The skeptic's guide to the Packers' 2025 draft class

I love the Packers’ 2025 draft class. In just eight picks, they seem to have addressed most of the glaring issues on their roster, or at least thrown some new options at old problems.

But even more than the class as a whole, I like the players individually. I know in my heart that all eight of them won’t turn out to be stars — the math says the Packers would be lucky if even one of them did, and if even three of them turn out to be solid contributors, the Packers are still well ahead of the curve.

Knowing I like these players puts me in an interesting and potentially dangerous spot, though. I’m as prone to analytical blind spots as anyone, but I think just about everyone who looks at draft picks would agree that it’s harder to find faults with players you like. Liking just about every single one of the Packers’ 2025 draft picks puts me in the position of being predisposed to weigh what they do ahead of anyone else, whether that’s the objective reality of the situation or not.

So to give myself one little chcek on that tendency, here’s what I’m calling the skeptic’s guide to the Packers’ 2025 NFL Draft. I’d call it the “hater’s” guide, but I don’t hate any of these players. But we should start all analysis from a place of open-minded skepticism, so here are some things worth being skeptical about for every player in this year’s class.

Matthew Golden - WR - Texas

We all know Matthew Golden is small, but the real problem with his size is the redundancy it creates with Jayden Reed.

Reed, like Golden, is also small, and if the Packers want to count on their receivers to block, I don’t know if they can have both Golden and Reed on the field together. That’s sacrificing too much size all at once, and it puts them too far from their preferred strategy for the current iteration of the Matt LaFleur offense. You’d think only one of the two tiny dynamos in the Packers’ offense could justifiably be on the field at the same time, and if that’s true, the Packers have wasted either a first round pick or a second round pick.

Anthony Belton - OL - NC State

Anthony Belton has just about everything the Packers could be looking for as they pivot to a mower power-based run scheme. Power and size go hand in hand, and Belton certainly has plenty of size to throw around.

But there’s more to blocking than just being big, and as good an athlete as Belton is, it takes more to succeed as an offensive lineman in the NFL than just pure size. To this point, most scouts seem to agree that he’s more an athlete than a lineman; his technique is lacking, and that’s a quick way to get exposed in the NFL. If Belton can’t quickly step up his game, he’s going to be on the outside looking in.

Savion Williams - WR - TCU

Like Belton, Savion Williams is a big athlete who’s relatively unrefined when it comes to actually playing his position. I’d even go so far as to say nobody really knows what Williams is at the NFL level. He’s nominally a receiver, yes, but at TCU it was more accurate to call him a Deebo Samuel-style “wideback” or a Denard Robinson-esque “offensive weapon” than it was to use any of the labels for what he did on the field. He was a receiver and running back and a quarterback without ever really being any of those things, and that’s a problem at the NFL level.

Versatility is great, but Williams may not have a single calling-card ability. He clearly has some notable ability — you don’t get to do what he did at TCU if you aren’t an exceptional football player in general. But that may not be enough in the NFL.

Barryn Sorrell - EDGE - Texas

I’m tempted to say that Sorrel just seems too perfect. Sorrel is a productive athlete at a position where it’s hard to find those on day three of the draft. Couple that with his impressive off-field draft day experience, and it’s easy to get swept up in that seeming perfection.

But Sorrel isn’t perfect. Though he’s athletic, it doesn’t always show up on his Texas tape. Though he’s productive, his productivity doesn’t necessarily align with what you’d expect from a player with his athletic gifts. Though his relationships with his parents seem great…okay, I can’t find a counter to that one. He loves his mom and dad, and that’s great. The other stuff, though, that’s worth keeping an eye on.

Collin Oliver - EDGE - Oklahoma State

I don’t trust a man who doesn’t have a defined position. The Packers apparently think of Oliver as an EDGE; they list him as a defensive lineman on their roster page, but that doesn’t seem quite right. He played off the ball a lot in college and he certainly has the athleticism to play anywhere. But will that athleticism allow him to excel anywhere? With his size limitations, I’m skeptical, and at the risk of repeating myself, versatility isn’t necessarily all it’s cracked up to be.

Warren Brinson - DL - Georgia

The Packers needed help on the defensive line, but Brinson may not be the kind of help they need. He’s a 9.1 RAS player, but what does he do with that athleticism? He doesn’t produce pressures, sacks, or tackles for loss, I can tell you that, and if they’re hiring him to be a space eater, I think there’s reason to be concerned there, too. A sixth-round player isn’t ever going to be a finished product, so there’s reason to be hopeful about growth, but tempering expectations seems wise.

Micah Robinson - CB - Tulane

Football is a game designed for big people, and Micah Robinson is not one of those. Yes, he can run, but if he has to get in anyone’s way, it’s going to go badly. There is no Packers defender smaller than him; he’s shorter and lighter than any other defensive back on the roster, and no other position is going to rival corners for their lack of size. Robinson might just simply be too little no matter what other gifts he possesses.

John Williams - OL - Cincinnati

I do not mean this one to be mean, though it’s probably the meanest of the evaluations here. But if Williams, a good athlete with good size who was a two-year starter at a fairly reputable program, lasted until the seventh round despite playing a hugely valuable position what does that say about his skills?