Next up in my way to early look ahead to the Green Bay Packers’ 2025 NFL draft, we’re taking a closer look at the cornerback position, with 10 names to keep your eyes on during the college football season.
Pro Football Focus has recently gone through all 11 positions and picked the top 10 draft prospects from each. Here is who they chose at cornerback. For more details on each player, click here.
Will Johnson, Michigan
On paper, cornerback shouldn’t be a pressing need for the Packers during the 2025 NFL draft. At that time, Jaire Alexander, Keisean Nixon, and Carrington Valentine will all still be under contract through the 2026 season. Kalen King will also have three years left on his rookie deal at that time as well.
However, depth and competition could be on GM Brian Gutekunst’s radar, depending on what happens with Eric Stokes, who is a free agent in 2025. If Stokes returns then an already potentially small need decreases even further.
But if Stokes ends up elsewhere, the Packers will have to add to the middle and back-end portion of that room, especially with Corey Ballentine slated to be a free agent as well.
This is a unit that does have some question marks coming into the upcoming season, but Matt LaFleur recently mentioned that he likes the depth that they have at this position, with Stokes healthy and Valentine bulking up during the offseason.
The fact that the only outside addition made at cornerback this offseason came in the seventh round of the draft tells us that, internally, the Packers are bullish about this group.
“I feel really, really confident with the group that we have,” said LaFleur during minicamp, “and there’s going to be some unforeseen things that happen but luckily we’ve got a lot of depth, in particular at that position.”
Last season, the Packers’ defense generated just seven interceptions, the second-fewest in football, and ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed. Jeff Hafley’s vision-based defense that utilizes more press-man coverage than Joe Barry did should help put the cornerbacks in a position to make plays on the ball more often.
