The 2024 NFL Draft is about a month away and the Green Bay Packers have 11 picks this season including five selections in the top 100. While we don’t know yet who GM Brian Gutekunst will add to the roster in April, we do know some of his tendencies and what he looks for when drafting and how that may apply to this year’s draft. Here are five things the Green Bay Packers look for in the NFL Draft.

Things the Packers Look for in the NFL Draft, Number One: RAS Matters

RAS stands for relative athletic score. It’s something Gutekunst values highly. RAS measures the athletic ability of a player against the other players at the same position. It includes height, weight, 40-yard dash time, agility drills and other factors depending on the position.

The Packers value pure athletic ability and believe the coaching staff can teach those athletes the finer points of the game.

Players like Rashan Gary, Eric Stokes, Christian Watson, and Lukas Van Ness all scored highly on RAS and became Packers. A poor RAS score will all but take a player off the Packers draft board, especially in the early rounds. Gute prefers players with scores of 9.0 or above, so take this into consideration when projecting who the Pack may draft, especially on day one and two.

Number Two: Multiple Players at Positions of Need

Gutekunst has also shown a tendency to select two or three players at the same position in the same draft to address areas of need.

Last year, the Pack selected tight ends in both the second and third round, for example, in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. They also added three wide receivers in the draft for the second straight year.

In his first draft with the Packers, Gute selected cornerbacks in the first two rounds, adding Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson.

He will address needs this year and don’t be surprised if he adds multiple offensive linemen, for example, which he often does on day three.

Things the Packers Look for in the NFL Draft, Number Three: Versatile Offensive Linemen

There are certain positions where the Packers like to have versatility, and offensive line tops the list. Gutekunst has favored players like Elgton Jenkins and Zach Tom who can play any of the five positions along the line. Both of them started at multiple positions during their college careers.

The Packers also like to draft offensive tackles with shorter arms and move them to guard or center. Sean Rhyan and Jon Runyan, Jr. are examples of that. They both played offensive tackle in college but were moved to guard in the NFL.

Look for the Pack to select multiple offensive linemen and expect most of them to be able to play at least two positions along the line.

Number Four: Versatility For WRs and DBs

When the Packers select wide receivers, they generally are looking for players who can line up in the slot or at either perimeter position. Versatility is important for the Packers. Right now, the Pack has both talent and depth at wide receiver but that doesn’t mean they won’t add one in the draft if they see a difference maker available.

At safety, new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has indicated that he ideally seeks players who can play in the box or drop into coverage. By making the two safeties interchangeable, it gives the quarterback and the offense a moment’s hesitation before they can determine who is lining up where and doing what.

Xavier McKinney gives the Packers one safety who can fill that role. This year’s draft is thin at the safety position, so the Pack may not be able to find another versatile safety in this draft, but ideally, that’s something the team is looking for. They also may want a player who can be utilized at slot corner or at safety.

Things the Packers Look for in the NFL Draft, Number Five: An Emphasis on Special Teams in the Late Rounds

Since special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia joined the team in 2022, the team has paid more attention to special teams, especially in the late rounds of the draft.

While they may not have always worked out, players like Tariq Carpenter, Jonathan Ford, and Anthony Johnson Jr. are among the late round picks selected by the Packers with an eye to their potential contributions on special teams.

The Packers may add one or more players on day three who get the edge over other available picks because they can help Bisaccia improve the team’s special teams unit.

 

 

Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers

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