Key for Packers will be identifying and developing the next men up

Wes Hodkiewicz

Eric from Oshkosh, WI

"No process produces flawless results, but a personnel department that questions its evaluations in real time doesn't have a process it believes in." Truer words never spoken. That's how Sonny Weaver ended up getting his picks back and David Putney, too!

Never miss a chance to open Inbox with a good "Draft Day" reference.

Steven from Balsam Lake, WI

With all of this WR depth chart, I can't help but to think back on the playoff game at Arizona in Jan. 2016. Randall Cobb goes down early, Davante Adams is hurt, and Rodgers is left with a WR room of James Jones, Jeff Janis, and Jared Abbrederis. No disrespect to them, especially with how that fourth quarter ended, but I think Aaron Rodgers would have loved the depth thatJordan Lovehas had recently because you never know.

I know the Packers needed to dig deep into their skill-position depth during Jordan Love's first three years as QB1, but I like the idea of having a bona fide "starting" unit. The key for Green Bay will be identifying and developing the next men up behindJosh Jacobs,Christian Watson,Jayden Reed,Matthew Golden,Tucker KraftandLuke Musgrave.

Julian from Gastonia, NC

What are the chances that GB has some plays designed to run the ball withSavion Williamsfrom the backfield in 2026?

I'm sure the Packers will incorporate those concepts into the offense, but again I hope we see a bit more of what Williams can do as a true wideout in Year 2. HavingSkyy Moorecould free up Williams from those gadget duties. In his assessment of Williams prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein wrote "possesses size and strength to beat press and become a bully on slants/hitches." I'd love to see more of that.

Marcus from Duluth, MN

With Skyy Moore andBo Meltonbeing "multi-positional," for the 5/6 WR position, what would guys such asJakobie Keeney-James,Will Sheppard, orIsaiah Neyorneed to do to stand out and transition from the practice squad? Or do you have insight what each of their respective upsides may be since we don't hear or see much about these players?

Just ball out. It's as simple as that. If Darrius Sheppard can go from a tryout player at rookie minicamp to the Packers' 53-man roster, anyone can do it. I'm excited to see more of Neyor, in particular, this summer. He was a late arrival in training camp but stands as tall as Watson at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds with a comparable 4.4 40.

Roger from West Bend, WI

Looking over the latest draft and most all drafts for that matter, you have some whose talent level is impossible to not notice. You have projects at the other end of the spectrum. The bulk comes from the middle. How scouts judge all the intangibles in addition to talent is truly amazing. Some players just look the part even in the way they project themselves. Kudos to our scouting department for the work they put in.

It's so impressive how teams find Tucker Kraft at South Dakota State or Quinn Meinerz at UW-Whitewater and tab them as mid-round draft picks. Both were well-accomplished at their respective schools but stood among a sea of FCS and D-III players, respectively. But scouts will see traits that translate to the NFL and sure enough they often do.

Larry from Cumming, GA

So, what heavy lifting does Gutey have left to do? In my mind, an in-line tight end and a cheap veteran swing tackle. Do you agree or see other needs? Marcedes Lewis anyone!

By the look of things, Marcedes is a little tied up right now withAnthony Davis Foul Play prank show on TBS. Brian Gutekunst said the Packers still have a need for a blocking "Y" tight end in the offense in the wake of John FitzPatrick's Achilles injury. Again,Messiah Swinsoncould be a potential candidate, or Green Bay could pursue a veteran tight end like Spoff discussed. The Packers obviously are not shy about using a sixth offensive lineman, either. All options are on the table for TE3.

Christopher from UK

Hi M&W, there have been some compliments about our UDFA class, with some singling out Josh Gesky as the one most likely to make the roster. Nothing is obviously guaranteed, but personally, I'm keeping an eye on R.J. Maryland and J. Michael Sturdivant as having opportunities in weakened positions.

Maryland, whose father Russell finished his decorated NFL career with the Packers in 2000, is someone to keep an eye on. He was a bit of a receiver/tight end tweener at SMU, but he played early and often, averaging more than 15.0 yards per catch during both his sophomore and junior seasons.

Rod from Ephrata, PA

It seems odd to me that none of the pre-draft interviewed players were drafted by GB. Does this happen frequently? Is it possibly due to the lack of early picks this year?

There are many reasons why the Packers bring in prospects for pre-draft visits. Sure, it can signal potential interest, but those visits also can serve as final medical checks on players. So, I don't read too many into the Packers not drafting any players who visited here. Like Mike said, Green Bay reportedly signed a couple guys who visited here as undrafted free agents. Ted Thompson did that all the time.

Ian from UK

Gents, I believe in Gutey and believed we had at least 50 great players on the roster before the draft. Do you agree that the move to trade two seventh-rounders who likely would have struggled to make the 53, could possibly have been lost through waivers, for a kicker who could, just could, be winning us playoff games for the next 10 years or more, was a stroke of genius? Worst case position is we have a kicker to trade at the end of August for another pick next year.

For all you Pro Bowl diehards, can you guess how many Pro Bowlers have been produced in the seventh round over the past six years? Four: Brock Purdy, new Packers linebackerZaire Franklin, punter Logan Cooke and special-teamer Ben Skowronek. That's not to say you can't find serviceable players in the last round. Green Bay did with Rasheed Walker,Carrington Valentineand Donald Driver way back in the day. But it's more likely you get a rookie who lands on your practice squad Week 1 like Kalen King and Micah Robinson the past few years. History suggests the decision to trade up forTrey Smackis a low-risk, high-reward proposition.

John from Temple City, CA

Hello II, a few years ago I stopped looking at all the various articles that give the Packers draft grades. They are so biased and I don't know what they base their assessments on. The so-called draft gurus only get a small percentage of the mock drafts correct. I believe this year the best mock had 7/32 correct. I for one love the fact that the Packers draft players that fit their needs and scheme regardless of their ranking. Keep up the great work and Go Pack Go!

You know what bugs me most about the draft industrial complex? Everyone has an opinion, but all that matters is what happens on the field in the fall. Also, NFL teams spend millions of dollars scouting players and have a good idea of what they are looking at once that process is over. Because on draft night, you're not just picking players. You're believing in them. You're believing they can develop in your scheme and have success. The true measure of whether a draft deserves an A or an F is if your team is playing in January or drafting in the top five in April.

Chris from Weston, WI

I wonder how many folks remember thatLukas Van Nessis the same age as some of the guys that just got drafted? I think we can all agree we'd like him to have put up more eye-popping numbers thus far in his career, but there is definitely still meat on the bone for his development.

I don't even think we've scratched the surface yet. Like I said on "Unscripted," Van Ness will get all the snaps he needs to shine this season. He's either going to be EDGE1 to begin the year or starting across fromMicah Parsons. Either way, the football field is his oyster.

Dave from Rockford, IL

Have you guys recovered from draft week yet? I was wondering if there has been any feedback about the first-round teams having only eight minutes between picks instead of 10. I thought things seemed to move along much better.

It was an improvement and kudos to NFL Network and ESPN for keeping things moving, too. With a few exceptions, it didn't feel like TV was dragging too far behind picks coming off the board.

Craig from Sussex, WI

Why do you think other teams were not as high onDani Dennis-Suttonas the Packers are?

Dennis-Sutton has the traits that teams want in an NFL edge rusher but some draftniks felt he needs time to develop his full arsenal of tools. That said, DDS coming off the board at No. 120 was way too late in my opinion. I really liked him in the third round. I absolutely love him in the fourth.

Tristin from Morristown, TN

I loved the Packers' draft class, but there were too many selections (Brandon CisseandJager Burton) that seemed like developmental picks, and the Micah Parsons trade was supposed to send us into win now mode, wasn't it?

The Packers are building to win a Super Bowl in 2026-27, but to do so, it's the 2024 and 2025 draft classes that must take big steps forward. Any contribution Green Bay gets from its incoming rookies is extra credit.

Dan from UK

Why do you think Gutey didn't pull the trigger to get DDS at any point in the first half of the fourth round? I appreciate it worked out perfectly in the end, but if DDS was perceived as great enough value at the end of the third to attempt trading up for, then would it not have been an even more enticing proposition as the picks went by in the fourth to move up and get his man?

If the Packers didn't have enough capital to get into the end of the third round, they probably didn't have the firepower to get to the front of the fourth, either. Also, if Gutekunst determined the board was strong enough, he may have felt good enough that Green Bay could get a player it coveted at 120 even if DDS had been selected.

Steve from Cedar Falls, IA

We tend to forget players fall into our lap as not a position of need for those picking ahead of the Packers. Am I reading those tea leaves, right?

It happens every round in every year.

Matt from Greensboro, NC

Maybe this is asking for more info than what's available to you two. But do scouts now hand off their reports to coaches and assistants to develop specific training plans that address weaknesses the scouts identified? Or is it just bringing in the rookies to see what they got?

I don't know how all that information is disseminated but the personnel department and coaching staff work together to make sure everyone knows the players coming into the building well before they get there.Domani Jacksoneven mentioned his interactions with new Packers cornerbacks coach Daniel Bullocks during the pre-draft process.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Wes, you've proved it! "Unscripted" is not only that, but also unedited. Your fake news thatChris McClellancan run a sub-4.0 40-yard dash was quickly corrected, but it also gives a glimpse into the humility and humor that you and Mike bring to your roles. Thanks for being genuine and keep up the great work!

I'm reminded of an early appearance on Time Warner Cable's Sports Roundtable in the early 2010s. I was breaking down top young receivers on the panel and messed up Julio Jones' name repeatedly. First, I said "Hulio Hones," then "Joolio Jones," and finally "Julio Jones." I asked my former colleague Mike Vandersnick who was shooting the segment while working for TWC at the time to save me in the edit room. He forgot and my stammering went unedited on the show. I felt foolish. The challenges of live (to tape) television.

Lori from Cherry Valley, IL

No Wisconsin Badgers were taken for this year's draft. Maybe their players are going through the portal transfer to better teams.

I mean, is anyone really surprised?

Phil from Paris, IL

Not that anyone should care about draft grades, but I find it crazy how much people are criticizing the Rams for going QB. I get that they were close, and some think they should have taken someone to get them over the hump, but even then, there are no guarantees. They usually pick in the late 20s and that makes it tough. I believe it was Ron Wolf who said, "The best time to take a QB is when you don't need one yet." I certainly don't regret the Love or A-Rod pick. People are crazy. GPG!

I have no issue with the Rams taking a quarterback. I was just stunned to see them do it at No. 13. But on a long enough timeline, it's a wise move if your personnel people believe Ty Simpson has what it takes to someday be the man.

Jeffrey from Eveleth, MN

Weston, I like your beard. My question is, are you like me and just grow it wild until you look like a walking mountain range, then shave it off? Or do you periodically trim and keep growing?

I just hit it with the old five guard once a week.

Mark from Amarillo, TX

Is there a more appropriate name for a kicker than Trey Smack, especially with the III following? Me thinks not!

As Judge Petrovsky once told a young Mike McDermott, we can't run from who we are. Our destiny chooses us. Or in this case, our parents choosing our names.

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