulator.
Let’s begin.
1.23: Edge Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
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Height: 6-5
Weight: 281
Fit with Packers: Brian Gutekunst loves front-seven players from the SEC with outstanding traits, making Stewart an obvious choice. Standing at 6-5 and weighing 281 pounds with great length, Stewart is one of the most physically gifted players in this year’s draft class. His lack of production (only 4.5 sacks in three seasons) is a red flag, but that shouldn’t deter anyone from recognizing Stewart’s extreme upside as a pass rusher.
2.59: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Height: 6-5
Weight: 310
Fit with Packers: After what was arguably the most disappointing season of Kenny Clark’s career, Green Bay will need to bolster the interior of their defensive line, preferably someone who can get after the quarterback and excel as a run defender. Coming off a senior season in which he registered 55 pressures, 5.0 sacks, and 11 tackles for loss, Harmon could have an immediate impact as a rookie.
3.91: C Jared Wilson, Georgia
Brett Patzke-Imagn Images
Height: 6-3
Weight: 310
Fit with Packers: With Josh Myers set to be a free agent, the Packers may need to find their next starting center in this year’s draft. Wilson only started one season at Georgia, but it’s no secret that Gutekunst has an affinity for former Bulldogs. Given Green Bay’s needs and Wilson’s ability to immediately contribute as a starting center, he was an obvious choice. Per PFF, Wilson didn’t surrender a sack in 511 pass-blocking snaps in 2024.