GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The 2024 NFL draft (ESPN, ABC, ESPN App) began Thursday night in Detroit and will wrap up on Saturday. The Green Bay Packers are scheduled to make 11 of the draft's 257 picks, beginning with the No. 25 selection of the first round on Thursday night.
ESPN will provide pick-by-pick analysis of each of the Packers' selections as they are made.
A look at each of Green Bay's scheduled selections:
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 25 overall: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
My take: If you're going to make Jordan Love one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league, which they will soon, you better make sure you can protect him. That's why taking an offensive lineman in the first round for the first time in 13 years made so much sense -- even though Morgan was the seventh tackle to come off the board in the first 25 picks. The only real blemish on Morgan's resume was a torn ACL late in the 2022 season. He had planned to declare for the 2023 draft if not for the injury. Instead, he returned to play in every game last season
Key stats: While some project him to be a guard in the NFL, he played 98% of his college snaps at left tackle. "Really feel like he can play four positions for us," said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, who prefers versatile offensive linemen. "[He's] our kind of guy." He did not have a blown block in 306 run blocking plays in 2023, which was the third-most run blocking plays without a blown block by any Power 5 lineman. He allowed just two sacks in 454 pass-blocking plays last season.
Ties to the team to know: While Morgan won't get the chance to learn first hand from David Bakhtiari, that the former All-Pro left tackle was released earlier this offseason. However, Morgan considers himself something of a student of Bakhtiari's play. "I've been watching David Bakhtiari for a long time," Morgan said shortly after he was picked.
What's next: Gutekunst said he had opportunities to move back (some of those taking him out of the first round) and gain more picks, but he can still do some serious damage on Day 2 with four picks -- two in the second round (Nos. 41 and 58 overall) and two in the third round (Nos. 88 and 91). He also has enough capital to move up earlier in the second round to go after someone like Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean, who many projected to be a first-round pick but went unselected.
Check out some of the top highlights from Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper.
Round 2, No. 45 (via New Orleans): Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
My take: This pick was tailor-made for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who is overseeing a switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base scheme. He inherited only two starting-caliber inside backers in Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie after they released former All-Pro De'Vondre Campbell this offseason. This pick came after the Packers traded back from No. 41 overall with the Saints, who gave up Nos. 45, 168 (fifth round) and 190 (sixth). This after the Eagles traded up to No. 40 to take Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean, a player once thought to be a Packers' target. The Saints then took cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry with the 41st pick.
Key stats: Opposing ballcarriers averaged just 2.5 yards when Cooper made the tackle last season, which bodes well for a Packers' defense that ranked 28th against the run in 2023. During Matt LaFleur's five seasons as head coach, the Packers have allowed 4.7 yards per rush, worst in the NFL. Cooper also had eight sacks last season despite rushing the passer on only 23% of his snaps. His 4.51 40-yard dash at the combine was tied for fifth among all front-seven defenders.
Remaining picks
Round 2: No. 58
Round 3: No. 88
Round 3: No. 91 (via Buffalo)
Round 4: No. 126
Round 5: No. 168
Round 5: No. 169
Round 6: No. 190
Round 6: No. 202
Round 6: No. 219
Round 7: No. 245
Round 7: No. 255