The picks are in. Now come the snap judgments.
The Green Bay Packers brought six new players into the fold in the 2026 NFL Draft; so, how did they do? National writers had varied opinions of the class for Green Bay, with grades ranging from A to D.
Here’s what national writers had to say:
The Green Bay Packers draft class in 2026
The Athletic: B-Plus
This is an average grade based on the Packers’ second and third round picks as The Athletic only graded the first three rounds.
Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman gave South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse an A- and Missouri defensive tackle a B.
However Matt Schneidman also gave high marks to the Packers trading up to take Kicker Trey Smack:
“The Packers had a predictable draft devoid of fanfare until they traded up for a kicker. Let me repeat. Traded up for a kicker! My favorite pick is an easy call, and not just because his last name is Smack. Florida’s Trey Smack went to the Packers with the last pick of the sixth round after GM Brian Gutekunst gave both of his seventh-rounders to the Seattle Seahawks. Coach Matt LaFleur emphasized there will be a true kicking competition this summer, but will it really be that between Brandon McManus and Smack after the Packers traded up for the latter?”
Bleacher Report: B
With no first round pick, Krostopher Knox says the Packers did well filling important needs
“Considering the Packers didn’t have a first-round pick — and that an elite player in Parsons is the reason why — Green Bay should be pleased with its 2026 haul.”
CBS Sports: B-plus
Carter Bahns was impressed with the players the Packers chose at picks 52 and 77:
“There are no qualms to be had with the value they found in Brandon Cisse and Chris McClellan, both of whom fill defensive needs.
Cisse is still just 20 years old, so the Packers have plenty of time to mold him into the kind of cornerback they want. Renner raved about the fit, noting that Green Bay tasks its corners with heavy off-zone coverage, which is Cisse’s strength. That’s a pretty nice pick for a team that had to wait until the 50s to make its first selection.
Dani Dennis-Sutton made it three straight “A-” picks to open the draft before that streak ended with the Jager Burton move. “The Kentucky product brings some positional flexibility to the Packers’ offensive line, though,” Bahns said.
ESPN: C-plus
Draft guru Mel Kuiper Jr thought the Packers had an average draft:
“Finally on the clock at No. 52, the Packers took Brandon Cisse. Save for Jermod McCoy, who clearly has some knee concerns, Cisse was the best CB available. He’s quick in transition, but his awareness is pretty special. He anticipates well and doesn’t have issues when he needs to turn his back to the football. He’s not going to come down with a bunch of interceptions, but he closes quickly and gets his long arms in to make plays, with 12 pass breakups since 2024. Chris McClellan and Dani Dennis-Sutton touched on those other two needs. McClellan gets interior pressure with six sacks last season, and Dennis-Sutton should be a good rotational pass rusher. There are definitely some contributors here, but the missing first-round pick hurt Green Bay’s ability to find Day 1 starters.”
NFL.com: A-minus
The Packers got an A- on Day 2 and a A on Day 3 of the draft from Chad Rueter and also got a B for not having a pick in the first round due to the Micah Parsons trade:
“Dennis-Sutton’s athleticism made him a solid find in the fourth round, especially for a team needing pass rushers. Burton’s power and quick feet made him an excellent pick to bolster the line with the fifth-round pick Green Bay received from the Eagles for WR Dontayvion Wicks. The Packers couldn’t rely on their kickers last year. Smack’s leg strength and accuracy from 50-plus yards out made him worthy of the trade-up at the end of Round 6.”
Pro Football Focus: B
Pro Football Focus evaluated each pick separately and settled on a B for the whole group.
“McClellan wins more with power than athleticism, and that strength shows up against both the run and pass,” the site said about Green Bay’s third-round pick.
About fourth-rounder Dani Dennis-Sutton: “Dennis-Sutton projects best as a 3-4 defensive end with some 4-3 flexibility. His length and size are clear strengths, though his agility in space is more limited. With ascending play, he could be drafted higher than his current tape suggests.”
Sports Illustrated: D
Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano were not impressed.
“Cornerbacks from the first and second tiers had already been selected by the time the Packers went on the clock,” the duo wrote. “Still, the team landed a cornerback with plenty of upside in Cisse. The problem, though, is that he’s a raw prospect who will likely need time to develop, and the Packers aren’t in a position to be patient with a roster that needs to win now.
“Green Bay also waited a long time to address the holes on its offensive line, selecting Burton to potentially replace the departed Elgton Jenkins. Maybe the Packers’ front office thinks it has an eye for gems, because it doesn’t appear this team acquired immediate help in this class. Green Bay ended the draft by adding Smack to compete with veteran kicker Brandon McManus, who missed kicks in crucial moments last season. “
USA Today: A-minus
Some people felt a little differently about the Packers’ haul, and seemingly about Cisse’s outlook, though there’s a little bit of a caveat. Here’s what Nate Davis had to say.
“Why this high? Because their first-round pick was used last year as part of the blockbuster acquisition of Parsons. Enough said. But if you want us to say a little more, promising second-round CB Brandon Cisse might not need much time to work his way into the starting lineup.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here’s how writers graded the Green Bay Packers draft class in 2026
Reporting by JR Radcliffe and Emmett Prosser, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
