The Green Bay Packers have a rather glaring hole at defensive tackle entering the 2026 NFL draft, even after signing veteran Javon Hargrave in free agency. The defensive front got ran over at times late in the 2025 season and then lost starter Colby Wooden via trade, and Jonathan Gannon is expected to switch to a 3-4 front in 2026
Could the Packers use a pair of early picks on the defensive line? It’s a scenario we examined in our latest seven-round mock draft simulation at PFF.
The first pick was a terrific fit who many are mocking to the Packers in the second round. The second defensive lineman was a pre-draft visitor who is just too good to pass up a round later.
The results:
Let’s start with the two defensive tackles. Georgia’s Christen Miller ranks No. 47 on the consensus big board and is such a terrific fit as a versatile lineman who could give the Packers snaps at nose tackle, one of the biggest need positions on the roster. He’s big (6-3, 321), he’s young (21), he’s versatile. And he’s terrific against the run. An easy fit for the short-term and long-term needs in Green Bay. But what if a super talented defensive tackle falls into the Packers’ lap in the third round? That’s what happened here with Kaleb Proctor, who dominated at the FCS level and is an elite athlete. In a league where everyone is looking for help up front, Proctor’s disruptive pass-rushing potential is hugely valuable.
Why Miller and Proctor? Miller gives the Packers something they don’t have on the roster currently, while Proctor provides insurance behind Devonte Wyatt and a player to develop under Hargrave, who might only be in Green Bay for one season. And Proctor’s athleticism could mean early snaps as a designated interior pass-rusher. Remember, Hargrave was once a dominant FCS player taken in the third round.
One other note: we had a lot of players we liked on the board at No. 84, so we moved down four spots in a trade and picked up an extra fifth-round pick. Adding another pick made me feel comfortable spending a Day 2 pick on a second defensive lineman.
The roster math might be tough. Wyatt and Hargrave are making the team, and Karl Brooks and Warren Brinson are good bets. Fitting two more down linemen onto the roster isn’t easy. But adding Miller and Proctor to the group would create a deep, talented and versatile front regardless of scheme. No more repeats of 2025.
From there, we took cornerback Will Lee III at No. 120 in the fourth round after a run at the position. He’s a pre-draft visitor who fits what the Packers like in terms of size and athleticism at corner, a big need position.
The three fifth-round picks provided depth on the edge in the form of Max Llewellyn, who was excellent for Iowa in 2025; a versatile playmaking running back in Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton, who could also help return kicks; and a second corner in Alabama’s Domani Jackson, who ran 4.41 in the 40 and looks like a fit in a zone-heavy scheme.
In the sixth round, the pick was Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek, who could immediately provide value as a blocker while stabilizing the position past 2026.
The two seventh-round picks were Penn State offensive tackle Nolan Rucci, a Wisconsin transfer who played on both the left and right sides; and East Carolina receiver Anthony Smith, a pre-draft visitor with deep speed and the size of a Packers receiver.
This draft class would be a big investment in the defense, with five of the first picks going to Gannon’s side. But the Packers need the help along the defensive front and at corner, so bypassing less pressing needs on offense was the play.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers mock draft: 7-round simulation starts with back-to-back DL
Reporting by Zach Kruse, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
