12 Rookies to Watch During Packers Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers drafted only six players this year and added an expensive class of undrafted free agents.

Will their first draft pick, Brandon Cisse, be an immediate starter at cornerback? And who will extend the team’s streak to 22 consecutive seasons in which one undrafted rookie opens the season on the 53-man roster?

With the first practice of training camp set for Wednesday, here are 12 rookies to watch.

CB Brandon Cisse, Second Round

The Packers obviously weren’t good enough at cornerback last season. In the 17 regular-season games, Keisean Nixon had one cornerback and … that’s it. The Packers managed to go a full season with their cornerbacks providing one interception. With 14 touchdowns allowed, the three corners who received the bulk of the playing time allowed passer ratings of at least 105, according to Pro Football Focus.

So, general manager Brian Gutekunst ditched one of the culprits, Nate Hobbs, signed Benjamin St-Juste in free agency and used his second-round pick on cornerback Brandon Cisse.

At 5-foot-11 3/4 with 4.41 speed in the 40 and a 41-inch vertical, Cisse is the team’s most talented cornerback by a considerable margin.

He got some first-team snaps during the offseason practices. It’s only a matter of time before he gets more. Will he take advantage to earn a starting job or will his rookie season be a developmental year? Getting to go against Jordan Love and Green Bay’s top receivers will help determine whether he beats out Carrington Valentine.

DT Chris McClellan, Third Round

When the Packers moved to a 3-4 defense in 2009, then-general manager Ted Thompson used the ninth pick of the draft on B.J. Raji to give the new defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, an impact nose tackle.

The Packers transitioned back to a 3-4 defense this year, and Gutekunst traded up in the third round to give new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon his nose tackle. Will Chris McClellan be an impact player like Raji? That’s certainly the hope after a big final season at Missouri.

McClellan almost certainly will be the starting nose tackle this year. Training camp will determine how much he plays in the other defensive packages.

Edge Dani Dennis-Sutton, Fourth Round

Given his combination of production and athleticism, Dani Dennis-Sutton surprisingly fell into the laps of the Packers in the fourth round. While he was disappointed with how the draft played out, he hardly could have been given a better opportunity.

Among Green Bay’s edge players, Micah Parsons played the most snaps, Rashan Gary was second and Kingsley Enagbare was third. You know the rest of this paragraph: Parsons will miss the start of the season following last year’s torn ACL, Gary was traded to the Cowboys and Enagbare signed with the Jets.

Combined, they played 1,828 snaps and registered 22 sacks. Dennis-Sutton needs to be a big part of the solution.

G/C Jager Burton, Fifth Round

Coach Matt LaFleur typically downplays a rookie’s progress during the offseason. And rightly so. Nothing truly matters until the pads go on and the action is live.

That’s especially true, for obvious reasons, for an offensive lineman.

So, it was interesting when LaFleur said Jager Burton was “definitely going to be in the mix” for playing time.

That would be huge for the Packers, whose top returning interior backups are Jacob Monk and Donovan Jennings. Monk essentially has played in one game in two seasons. That’s one more game than Jennings.

If Burton’s offseason work translates to training camp and the preseason, the Packers’ offensive line depth would be greatly improved.

CB Domani Jackson, Sixth Round

With Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Cisse and veteran addition Benjamin St-Juste at cornerback, Domani Jackson faces a long, uphill climb to compete for playing time after missing the offseason practices due to injury.

However, Nixon and Valentine will be free agents next offseason, meaning what Jackson shows now could at least set the stage for training camp in 2027.

K Trey Smack, Sixth Round

There’s arguably no rookie more important on the roster than kicker Trey Smack. The Packers traded their two seventh-round picks to move up into the sixth round to select him, and they obviously hope he’ll win the kicking job this year and embark on a long career.

Bad kicking conspired against the Packers in the 2023 playoff loss at San Francisco and the 2025 playoff loss at Chicago. They are a good team but they don’t have much margin for error. Smack needs to be good, both in September and January. The early returns were not promising, but those misses are irrelevant now.

Edge Nyjalik Kelly, Undrafted

Drafted players’ first contracts are predetermined. In the case of sixth-round kicker Trey Smack, he received $206,532 guaranteed in the form of a signing bonus. Undrafted edge defender Nyjalik Kelly received $262,500 guaranteed in bonus and salary.

Kelly posted solid production during his two seasons at Central Florida with 8.5 sacks, 17 tackles for losses and five forced fumbles. He’s got elite length, though, making him a solid prospect at a position with major turnover this offseason.

WR J. Michael Sturdivant, Undrafted

The Packers’ new receiver corps will feature Christian Watson, Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed. Last year’s third-round pick, Savion Williams, will occupy a fourth place on the depth chart. After that? Bo Melton and Skyy Moore are the favorites but hardly are locks.

Other than Moore in free agency, J. Michael Sturdivant was the only receiver added this offseason. Relative Athletic Score has size-speed data from four decades of draft classes. He ranks 19th over that period.