Ranking Packers’ 25-And-Younger Players Shows Significant Problem

Last year, for the third consecutive season, the Green Bay Packers opened the season with the youngest roster in the NFL. Going consistently young is a choice, which means young players must grow up in a hurry to become excellent players.

The Packers lack a lot of high-end young talent. CBS Sports recently ranked the top 25 players age 25 and younger. There were no Packers. Pro Football Network ranked the top 10 players age 25 and younger. Again, there were no Packers.

That’s a big deal. The Packers have a top-heavy roster with quarterback Jordan Love and edge defender Micah Parsons among the highest-paid players in the league. In fact, the Packers have big-budget players at almost every position group.

There’s only one way to make that salary structure work, and that’s to backfill with young and inexpensive talent.

Here is our ranking of the Packers’ top players ages 25 and younger. The problem becomes apparent as you go through the list.

1. TE Tucker Kraft (25)

How Tucker Kraft didn’t make one of the national 25-and-under lists is dumbfounding. At the time of his torn ACL, he said he was the best do-it-all tight end in the league.

“I feel like I went out at as Tight End 1 in my opinion,” Kraft said last month. “Just the things that I do at the point of attack, where I’m at on any given play, I feel like I went out at the top.”

Whether he was or wasn’t is practically irrelevant; he is a dominant force by any measuring stick. Kraft, who will turn 26 in November, is a superb all-around tight end and perhaps the best run-after-catch player in the NFL.

2. LB Edgerrin Cooper (24)

A second-round pick in 2024, Edgerrin Cooper finished ninth in ESPN.com’s linebacker rankings, which were selected on a vote of NFL scouts, coaches and executives.

Cooper finished second on the team with 117 tackles last season. His sacks and tackle-for-loss production dropped sharply compared to his rookie season, though he might be unleashed under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

“I feel like this is the year I want to really be … I don’t want to be slept on no more or any of that,” Cooper said. “That’s all I look for. But I just want to do what I do. Just focus on that and all that stuff’s going to come.”

Cooper will turn 25 in November.

3. S Evan Williams (24)

A fourth-round pick in 2024, Williams played in 16 games with 15 starts last season. He crushed his rookie-year production with 100 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed and four forced fumbles.

With Xavier McKinney, Green Bay might have the best tandem in the league.

“I think it’s grown a lot, and I think you’re going to see it at its peak – like its peak performance  especially this year,” McKinney said. “Because we’ve been able to play with each other for a couple years, he knows how I work, I know how he works, and we have kind of those tendencies with each other.”

Williams will turn 25 on July 28, one day before the first practice of training camp.

4. S Javon Bullard (23)

A second-round pick in 2023, Bullard has found his home in the slot. If he had more splash production, he might earn some hype on the 25-and-under lists. In two seasons, he has 173 tackles but zero interceptions, zero forced fumbles and four passes defensed. While he hasn’t made a lot of big plays, he hasn’t given up many, either.

“I think he’s played pretty damn good football the last two years,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “We always talk about style of play, and he epitomizes what we want to be about in terms of his effort, physicality, finish.”

Bullard will turn 24 about a week before Week 1.

5. C Sean Rhyan (25)

Sean Rhyan got a new lease on his football life last season. Having lost the starting job at right guard, he was installed at center following Elgton Jenkins’ season-ending injury. His work in seven regular-season starts allowed him to sign a three-year, $33 million contract just before the start of free agency.

One reason why he returned to Green Bay is that he liked his new position and wanted to keep building. That’s the best the Packers are making, that he will play much better based on last year’s experience and this year’s practices. 

“It was coming down to the point of, like, I could get signed as a guard, but going back through and kind of looking and breaking down the last few games and the level of play that that we were all able to accomplish playing center, I think, was good, and I enjoyed it,” he said. “So, yeah, stick with it, you know what I mean?” 

Rhyan will turn 26 two days after the opener.

6. Edge Lukas Van Ness (25)

Our sixth-best player in this story is a player who has two starts and 8.5 sacks in three seasons.

With the lack of a pass rush without Micah Parsons and, yes, even Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness is going to need a breakout season in order for the defense to reach its peak.

The Packers activated his fifth-year option, meaning he’ll be under contract through the 2027 season.

“Obviously, exciting, it feels good,” he said. “It’s one of those situations where it’s like you’ve still got to wait another year, so it obviously feels good but really happy to be back in Green Bay for another year. More than anything, just focused on the 2026 season and what’s to come.”

Van Ness turned 25 on July 6.

7. WR Matthew Golden (22)

Matthew Golen, last year’s first-round pick, flashed his potential at times but got buried in Green Bay’s veteran-laden depth chart. He didn’t score a touchdown until the playoffs. Without Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, Golden has been handed a starting job. He’ll be one of the team’s most important players.

“I’m excited to see where he goes this year,” fellow receiver Christian Watson said.

He’ll turn 23 in a couple weeks.

8. LT Jordan Morgan (24)

Jordan Morgan, the first-round pick in 2024, will be the team’s starting left tackle this season. He makes this list even though he’s played in only one game at his preferred position and was unable to retain the starting job at guard in 2024 and 2025.

“You can definitely see J-Mo, he’s getting better every day,” left guard Aaron Banks said. “J-Mo’s a left tackle, through and through. That’s his spot. He’s the most comfortable there. He looks the most natural there.”  

He’ll turn 25 in a couple weeks.

9. RG Anthony Belton (25)

The team’s second-round pick last year, Anthony Belton was a left tackle at North Carolina State and played tackle throughout his rookie offseason and training camp. Finally, at midseason, he replaced Jordan Morgan at right guard and never looked back.

Learning a position on the fly is never easy and, predictably, Belton had his share of struggles. During his six regular-season starts at the position, PFF charged with 19 pressures – more than any other guard during that span.

As is the case with Rhyan, the Packers are banking on him taking a big step forward after last year’s trial by fire.

Belton won’t turn 26 until February.

10. Edge Barryn Sorrell (24)

A fourth-round pick last year, Barryn Sorrell played in 14 games with one start. He had 1.5 sacks and 15 tackles, highlighted by a big game at Minnesota in Week 18 in which he had one sack and eight tackles.

That’s not much of a resume, but it’s enough to make him one of the team’s top 10 players who are 25 and younger.

“Obviously, the game’s slowing down for me a lot,” he said. “Not being a rookie anymore, just trying to go out there, play fast, and make more plays.”

Sorrell will turn 24 just before Christmas.