The Green Bay Packers have traded up in the first round during each of Brian Gutekunst’s first three drafts as general manager, and going into the 2021 draft with 10 total picks and a low draft slot in each round could put the Packers in a prime position to move up for a fourth straight year.
Gutekunst told Larry McCarren of the team’s official site that he’s confident the Packers can move around the draft board – including moving up for a player – if the team finds the right situation at the event later this month.
“Yeah, I feel like we’ll be able to move around the board a little bit to get the players we want,” Gutekunst said. “When you have the kind of season we had last year, you’re picking at the bottom of every round, which obviously makes it a little more difficult, but with the added picks, if there’s a player we need to go up and get, we’ll be able to do it.”
Last April, Gutekunst moved up to No. 26 overall – at the cost of a fourth-round pick – to draft quarterback Jordan Love. During his first two drafts, he traded up for cornerback Jaire Alexander (after initially trading down) and safety Darnell Savage, making aggressive moves for each player.
The Packers have 10 picks this year, including three compensatory picks. The extra ammunition in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds should give Gutekunst the kind of flexibility needed to move up and get a player or two during the draft’s first two days.
Cornerback and offensive tackle are two premium positions with quality players at the top of the draft class that the Packers could trade up to acquire in the first or second round.
The Packers hold picks No. 29, No. 62, No. 92, No. 135, No. 142, No. 173, No. 178, No. 214, No. 220 and No. 256 in the 2021 draft.
Notable Packers trade ups under Gutekunst
2018 (Jaire Alexander): Packers get No. 18 and No. 248 from Seahawks for No. 27, No. 76 and No. 186
2018 (Oren Burks): Packers get No. 88 from Panthers for No. 101 and No. 147
2019 (Darnell Savage): Packers get No. 21 from Seahawks for No. 30, No. 114 and No. 118
2020 (Jordan Love): Packers get No. 26 from Dolphins for No. 30 and No. 136
