The Green Bay Packers’ edge rushers underwhelmed in 2024 in Jeff Hafley’s new defensive system, and while the team appears to have placed the blame on former defensive line coach Jeff Rebrovich, replacing him with DeMarcus Covington, the Packers could still address the position in the upcoming draft.
Using another first-round pick on a pass rusher feels a little unlikely given the heavy investments the team already has in Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, but here are the top five “Packers type” edge rushers who could be available from Round 2 onwards:
Landon Jackson – Arkansas
A big man at 6-6 and 264 pounds, Jackson has the size the Packers look for in their pass rushers, as well as the athleticism. He posted a 9.78 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), featuring an “elite” explosion score and a “great” speed score, while doing every drill, which is a rarity this year.
Jackson has the power to go through a tackle but also the quickness and explosion to win around the edge or cross their face, and also plays the run with discipline. When he makes plays against either the pass or the run, they are loud, as he thumps the ball carrier.
The snag with Jackson may be that he is actually not consistently productive enough for Green Bay.
Much has been made of the Packers valuing traits in edge rushers over production, but in terms of pressures, Kingsley Enagbare is the least productive pass rusher Brian Gutekunst has drafted, and he averaged 31 per season as a college starter.
The average of his picks is closer to 37 pressures, and Jackson averaged just over 25 per season. Despite his testing, there is some tightness to Jackson’s play and his lanky frame could prevent him from being able to kick inside and rush over guards at the next level.
Of the pass rushers projected to go in the top 50, Jackson is probably the best fit, but he is not a perfect one, and this could lead the Packers to wait to add competition to the room.
Jordan Burch – Oregon
Burch has served as a kind of hybrid edge rusher/defensive lineman in college, standing just over 6-4 and being listed as heavy as 295 pounds, before weighing in at the combine at 279. He ran an impressive 4.67 40-yard dash at that size, but did not do any other testing.
The Packers brought Burch in on a pre-draft visit and he is the type of versatile player they like, capable of moving up and down the line of scrimmage to take advantage of weaknesses in the offensive line.
He has real juice and power on tape, as well as some skills to win with as a rusher. He has averaged 33 pressures per season over the last three years, two at Oregon and one at South Carolina, and had 10 sacks in his final season with the Ducks.
Tweeners can be dangerous, as it can be difficult to settle them in a role and they can end up as a “jack of all trades, master of none,” but Burch is a fun player who has gone under the radar in this class.
Currently ranked 71st on the consensus big board, Burch is a Day 2 option for Green Bay.
Sai’vion Jones – LSU
Jones has elite size for an edge rusher at just under 6-5 ⅓, 280 pounds, and tested well for his size, running a 4.75 in the 40, with a 1.59 10-yard split, which ranks in the 94th percentile.
He also posted a “good” RAS explosion score and a 9.20 overall RAS, although he skipped the agility testing. Jones spent four years at LSU and took a big step forward in 2024, putting up 43 pressures, more than he had in his first three seasons combined, and five sacks.
Despite his experience, Jones is still only 21 years old, which should ease fears of his late breakout season coming as a result of being more physically developed than his opponents.
Jones’ best traits right now are his power and his relentless effort, which helps him have a consistent impact as a pass rusher and also defend the run. He needs to develop and put more pass rush tools in his bag, but there is plenty to work with.
At No. 141 on the consensus big board, Jones could end up looking like a steal in the years to come.
Barryn Sorrell – Texas
Sorrell had 121 pressures and 19 sacks at a major college program over the last three years, did not miss a game in that time, received great character reports as one of the leaders of the third-ranked Texas defense and was a team captain for eight games in 2024.
He also posted a 9.31 RAS, doing every drill. Yet despite all this, he ranks 159th on the consensus big board. Something does not add up.
At 6-3 ⅕, 256 pounds, the 22-year-old is not a plus-sized edge rusher like Green Bay usually drafts, but later in the draft they loosen up the thresholds a bit. He is a similar size to Kingsley Enagbare, a fifth-round pick back in 2021, which is where Sorrell is projected to go.
Sorrell has power and skill in his hands to either go through a tackle or win with technique. He lacks a bit of bend at times and could use more of a pass rush plan, and his run defense is imperfect, but not a liability by any means.
This type of combination of athleticism and production in a pass rusher is not usually available on day three, but there are several guys this year who could provide real value. Sorrell is one of the most underrated players in the entire draft.
Tyler Baron – Miami
Baron is a similar mold of player to Sorrell, maybe just a poor man’s version. He is 6-4 ½, 258 pounds, with an 8.65 RAS, and is an older prospect, having turned 23 last October.
After spending four years at Tennessee, Baron transferred to Miami for his final year. He was productive every year he had significant playing time, with 150 pressures and 25 sacks in his last four college seasons.
He has natural power to drive people back in both phases of the game and can also win with quickness. Baron is a contributor in the run game, with an average PFF run defense grade of 75.3 in the last three seasons.
Ranked 192nd on the consensus big board, Baron is yet another late-round prospect who could be a legitimate NFL pass rusher.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Top 5 ‘Packers type’ edge rushers in 2025 NFL draft: Real value available on Day 3
The Green Bay Packers’ edge rushers underwhelmed in 2024 in Jeff Hafley’s new defensive system, and while the team appears to have placed the blame on former defensive line coach Jeff Rebrovich, replacing him with DeMarcus Covington, the Packers could still address the position in the upcoming draft.
Using another first-round pick on a pass rusher feels a little unlikely given the heavy investments the team already has in Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, but here are the top five “Packers type” edge rushers who could be available from Round 2 onwards:
Landon Jackson – Arkansas
A big man at 6-6 and 264 pounds, Jackson has the size the Packers look for in their pass rushers, as well as the athleticism. He posted a 9.78 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), featuring an “elite” explosion score and a “great” speed score, while doing every drill, which is a rarity this year.
Jackson has the power to go through a tackle but also the quickness and explosion to win around the edge or cross their face, and also plays the run with discipline. When he makes plays against either the pass or the run, they are loud, as he thumps the ball carrier.
The snag with Jackson may be that he is actually not consistently productive enough for Green Bay.
Much has been made of the Packers valuing traits in edge rushers over production, but in terms of pressures, Kingsley Enagbare is the least productive pass rusher Brian Gutekunst has drafted, and he averaged 31 per season as a college starter.
The average of his picks is closer to 37 pressures, and Jackson averaged just over 25 per season. Despite his testing, there is some tightness to Jackson’s play and his lanky frame could prevent him from being able to kick inside and rush over guards at the next level.
Of the pass rushers projected to go in the top 50, Jackson is probably the best fit, but he is not a perfect one, and this could lead the Packers to wait to add competition to the room.
Jordan Burch – Oregon
Burch has served as a kind of hybrid edge rusher/defensive lineman in college, standing just over 6-4 and being listed as heavy as 295 pounds, before weighing in at the combine at 279. He ran an impressive 4.67 40-yard dash at that size, but did not do any other testing.
The Packers brought Burch in on a pre-draft visit and he is the type of versatile player they like, capable of moving up and down the line of scrimmage to take advantage of weaknesses in the offensive line.
He has real juice and power on tape, as well as some skills to win with as a rusher. He has averaged 33 pressures per season over the last three years, two at Oregon and one at South Carolina, and had 10 sacks in his final season with the Ducks.
Tweeners can be dangerous, as it can be difficult to settle them in a role and they can end up as a “jack of all trades, master of none,” but Burch is a fun player who has gone under the radar in this class.
Currently ranked 71st on the consensus big board, Burch is a Day 2 option for Green Bay.
Sai’vion Jones – LSU
Jones has elite size for an edge rusher at just under 6-5 ⅓, 280 pounds, and tested well for his size, running a 4.75 in the 40, with a 1.59 10-yard split, which ranks in the 94th percentile.
He also posted a “good” RAS explosion score and a 9.20 overall RAS, although he skipped the agility testing. Jones spent four years at LSU and took a big step forward in 2024, putting up 43 pressures, more than he had in his first three seasons combined, and five sacks.
Despite his experience, Jones is still only 21 years old, which should ease fears of his late breakout season coming as a result of being more physically developed than his opponents.
Jones’ best traits right now are his power and his relentless effort, which helps him have a consistent impact as a pass rusher and also defend the run. He needs to develop and put more pass rush tools in his bag, but there is plenty to work with.
At No. 141 on the consensus big board, Jones could end up looking like a steal in the years to come.
Barryn Sorrell – Texas
Sorrell had 121 pressures and 19 sacks at a major college program over the last three years, did not miss a game in that time, received great character reports as one of the leaders of the third-ranked Texas defense and was a team captain for eight games in 2024.
He also posted a 9.31 RAS, doing every drill. Yet despite all this, he ranks 159th on the consensus big board. Something does not add up.
At 6-3 ⅕, 256 pounds, the 22-year-old is not a plus-sized edge rusher like Green Bay usually drafts, but later in the draft they loosen up the thresholds a bit. He is a similar size to Kingsley Enagbare, a fifth-round pick back in 2021, which is where Sorrell is projected to go.
Sorrell has power and skill in his hands to either go through a tackle or win with technique. He lacks a bit of bend at times and could use more of a pass rush plan, and his run defense is imperfect, but not a liability by any means.
This type of combination of athleticism and production in a pass rusher is not usually available on day three, but there are several guys this year who could provide real value. Sorrell is one of the most underrated players in the entire draft.
Tyler Baron – Miami
Baron is a similar mold of player to Sorrell, maybe just a poor man’s version. He is 6-4 ½, 258 pounds, with an 8.65 RAS, and is an older prospect, having turned 23 last October.
After spending four years at Tennessee, Baron transferred to Miami for his final year. He was productive every year he had significant playing time, with 150 pressures and 25 sacks in his last four college seasons.
He has natural power to drive people back in both phases of the game and can also win with quickness. Baron is a contributor in the run game, with an average PFF run defense grade of 75.3 in the last three seasons.
Ranked 192nd on the consensus big board, Baron is yet another late-round prospect who could be a legitimate NFL pass rusher.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Top 5 ‘Packers type’ edge rushers in 2025 NFL draft: Real value available on Day 3
