Key Picks Before Packers Go on the Clock in Day 2 of NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers enter Day 2 of the NFL Draft with needs to address at cornerback and both sides of the lines.

Who will they pick? Here are the key selection on the way to No. 54 overall, which is the 22nd pick of the second round.

No. 39: Chicago Bears – Missouri WR Luther Burden III

The Packers weren’t going to be in the market for another receiver but Luther Burden III is an excellent toy for coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.

Burden had a sensational sophomore season, earning second-team All-American in 2023 with 86 receptions for 1,212 yards (14.1 average) and nine touchdowns. In 2024, with the same quarterback and same head coach, he dipped to 61 receptions for 676 yards (11.1 average) and six touchdowns. On those 61 catches, Burden led the nation by forcing 30 missed tackles, according to PFF.

Chicago used its first-round pick on tight end Colston Loveland after using its first-round pick on Rome Odunze last year. After rebuilding the offensive line, the offense is absolutely loaded.

No. 37: Miami Dolphins – Arizona G Jonah Savaiinaea

Jonah Savaiinaea is the first player of interest off the board on Friday. Savaiinaea, who started with Jordan Morgan, started all 36 appearances in three seasons, with 16 at right tackle, 15 at right guard and five at left tackle in 2024.

There were 109 FBS-level, draft-eligible offensive tackles who played at least 650 snaps in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. He ranked 36th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. He was charged with four sacks and 15 total pressures. He was penalized only once. He played a little more than 1,000 snaps at right tackle, a little less than 1,000 snaps at right guard and 345 at left tackle.

Cornerbacks at Start of Day 2

There’s a lot of talent at cornerback, if the Packers are planning to move on with Jaire Alexander and need to strengthen their depth chart. Michigan’s Will Johnson slid through the first round, as did East Carolina’s Shavon Revel, Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison and Mississippi’s Trey Amos. Johnson (knee), Revel (knee) and Morrison (hip) have injury concerns and missed big chunks of last season and did not run a 40.

Also on the board are Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas, who lacks desired speed with a 4.58 in the 40, and Iowa State’s Darien Porter, who lacks desired experience with only one year as a part-time player.

Sneak Peak: Interview with Matthew Golden’s Coach

Once upon a time, Chris Jackson was a receiver for the Green Bay Packers. Now, he’s the receivers coach at Texas. After Matthew Golden was the Packers’ first-round pick on Thursday, Jackson and Golden connected.

“I congratulated him and told him, ‘Man, you laid the foundation and a platform.’ He took the baton and ran with it, because he bought into the culture, he bought into everything that coach (Steve Sarkisian) asked him to buy into, and he was rewarded for that. So, it goes to show sometimes you just got to come in and put your head down and just go to work and let things unfold the way they need to unfold. So, I congratulated him, told him I was proud of him, but this, at the end of the day, puts him in a position to take care of his family. But the journey is just starting.”

We’ll publish the full story on Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 Draft Picks

First round, Texas WR Matthew Golden: Relive the moment | NFL Draft grades | Our grade | Golden’s fit | Where did he rank? | Packers select Golden