Great fits for Packers at top 5 need positions in 2026 NFL draft

The Green Bay Packers have eight picks in the 2026 NFL draft and a chance to provide young, developmental answers for roster needs. The event begins on Thursday night with the first round, starts up again Friday night with the second and third rounds and finishes on Saturday with Rounds 3-7. The Packers aren't scheduled to go on the clock until No. 52 overall in the second round.

Who will general manager Brian Gutekunst target to solidify his roster this week?

Here’s one great fit at each of the Packers’ need positions for each day of the 2026 NFL draft, leaving out Day 1 as the Packers do not have a first-round pick:

Defensive tackle

Day 2: Christen Miller, Georgia/Domonique Orange, Iowa State: It's possible Miller, the 46th player on the consensus board, will be gone by No. 52. And the Packers can't expect Orange, the 68th overall player, to last until No. 84. But both players make sense for what the Packers need up front. Miller was rock solid as a versatile defensive lineman at Georgia, while Orange consistently plugged the middle of Iowa State's funky 3-3-5 scheme and could be a natural fit on the nose in Green Bay's new 3-4 front. If Miller and Orange aren't around, don't be surprised if the Packers take a Day 2 swing on Kaleb Proctor, who has massive potential as an interior disruptor.

Day 3: DeMonte Capehart, Clemson/Jordan van den Berg, Georgia Tech: Capehart was a part-time player at Clemson, but he would instantly provide a valuable blend of size and elite athleticism to the defensive front. He's strong as a run defender and might have untapped upside as a rusher, given his explosiveness. van den Berg, a pre-draft visitor, has an intriguing combination of size, athleticism and effort, and he blossomed as a disruptor in 2025.

Cornerback

Day 2: Three names to watch: Georgia's Daylen Everette, Arkansas' Julian Neal and Ohio State's Davison Igbinosun: All three have an attractive combination of length, perimeter experience and athleticism, making them obvious Packers types. Green Bay would probably love if one of Chris Johnson, Brandon Cisse or Colton Hood fell into range in the second round, but there will be ample options available at corner.

Day 3: Three names to watch: Texas A&M's Will Lee III, SFA's Charles Demmings and Houston's Latrell McCutchin: Another trio featuring the size and athleticism the Packers want in corners. Lee and Demmings were pre-draft visitors and could be ideal mid-round options, while McCutchin in a near perfect athletic fit.

Edge rusher

Day 2: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State or Gabe Jacas, Illinois: The second round could offer the Packers a pair of big, athletic edge rushers who played a lot of football at Big Ten programs. Jacas, the 53rd overall player on the consensus big board, is seen as the better player, but Dennis-Sutton, ranked No. 72, has a profile of size, athleticism and production that rarely produces busts at edge rusher.

Day 3: Michael Heldman, Central Michigan: The Packers probably don't need to take a late-round swing at edge rusher, but Heldman might be worth it given his impressive 2025 season and truly elite pre-draft testing. He looks the part, plays with effort and is an easy mover at 268 pounds.

Running back

Day 2: Mike Washington Jr, Arkansas: The Packers hosted Washington on a visit pre-draft. He is big, explosive and dripping with big-play potential, although he'll need to become a more well-rounded back in terms of receiving and blocking. It would be easy to see Green Bay falling in love with his potential, and running back is a sneaky need area.

Day 3: Kaelon Black, Indiana/Nicholas Singleton, Penn State: Black does just about everything well at the running back position and was a pre-draft visitor, suggesting true interest. Singleton is more of the big-play threat, and he can return kickoffs. Both would fit nicely as a secondary option early with starting potential down the road.

Offensive line

Day 2: Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M: The most Packers-y offensive lineman prospect since Zach Tom. He brings vast left tackle experience, elite pre-draft testing, elite pass blocking and multi-position versatility. In fact, he played some center for Texas A&M. Packer. Florida's Austin Barber is another option if the Packers want a tackle type.

Day 3: Logan Taylor, Boston College: What about another elite pre-draft tester with size and versatility? Taylor played every position but center at the collegiate level. He could be a capable guard who can play tackle in a pinch at the NFL level.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Great fits for Packers at top 5 need positions in 2026 NFL draft