Packers’ Final Draft Pick: Cincinnati’s John Williams

John Williams’ career in the aerospace industry is going to have to wait.

The Green Bay Packers used their final pick of the NFL Draft on Cincinnati offensive lineman John Williams. Williams had a predraft visit, joining Matthew Golden, Anthony Belton, Savion Williams and fellow seventh-round pick Micah Robinson who had draft visits with the Packers.

General manager Brian Gutekunst entered the draft hoping to add to his cache of eight draft picks. Instead, he held steady and picked as scheduled for all seven rounds.

Gutekunst had drafted three offensive linemen in three of the past four drafts. He added two in this draft. With the addition of Aaron Banks in free agency, there are three fresh faces in Green Bay.

Williams started every game at left tackle during his final two seasons and finished his career with 27 starts. He allowed just one sack and eight total pressures in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus, after yielding two sacks and 14 pressures in 2023. Plus, he helped running back Corey Kiner rush for 1,047 yards in 2023 and 1,153 yards in 2024.

Williams was not one of the 300 prospects ranked by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. He was No. 229 by Pro Football Focus.

“Overall, Williams has the footwork and pass-blocking instincts that will play well at the next level,” Brugler wrote in The Beast, “but the main concern is about his ability to halt and move NFL defensive linemen. Some of his skills work best at tackle, others at guard – and he might be caught in the middle.”

Williams majored in aerospace engineering. He was lightly recruited as a three-star recruit. His other offers were from Northern Illinois, Kansas State and Temple.

“I kind of feel a bit vindicated,” Williams said at the Scouting Combine. “I’ve been underrated for a while, and I feel like I still need to earn a little bit. But it’s been amazing. This is an amazing opportunity, something you always dream about. I honestly haven’t really even processed it quite yet.”

At the Combine, he measured 6-foot-4 1/8 and 322 pounds. With a 5.17 in the 40, his Relative Athletic Score was 7.60. He’s got 33 7/8-inch arms and massive 11-inch hands.

With his size, it doesn’t take a, well, rocket scientist to see the NFL is in his future. The surprise was seeing a giant man walking into the aerospace classroom.

“People are definitely surprised,” Williams told The Athletic. “A lot of weird looks when you go in classrooms — ‘Why is he here? No way he has this class.’”

That career is going to have to wait, though, with a return trip to Green Bay coming next week for the start of the rookie camp.

“It’s two different mindsets,” Williams said about similarities between his major and his future vocation. “Football is a lot less to think about.”

Williams holds a resemblance to the legendary wrestler and actor Dwayne Johnson. “The Rock” acknowledged it while making a self-deprecating joke about his major.