The key and most consistent trait the Green Bay Packers have coveted in quarterbacks is size. They have not drafted a quarterbacks weighing less than 217 pounds since at least 2005, and the average has been almost 225 pounds.
Hand size also matters, with Green Bay not drafting a quarterback with smaller than 9 ¼” hands, and an average of around 9 ⅞”.
Height has seemingly been part of the equation in the draft, with the average height of their draft picks at 6-2 ½”, and the floor being 6-2 even. However, they did trade for Malik Willis, who is just under 6-0 ½”, so it appears to an extent weight is the more important factor (Willis was 219 pounds).
In terms of testing, Green Bay likes athletes at quarterback, as they do at any position, but there is no one area they seem to put an extra emphasis on.
The lowest Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of a quarterback they have drafted is 5.53 out of 10, and the average has been 8.05, so above average athletes appear to be the goal.
A non-physical preference for Green Bay seems to be experience. That is not just a Packers thing. Bill Parcells always used to say 30 college starts was the magic number before entering the pros, and plenty of NFL teams still have a similar mantra.
The average Packers draft pick at quarterback since 2005 has had 37 starts. Matt Flynn was a big outlier, only starting 12 games at LSU, and he was a seventh-round pick. The next lowest number is Aaron Rodgers at 36, including his one year at Butte Community College before transferring to Cal.
Willis only had 23 college starts but was traded for by Green Bay after having two years of development in the NFL. Similarly, DeShone Kizer had 25 college starts and the Packers traded for him after his first pro season.
Based on the parameters set, here are the quarterbacks ranked between No. 30 and 350 on the consensus big board who are fits for the Packers, along with their ranking:
Another name to throw into the mix is Jack Strand from MSU-Moorhead, who ticks the boxes in terms of size, athleticism and experience. He is not listed on the consensus big board, which has over 700 players on it, but The Athletic’s Dane Brugler gave him a borderline draftable grade in his draft guide.
Allar and Aguilar did not test due to medical reasons, which is a perfectly valid excuse, and have the size the Packers like, with Allar at over 6-5 and 228 pounds with 9 ⅞” hands, and Aguilar at 6-2 ½” and 229 with 9 ⅝” hands.
The former Penn State quarterback has a cannon for an arm and is mobile enough but needs real development in terms of his fundamentals and his accuracy. He is the type of project the Packers like to take on and could come at a discount due to the broken ankle injury which cost him most of his senior year and meant he could not fully take part in the pre-draft process.
Green is one of, if not the most athletic quarterback to ever test at the NFL Scouting Combine, setting new records for the 40 (4.36 seconds), vert and broad jumps. His legs are a weapon and he has a big arm, but his play is wildly inconsistent in terms of footwork and accuracy as a passer.
Daniels is shorter than any quarterback they have drafted, but is slightly taller than Malik Willis, like Willis is heavy enough at 219 pounds, and is athletic, running a 4.65 in the 40. He could be an ideal spiritual successor to Willis in that regard.
Morton will reportedly visit with the Packers pre-draft, so he looks to be firmly on their radar as a late-round pick or UDFA signing.
In terms of players who were left off the list, Miami’s Carson Beck (120 on the consensus board) is not included as he chose not to do any athletic testing. Every quarterback the Packers have drafted since 2005 at least did some testing.
Cole Payton from North Dakota State (123) is an exceptional athlete, but only started 14 games in college, which is not what the Packers might be looking for based on how they have drafted in the past.
Similarly, Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson (208) only had 27 college starts, which may be more palatable, but is still a low number.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers prospects: 8 best quarterback fits in 2026 NFL Draft
Reporting by Mark Oldacres, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
