The Green Bay Packers selected six players in the 2026 NFL draft, starting with cornerback Brandon Cisse at No. 52 overall. The draft class includes notable picks and potential sleepers.
Key points
Packers made six selections in the 2026 NFL draft
First pick was cornerback Brandon Cisse at No. 52
Last pick was kicker Trey Smack at No. 216
Includes analysis of best picks and potential sleepers
Focus on overall assessment of the draft class
Brandon CisseTrey SmackGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers made six selections in the 2026 NFL draft, starting with cornerback Brandon Cisse at No. 52 overall in the second round and ending with kicker Trey Smack at No. 216 overall in the sixth round.
Itâs time to break down the class. Best picks. Sleepers. Winners. Strategy. Letâs dig in.
Hereâs a closer look at the Packersâ draft class in 2026:
First pick: CB Brandon Cisse
The first pick of any draft class is always the most important pick. In Cisse, the Packers are getting a young (20) and athletic (4.41, 9.25 RAS) prospect at a premium position who checked off the biggest long-term need on the roster. Oh, and Cisse was widely viewed as a top-50 player, and a borderline first-rounder for some. This is just good all the way around. Cisse being young and athletic sets the stage for major upside and growth potential. His selection provides immediate competition at an important position, and a likely 2027 starter. He was also a highly regarded player, in line with the consensus, so there's no concern about a reach. In realistic terms, Cisse falling to No. 52 was something close to a best-case scenario for the Packers.
Best pick: CB Brandon Cisse
The enormous upside of Dani Dennis-Sutton and the potential of Chris McClellan and Jager Burton to be future starters along the defensive front provide compelling arguments here, but the best player in the Packers' class is most likely the first pick, Brandon Cisse. He is nowhere near a finished product, and expecting him to be good as a rookie is a stretch, but Cisse has everything you need to be an upper-tier corner in the NFL. He is lightning quick, with the reactive quickness every corner needs to click-and-close from zone and stay in the hip pocket in man. He is also very fast, with the recovery speed required to make up ground when he loses a rep. And while not impressively big, his leaping ability (41") allows him to go up and compete with the bigger receivers at the rim in contested catch situations. These are all elite traits for Cisse. But he's also aggressive and willing to be physical in all areas, with plus potential defending the run. His 2025 tape is littered with reps where he beats a block and blows up a run or screen on the perimeter. And he'll fight to the death at the catch point. The guess here is this: In three years, when re-evaluating this class, Cisse will be the top player from the Packers' class, a top 20 corner in the league and a player the Packers will want to extend with a big second contract. His upside is huge, but there is also nothing in his profile to stop him from becoming a great player.
Q&A
Who were the Green Bay Packers' top picks in the 2026 NFL draft?
The Packers' top pick in the 2026 NFL draft was cornerback Brandon Cisse, selected at No. 52 overall.
What positions did the Packers draft in 2026?
The Packers drafted various positions, including cornerback, with their first pick being Brandon Cisse.
How many players did the Packers select in the 2026 draft?
The Packers made six selections in the 2026 NFL draft.
Who was the last player picked by the Packers in the 2026 draft?
The last player selected by the Packers in the 2026 draft was kicker Trey Smack at No. 216 overall.
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Sleeper pick: K Trey Smack
We can debate the wisdom of drafting a specialist. We can debate trading two seventh-round picks to trade up for a kicker. But kickers matter, and the Packers just lost a playoff game to a rival because their kicker imploded. Smack was widely viewed as the top kicker in the draft, and his leg strength and accuracy over 50 yards (10/13 in collegiate career) could be a very valuable weapon at the next level. He has range, in good conditions, out to 65 yards. In Smack over Brandon McManus, the Packers would be getting much younger and cheaper at kicker, with four years of contract control. If Smack is a true hit, he could be the most important player in the draft class for the 2026 season and a long-awaited post-Mason Crosby answer at kicker.
Most intriguing pick: Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton
The NFL clearly didn't like Dennis-Sutton as much as the consensus, but it's still hard to square how a player at a premium position with NFL-ready size, consistently good production across multiple seasons at a Big Ten school and a historically good athletic profile fell to the 120th pick in a below average draft. The athletic profile -- which is comparable to Danielle Hunter -- gives Dennis-Sutton a ridiculously high ceiling. While the athletic traits don't always overwhelm opponents on his Penn State tape, there are flashes of the greatness, and it's certainly possible everything will come together and he'll blossom into something more at the pro level. Will DDS become Danielle Hunter 2.0? Probably not. But the Packers have given themselves a legitimate chance to hit a home run with a player at a premium position, and it cost nothing more than an early Day 3 pick. Even if he doesn't hit big, Dennis-Sutton is going to provide the Packers with a big, capable edge rusher who can compete for rotational snaps as a rookie and provide long-term depth alongside Micah Parsons. A draft win dripping with intrigue.
Biggest surprise: Trading up twice
The Packers entered the draft with only eight picks. Brian Gutekunst ended up trading up twice, sacrificing two picks and finishing with only six total picks overall -- his lowest number ever and tied for the lowest in team history. This was surprising, but it speaks to a few things: the confidence in the expected 53-man roster for 2026, and the overall quality of the 2026 draft class. The Packers like their top 60 or so players. And they certainly didn't love the overall depth of this year's draft class. Add it up, and you get a small batch of picks. Also, signing a few intriguing undrafted free agents following the draft (including a few great athletes with draftable grades) helped make up for the lack of overall picks.
Biggest winner: Jonathan Gannon
The Packers didn't have a first-round pick because they acquired All-Pro Micah Parsons last August, and the first three picks of the 2026 class -- Brandon Cisse, Chris McClellan and Dani Dennis-Sutton -- provided more new toys for Gannon to start his tenure in Green Bay. This was not dissimilar to when the Packers (after signing Xavier McKinney) took Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, Ty'Ron Hopper and Evan Williams early in the 2024 draft, greatly assisting Jeff Hafley during his first season as defensive coordinator. Gannon appears to have the tools necessary for early success in Green Bay.
Strategy breakdown: Attacking needs
The Packers entered the draft with big needs at cornerback and defensive tackle and secondary needs at edge rusher and along the offensive line. The first five picks attacked the needs, providing two cornerbacks, a defensive tackle, an edge rusher and an interior offensive lineman. This was a box-checking draft for the Packers. The roster looked fairly healthy long-term entering the draft, and with numbers acquired at the most important need spots, the roster looks really strong past 2026.
Overall assessment
In a unique draft situation lacking a first-round pick, the Packers accomplished what was required to restock the roster at important need spots long-term, all while making completely reasonable decisions in terms of process throughout the weekend. Brandon Cisse at 52 and Dani Dennis-Sutton at 120 were "best case scenario" picks. Chris McClellan and Jager Burton give the Packers a pair of potential starters along the offensive line. McClellan went a little higher than expected, but the Packers had great conviction on him as a rising prospect and ascending player, and he fills a huge long-term need. The class added numbers at cornerback. Cisse and McClellan provide immediate competition at the two important positions. Cisse has Pro Bowl potential, Dennis-Sutton has Day 3 home run potential. Trey Smack is a legitimately good kicker who could solve a recurring special teams problem. Instant draft graders didn't love what the Packers did, but that was mostly the result of not having a first-round pick (which was used to get Micah Parsons) and only making six picks (a legitimate gripe). But the Packers checked boxes that needed to be checked with completely rational decisions. What more can you ask for, given all the factors in play?
