The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers signed veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave in free agency. Even with the addition of Hargrave, the Packers still need to add one or two defensive tackles in the upcoming draft.
A potential target on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft is Jordan van den Berg. The Georgia Tech defensive tackle checks in at No. 6 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
He was born in South Africa and moved to Georgia when he was 10. A former rugby player, van den Berg played linebacker at Providence Christian Academy.
He was a zero-star recruit and started his collegiate journey at Iowa Western Community College, where he played defensive end and played in five games, recording five tackles for loss and one sack.
He then transferred to Penn State for the 2021 season, where he played in four games and moved to defensive tackle before getting redshirted. During those four games, he recorded two tackles for loss and one sack. During his final two seasons at Penn State, he recorded 1.5 sacks.
He then transferred to Georgia Tech for the 2024 season and recorded five tackles for loss and one sack. This past season, van den Berg recorded 44 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks.
“van den Berg was undoubtedly one of the MVPs of the Tech defense, both with his play-making ability and his leadership qualities in the locker room,” Chad Bishop, a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said. “Like any good defensive tackle, van den Berg’s ability to clog up run games or derail an opposing offense’s play design wouldn’t show up in the box score but was vital to the success of the Tech defense.”
The Georgia Tech defensive tackle was a staple on Bruce Feldman’s Annual Freaks list article during his collegiate career. He was featured on the list in 2023, 2024 and was No. 18 on the list this past season. The former high school linebacker worked hard to reshape his body during his college career and he was a weight room regular, where his strength was always on display.
His freakish athleticism was showcased during Georgia Tech’s Pro Day, where he ran a 4.94 40-yard dash and clocked a 1.61 10-yard split, while weighing 310 pounds. He also clocked a 4.19 short shuttle and posted a 36-inch vertical.
The Georgia Tech product has a powerful upper half and can be hard to displace in the run game. He uses his power and strong hands to throw blockers to the side. He can be a straight up bully at the point of attack. He has the lateral agility to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage. With his initial quickness and strength, he’s able to force his way through gaps to impact the play behind the line of scrimmage. This past season, van den Berg recorded a career high in stops (19) and tackles for loss (11). He can clog up running lanes with his mass and power, but with his athleticism, he’s also an active interior presence capable of creating negative plays.
“I think you have to start with the technique and the fundamentals,” Bishop said. “Working with defensive line coach Jess Simpson has helped, too, but van den Berg’s constant focus on technique and positioning is special. Van den Berg, of course, is an athletic dude down there in the trenches, too, perhaps part of his game that can be underrated at times.”
With his blend of initial quickness and power, van den Berg has the tools to develop into a force as an interior pass rusher. He has the ideal play strength and can walk offensive linemen back into the quarterback’s lap. There were reps when Georgia Tech stand up over the center like he was Micah Parsons. He’s coming off a career-best season in which he recorded three sacks and 29 pressures. That uptick in production leads one to think there is still plenty of meat left on that proverbial pass rush bone.
“I think as van den Berg has grown from a kid originally from South Africa who played at a small high school, to junior college to Penn State to Tech, you can sort of trace his ability to get into the backfield as he’s grown, not only in size, but in understanding tendencies of offensive lineman,” Bishop said. “There’s some intellect there as well to be able to recognize when to fire off the ball and split gaps. I would expect that tool to continue to improve when he gets to the next level.”
Fit with the Packers
The appeal with van den Berg on Day 3 of the draft comes down to traits and his work ethic. He’s gotten better each season during his college career, and that trajectory should continue at the next level.
In a defensive line room that needs more disruption, van den Berg’s athleticism and size should be appealing to a team that needs a player who can both clog up running lanes and make splash plays.
“You’re going to get a guy who is a gym rat because of a commitment to perfection and growing his game,” Bishop said. “I think there is room there, too, to grow physically, which means you have a prospect you can expect to mold over time. He has shown he can compete and produce against high-level offensive lines during his career. If you believe you have the tools to help him to take his game to the next level, then he’s your guy.”
The combination of size, explosiveness, and effort gives him a legitimate ceiling as a disruptive interior defender. If the Packers can continue to unlock that upside, van den Berg has the tools to outperform his draft position.
The Packers had van den Berg in for a 30 visit, so there is at least some form of interest. With the Packers needing more impactful players along the defensive line, van den Berg just screams Packers type on Day 3.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 6, Georgia Tech DT Jordan van den Berg
Reporting by Brennen Rupp, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
