We’re just days away from the start of the regular season and the beginning of another Green Bay Packers quest to claim a Super Bowl trophy.
The Packers hope to start fast and forget last year’s finish of five straight losses, which included blowing a 21-3 lead to lose to the Chicago Bears in the playoffs. Micah Parsons will miss at least the first four games, but Tucker Kraft, Zach Bako-Bewele, and Devonte Wyatt are all set to return from injury.
Returning those veterans who weren’t around at the end of last season will be huge, but Green Bay will also need its young guys to step up if they want to be a contender. The Packers took six players in the 2026 draft, and some will be relied on right away.
With the season opener against the Minnesota
Vikings less than a week away, here’s where each rookie draft pick stands entering the regular season.
Second round, No. 52 overall: CB Brandon Cisse
Last week, Brian Gutekunst revealed that Green Bay had a first-round grade on Cisse. It’s still early, but the talented 21-year-old corner has certainly looked the part.
Coming off an impressive training camp, Cisse has positioned himself to start in Week 1, which is something even Jaire Alexander didn’t accomplish as the 18th overall pick in 2018.
Perhaps that says something about the current state of the Packers’ corner room, but the early returns from the rookie have still been promising. Throwing Cisse into the fire early could pay off down the stretch.
Third round, No. 77 overall: DL Chris McClellan
McClellan showed flashes of his run-stopping and pass-rushing prowess during the preseason, but he’ll start the season as a reserve. Fortunately, the Packers like to rotate their defensive tackles, so he should eventually get an opportunity.
McClellan has the potential ceiling of a three-down nose tackle. Now, it’s up to him to keep developing and make the most of any reps he gets in Year 1.
Fourth round, No. 120 overall: Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton
Green Bay’s fourth-rounder announced his presence in a big way when he finally made his debut in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Dennis-Sutton recorded a sack on his very first defensive drive and finished with a team-high five pressures.
Like McClellan, he’ll be competing for snaps as a rotational player, but the Packers are looking for someone to pick up the slack until Parsons is back. Even if that doesn’t end up being Dennis-Sutton, he has some intriguing tools and has a chance to contribute on special teams.
Fifth round, No. 153 overall: OL Jager Burton
Early on, Burton looked like a legitimate option to start on opening day. If Aaron Banks’ lingering knee tendinitis keeps him out for Week 1, Burton could be the guy at left guard, but expect the Packers to go with the more experienced five when everyone is healthy. That’s not to say Burton can’t eventually break through at either guard spot or step in if someone gets hurt.
Sixth round, No. 201 overall: CB Domani Jackson
Core muscle surgery forced Jackson to miss the start of training camp, but he played in the last two preseason games, with less-than-encouraging results. According to Pro Football Focus, the rookie out of Alabama allowed an NFL passer rating of 156.3 against his coverage and missed three tackles.
Jackson didn’t make it through final roster cuts, but did get signed to the practice squad and will now get the chance to show signs of growth to the same coaching staff.
Sixth round, No. 216 overall: K Trey Smack
Smack had one of the most impressive training camp turnarounds in recent memory. It looked like Green Bay needed to bring in some competition until Smack turned things around on Family Night. He was a perfect 9-for-9 in the preseason with three makes from over 50 yards. The pressure will turn up drastically during the regular season, but for now, the Packers are putting their faith in a sixth-round rookie.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Where each Packers rookie draft pick stands entering 2026 regular season
