Ron Wolf, the Hall of Fame general manager who led a football renaissance in Green Bay a generation ago, used to say it took three years to judge a draft.
Wolf was right, too, as it typically takes that long to get a clear grasp whether certain individuals can help, or not.
That doesn’t stop many “experts” from handing out report cards immediately after a draft ends.
Here’s who the Packers selected in the three-day draft and how some of those “experts” viewed Green Bay’s 2024 draft.
Green Bay Packers 2024 draft picks
• Round 1 (No. 25): Jordan Morgan, OL, Arizona
• Round 2 (No. 45): Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
• Round 2 (No. 58): Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
• Round 3 (No. 88): MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC
• Round 3 (No. 91): Ty’Ron Hopper, LB, Missouri
• Round 4 (No. 111): Evan Williams, S, Oregon
• Round 5 (No. 163): Jacob Monk, C/G, Duke
• Round 5 (No. 169): Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State
• Round 6 (No. 202): Travis Glover, OL, Georgia State
• Round 7 (No. 245): Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
• Round 7 (No. 255): Kalen King, CB, Penn State
YAHOO
Grade: B
Analysis: The Packers made a ton of draft picks and came out looking pretty good. Their linebacker picks were questionable (although the entire linebacker class was down this year), but they found a potential franchise left tackle in Jordan Morgan at the end of the first round. They took three safeties as well and might have a tough, versatile duo now between Javon Bullard and Xavier McKinney. MarShawn Lloyd is a quality addition at running back while they test Josh Jacobs for at least a season.
Favorite pick: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona (25th overall)
Least favorite: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M (45th overall)
NFL.com
Grade: B
Analysis: Morgan’s pass-protection skills give him a chance to replace three-time Pro Bowler David Bakhtiari at left tackle, or he could prove himself a nice positional blocker at guard, allowing the Packers to get their five best linemen on the field together. Cooper and Bullard were excellent picks in Round 2, with both filling needs, but I was a bit ambivalent on the team using third-round selections on a running back (albeit a good one in Lloyd) and a second linebacker.
Monk and Glover should provide depth on the offensive line, while Williams’ reliable tackling should make him a good special teams player. Trading a pick to move up for a second safety didn’t seem like the best value, though — especially when you consider Green Bay took another safety just one round later.
Oladapo is also a quality defender, but using three choices on the same position means the team must now rely on free-agent edge rushers and 3-techniques to round out the defense. Pratt was an excellent value pick late in the draft, as was King, who has more upside than his pre-draft evaluation might suggest.
NBC SPORTS
Grade: B-
Analysis: The Packers will be reshaping their roster with five Day 1&2 selections and 11 picks overall. Taking Arizona OT Jordan Morgan over Tyler Guyton was an interesting decision. Morgan made a miraculous recovery from a late-2022 ACL tear by posting the sixth-highest PFF pass block grade in the country (87.3) with a 0.0% blown run block rate in 311 opportunities last year. He allowed just two sacks with a 98.3% blocking efficiency rate and will help to protect QB Jordan Love.
Cooper was worthy of being the first LB taken having accumulated 17.0 TFL, 56 stops (5th in P5) and 27 pressures (7th in P5) while earning first-team All-American accolades for his accomplishments. His 91st percentile PFF defensive grade was the highest mark of any linebacker in the nation.
Bullard boasts an 88.9 PFF cover grade that ranked fifth nationally, as Bullard allowed a microscopic 0.27 yards per coverage snap with a 32% forced incompletion rate. RB Lloyd provides young legs behind the newly signed RB Josh Jacobs, but Hopper, Williams and Monk were all perceived to be reaches at their respective spots.
Also, taking two linebackers and three safeties within their first five selections indicates a complete restructuring of the Packers’ back seven.
CBS SPORTS
Grade: B
Analysis: The Packers do a nice job with the draft, and this one will give them some players who could start as rookies. The Packers clearly drafted for need, landing Morgan, Cooper and second-round safety Javon Bullard. Running back MarShawn Lloyd will be a nice addition to the offense behind Josh Jacobs. Quarterback Michael Pratt in the seventh is a nice pick, even if he won’t play other than for injury.
Best Pick: Second-round linebacker Edgerrin Cooper will pay off in a big way. He can fly and will add a ton of speed on the second level for the Packers.
Worst Pick: I didn’t love the pick of Jordan Morgan in the first. I know they needed line help, more for depth, but I am not a huge fan of Morgan’s game.
THE SPORTING NEWS
Grade: B
Analysis: GM Brian Gutekunst came through to fill key needs with the first three picks. Morgan can be their new left tackle soon to replace David Bakhtiari. Cooper and Bullard give them a lot more impact in the back seven. Lloyd can be a key cog playing off Josh Jacobs. The rest is shaky despite the volume, leading to a slip just below “A” status.