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Rising Packers rookie turning heads in 2026 OTAs

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Rising Packers rookie turning heads in 2026 OTAs

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Dominik Zawartko, ClutchPoints | Last updated Jun 2, 2026 3:30 PM ET

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The Green Bay Packers are in the full swing of their 2026 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as players hitting the practice field marks the official beginning of a new NFL season. The Packers immediately became a Super Bowl contender once they landed generational talent Micah Parsons, but a disappointing end to the season has left the entire fan base wanting more.

While the Packers’ potential is higher than its ever been, they still had a number of key issues to address this offseason to avoid another early exit during the playoffs. They did exactly that through the recent NFL Draft, bolstering their defense and addressing key needs on offense and on special teams as well.

Everyone in Green Bay is awaiting to see how the rookies mesh into their new environments, most particular first pick CB Brandon Cisse out of South Carolina. The Packers drafted Cisse with their first pick in the second round and managed one of the top-ranked DB’s in the draft to address their greatest needs in the secondary.

However, Cisse is fully expected to start at some point this season and his first few appearances on the practice field are exactly why Green Bay drafted him with their first pick. However, it’s been their fourth-round pick EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State who’s been turning heads with his first few showings at OTAs.

Steal of the draft?

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The Packers took Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth round with the 120th overall pick in the draft. It’s a natural transition for him considering another Penn State great Micah Parsons will be able to guide and mentor him in what could be one of the best defensive fronts in football. Dennis-Sutton was seen as a raw prospect, but the Packers believe he can grow into something special with the right coaching and environment around him.

Standing just shy of 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 256 pounds, Dani Dennis-Sutton is an absolute physical freak. Posting a 4.63 40-yard time, a 39.5-inch vertical jump, and a 10′ 11″ broad jump, Dennis-Sutton was given an athleticism score of 91 at the combine, first among all DE/EDGE prospects. He also ranked No. 3 overall at the combine among all DE/EDGE players, so it’s quite remarkable the Packers were able to scoop him at 120th overall.

Dennis-Sutton was immediately turning heads at Packers’ OTAs with his speed off the line and his sheer power in disrupting offensive lineman. He’ll certainly have a ton to learn from and work on during his rookie campaign, but the Packers may have gotten the steal of the draft considering where they were able to get Dennis-Sutton.

Furthermore, Micah Parsons has already been vocal about taking Dennis-Sutton under his wing and the Penn State connection between the two will be undeniable. Parsons has taken the role of leading the defense in the locker room and on the field as a captain, so expect Dani Dennis-Sutton to evolve much quicker than expected with all the positive reinforcement and competition around him.

Finally, first-year Packers’ Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon will have a great crop of players to work with, but expect him to be particularly generous in the way he uses his rookies during in-game situations. The Packers’ pass rush will be the most important part of their defense and Gannon will be quick to sub fresh bodies in during long drives. Dani Dennis-Sutton will be a great player to sub in and his versatility at Penn State showed he’ll be able to drop back and play in the second level as well.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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