Packers pivot with 23rd pick in mock re-draft of 2025 first-rounders 1 Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) runs after the catch to score a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Season grades illuminate Packers rookie class as stark disappointment

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Jan 23, 2026 4:39 PM ET

Green Bay Packers fans know the 2025 rookie class did not net the hoped for first-year returns. First-rounder Matthew Golden battled injuries and underwhelmed most weeks when he played. Third-rounder Savion Williams saw himself relegated to special teams. Barryn Sorrell showed flashes on the defensive line, as did Warren Brinson, but as mid-round picks they predictably did not have an outsized impact in year one.

Comparing the Packers rookie class to the rest of the league illuminates the stark reality: they weren’t good. Snap-weighted PFF grades pin Green Bay’s group 28th in the land. Their overall score of 55.2 bested only the Dolphins, Bengals, 49ers, and Steelers. Unimpressive, to say the least.

How well did each rookie class perform in 2025?

1. CHI
2. CAR
3. DET
…
30. SF
31. CIN
32. MIA

Measured by snap-weighted rookie PFF grades, Data from @PFF pic.twitter.com/QkRVNYgpTl

— SFdata9ers (@sfdata9ers) January 21, 2026

Notable rookie Packers in 2025

1st round, 23rd overall – WR Matthew Golden: 29 catches, 361 yards, 49 rush yards

2nd round, 54th overall – G Anthony Belton: 50.0 PFF grade (71st/81), 44.2 pass block grade (72nd), 51.9 run block grade (66th)

3rd round, 87th overall – WR Savion Williams : 10 catches, 78 yards, 37 rush yards

4th round, 124th overall – DE Barryn Sorrell: 6 PFF pressures, 1.5 sacks, 56.7 PFF grade

5th round, 159th overall – DE Collin Oliver: 2 PFF pressures, 31 snaps, 54.9 PFF grade

6th round, 198th overall – DT Warren Brinson: 11 PFF pressures, 273 snaps, 42.8 PFF grade (122nd/134)

undrafted – LB Jamon Johnson: 10 tackles, 67 snaps, 54.2 PFF grade

undrafted – DT Nazir Stackhouse: 4 PFF pressures, 159 snaps, 43.5 PFF grade

Golden, clearly, is the rookie who entered the year with the highest expectations and the most pressure to perform. That won’t change as a sophomore, when the Packers will look for him to make major strides and justify his first-round selection.

He got a head start on that project with four catches for 84 yards, including a touchdown, in Green Bay’s first round loss to the Bears.

Elsewhere in the rookie class, the Packers got notable contributions from Belton, Williams, Sorrell, Brinson, and Stackhouse. Oliver missed most of the year injured before debuting late in the season.

Without a first-round selection in the 2026 draft, the Packers will have to hope they hit on some day two and day three picks, while their sophomores take the next step forward in year two.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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