Packers Gutekunst could deploy familiar draft strategy

By GERY WOELFEL
Say this about Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst:
He isn’t afraid to manipulate the draft board.
Unlike so many other GMs who are reluctant and, perhaps even scared, to make bold draft-day decisions, Gutekunst has been rather aggressive.
He’s traded up; he’s traded down.
And he isn’t afraid to take players who play the same position with back-to-back picks. For example:
In the 2022 draft, Gutekunst selected tight end Luke Musgrave in the second round. Then, in the third round, he took tight end Tucker Kraft.
In the 2018 draft, Gutekunst selected cornerback Jaire Alexander with the team’s first-round pick and then followed by taking cornerback Josh Jackson in the second round.
Gutekunst might use a similar draft approach again in this week’s NFL draft, which begins Thursday night and ends Saturday.
Currently, the Packers have, by league standards, two average cornerbacks: Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Neither is remotely close to being a coveted shutdown corner.
Nor have Nixon or Valentine ever exhibited playmaking skills.
Nixon, in his seven pro seasons, including the first three with the Raiders, has a mere four career interceptions Valentine, in his three seasons with the Packers, has managed just two interceptions.
Valentine didn’t have a single pick last season; Nixon had just one.
So, for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations– and the Packers most definitely do — it’s imperative they upgrade and add depth at the cornerback spots.
Gutekunst has made it abundantly clear that is his plan.
“We are going to have to add numbers there,” Gutekunst said during a pre-draft media gathering Tuesday. “That’s probably our group, from a numbers perspective, where we’re going to need to add the most.”
Gutekunst seemingly shouldn’t have any problem adding multiple cornerbacks to his roster. This year’s cornerback draft class, while not great, is still very good. According to some NFL personnel officials, a dozen cornerbacks could be drafted in the first three rounds.
Heading the cornerback cast is Mansoor Delane of Louisiana State, who checks all the boxes. He is a lock to be a top 15 pick.
Jermod McCoy of Tennessee is also a projected first-rounder, although some uncertainly about a knee injury could drop him into the second round. McCoy suffered a torn ACL a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season.
Another potential first-round selection could be Chris Johnson of San Diego State. He was generally regarded as a mid-second round choice just a few months ago, but he appears on the rise and could climb into the early 20s of the first round.
Then, if it becomes a ”beauty is in the-eyes of the beholder” situation with as many as six more corners figuring to go late in the first round to late in the second round.
They are Colton Hood of Tennessee, who is athletic and physical, Aveion Terrell of Clemson, who is a top-notch cover but lacks high-end speed, Brandon Cisse of South Carolina, who is gifted but somewhat raw, Treydan Stukes of Arizona, who is capable of playing multi-positions in the secondary, D’Angelo Ponds of Indiana, who is small at 5-foot-8 but has a tremendous vertical jump of 43 inches and Keionte Scott of Miami, who is 24 but a true playmaker. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns and had five sacks and 13 tackles for loss last season.
And then there’s a cluster of corners who could be late second or third-round picks.
They include:
— Tacario Davis of Washington, a lanky 6-4 corner who does everything fairly well and had the fourth-fastest 40 at the Combine at4.41.
— Malik Muhammad of Texas, who was timed at 4.42 at the Combine (eighth fastest) and who may have helped his stock by adding nearly 10 pounds in recent months/
— Devin Moore of Florida, who is skilled but injury prone.
— Davison Igbinosun of Ohio State, who has a ton of talent but prone to pass interference penalties.
— Keith Abney II of Arizona State, who is highly competitive and can play inside and outside.
— Daylen Everette of Georgia, who ran a blistering 4.38 in the 40 at the Combine.
Yes, there are a surplus of good cornerbacks, one who could come in and immediately enhance the back end of the Packers defense.
While improving the secondary is a good enough reason for taking several defensive backs, there’s another perhaps overlooked reason that can’t be ignored.
Both Nixon and Valentine are entering the final year of their contracts. It wouldn’t be stunning if both of them left the Packers after next season.
Nixon was brought to Green Bay largely on the recommendation of Rich Bisaccia, who was the Packers’ associate head coach and head special teams coach until recently leaving to take a job with the Clemson football program.
And Valentine has reportedly changed agents and, if he plays at a high level, will most likely explore his options on the open market.
For the Packers, this draft looms large not only for next season but seasons to come.