The Green Bay Packers this offseason traded Rashan Gary and let Kingsley Enagbare go in free agency. With Micah Parsons coming off a torn ACL, the Packers have a major need for an edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In a seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, Dane Brugler selected Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton with their first pick at No. 52 overall.
Dennis-Sutton is coming off back-to-back seasons of 8.5 sacks. He had 12 tackles for losses and three forced fumbles in 2025 and 13 tackles for losses and two forced fumbles in 2024.
“I do things that not everybody can do, especially in this class, not really anybody,” he said at pro day. “Obviously, physically … I have the size and the speed, but I feel like I have the ability to play the run, chase plays down on the backside. And, obviously, my speed and power, that’s what I feel like is one of my specialties.”
He also tied the school record with three blocked punts.
“And then a thing that nobody does in the class – no matter what position – is play special teams,” he added. “As far as being a defensive guy but also being out there for all four downs: first and second, to stop the run; third down to get after the quarterback; and then fourth down, being able to block punts and make plays on special teams give me an opportunity to get out on the field, no matter what.”
Dennis-Sutton measured 6-foot-5 5/8 and 256 pounds. With a 4.63 in the 40, he posted an elite Relative Athletic Score.
“Dennis-Sutton will find sack production harder to come by against NFL blocking,” Brugler wrote in The Beast, “but he is a commanding presence and has the size, strength and quickness to be a force player on the edge.”
Cornerback In Third Round
The Packers lived on a different kind of edge in the third round with Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun.
Igbinosun is coming off a big-time final season and would fill a big-time need with only Benjamin St-Juste under contract in 2027. PFF charged him with a 47.8 percent catch rate. With zero touchdowns allowed and two interceptions, he allowed a passer rating of just 42.6.
He has more experience than just about any cornerback in the draft. Including 2022 at Ole Miss and the final three seasons at Ohio State, he played 2,801 snaps. He gave up a career catch rate of only 53.0 percent but was penalized 30 times – including a horrendous 16 in 2024. He cleaned that up and was flagged five times in 2025.
Igbinosun credited defensive coordinator Matt Patricia for the improvement.
“Coach P spent a lot of time with me just watching my film for my junior season, just teaching me how to be more poised and teaching me how to be just more calm and more relaxed at the top of the route,” he said at the Combine.
Trench Warfare
Brugler addressed the trenches with the next three picks.
In the fourth round, the choice was Oklahoma’s Febechi Nwaiwu. Of 88 FBS-level guards in this draft class with 370 pass-protecting reps, he finished first in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency and did not allow a sack. He’d be a perfect Packers pick from this perspective: He started two games at center in 2025 and played every position but left tackle in his career.
With the first of the fifth-round picks, the choice was Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan. At 6-foot-1 1/8 and 327 pounds, he’d have a chance to be the team’s starting nose tackle sooner than later.
“With me being 6-foot-2, I ain’t 6-foot-5, so I ain’t got the arm length that some of these guys have,” Keenan said at the Scouting Combine. “Some of these guys can touch their knees standing up. So, I have to make sure I get my hands inside, get them on the offensive lineman quick, because the first person that strikes and gets their feet across the line, they win.”
With the second of the fifth-round picks, Brugler picked Texas A&M right tackle Dametrious Crownover. This was the one questionable selection. At 6-foot-6 7/8 and 319 pounds, he ran a great 40 but a horrendous shuttle; the shuttle could keep him off Green Bay’s board. So, too, could his 11 penalties in 2025.
Familiar Faces
The final three picks were used on players who took predraft visits.
Sixth round: Indiana RB Kaelon Black
“We’re certainly going to add competition to that room,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the owners meetings. “But I like whether it’s MarShawn, as we get him healthy and get him going, Pierre Strong’s there. There’s guys we really like, but I’m sure there will be more competition to come.”
Seventh round: Louisiana LB Jaden Dugger
Seventh round: Central Michigan edge Michael Heldman
“I would love to get drafted, but, you know what? Regardless, whatever team wants me, they’re getting a dawg,” Heldman said at pro day.
Like Dennis-Sutton, Heldman had elite testing numbers.
“I felt like I had some of the best testing numbers out of all the edges in this draft class,” Heldman said.
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