The Packers Found A Versatile Defensive Steal Late In the 2025 NFL Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Felipe Reis Aceti | Last updated May 1, 2025 12:03 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers had a peculiar 2025 draft class. After heavily investing in defense during the first round in recent years, they did not select a defensive player until the fourth round. They also broke a 22-year streak without drafting a wide receiver on Day 1, selecting Matthew Golden.

General Manager Brian Gutekunst did a good job addressing the trenches on both sides of the ball. However, what caught the attention of fans was the selection of only one cornerback — Micah Robinson out of Tulane — despite the Packers' thin depth at the position.

Green Bay found excellent value on Day 3 of the draft. Barryn Sorrell and John Williams, selected in the fourth and seventh rounds, respectively, were players who should not have been available when the Packers picked them. Both could make a strong case for being the team's biggest steal. However, a hybrid linebacker taken in the fifth round has the potential to make the most impact moving forward, thanks to his versatility.

The Packers selected Collin Oliver with the 159th pick (5th round) of the 2025 NFL Draft. Over four seasons, Oliver recorded 134 pressures and never posted a pass-rush grade lower than 76.2. In 2024, despite playing just 46 pass-rush snaps, he registered 15 pressures, with a 34.8% win rate, a 32.6% pressure rate, and a 90.8 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus.

Over his career at Oklahoma State, Oliver played 1,235 snaps on the defensive line, 531 as an off-ball linebacker, and 61 in the secondary. With such versatility, he is ready to take on any role that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley assigns him.

“Whatever the defensive coordinator wants me to play,” Oliver said after the draft. “It does not matter where I fit in at. To me, I feel like I can be a linebacker, edge rusher. I can be both. It’s whatever the defensive coordinator sees me fit."

Hafley is one of the most creative defensive minds in football, and he should have a lot of fun crafting exotic, unscouted looks to maximize Oliver’s potential and optimize the defense as a whole. His versatility allows him to shine in multiple roles, and if he succeeds, he could emerge as the steal of the 2025 draft.

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

More must-reads: