The Packers took a swing on Chris McClellan, and the first returns are exactly the kind of thing they were hoping to see.
Green Bay’s choice to take McClellan over Domonique Orange at No. 77 overall drew plenty of reaction when it happened. Some saw the upside right away, especially with McClellan’s pass-rush ability and what that could mean for Micah Parsons.
Others leaned toward Orange, who was a favorite in mock drafts and a popular name around the fanbase. The consensus board backed that view, too.
Still, the Packers made their call, and Orange didn’t go far – the rival Minnesota Vikings grabbed him at No. 82. That kind of draft sequence naturally invites comparisons, especially for Packers fans who still remember the Josh Myers-over-Creed Humphrey outcome and how badly that one aged.
For now, though, McClellan is giving Green Bay a reason to feel better about this one.
He’s been working with the first team throughout the offseason program, and the coaching staff has already noticed how quickly he’s settling in. Defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase didn’t hold back when describing the early progress.
“What we were able to do in two days from a technique, a scheme standpoint, he was picking it up, picking it up, picking it up faster than I thought he would,” said defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase, via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
That’s a strong early sign for a player who is expected to keep building once training camp opens on July 29. It’s also the kind of start Green Bay needed after making a pick that split opinion.
The Packers’ decision also ran a little against Brian Gutekunst’s usual draft leanings. He typically chases athletic traits, even when a prospect needs more development and has less college production. In this case, McClellan was the more productive player, while Orange had the edge in athleticism.
McClellan finished his college career with 8.5 sacks over his final two seasons and 13.5 tackles for loss. Orange had one sack and five tackles for loss. The Packers are betting that McClellan’s football production will matter more than Orange’s physical upside.
Orange still has a clear path to becoming a difference-maker. His run-stopping potential could make him an ideal fit in Minnesota, especially after the Vikings lost Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. That gives him real home-run appeal.
But Green Bay doesn’t need the answer right now. The real verdict on this pick won’t come for a couple of seasons. Until then, McClellan has done the one thing the Packers could ask for early: make a strong first impression and give the coaching staff something to believe in.
In Other News…
Packers No 11 Debate Says Everything About This Franchises Standard
The Packers No. 11 history is a reminder that this franchise has always treated jersey numbers like part of its identity, not just a line on a roster sheet. Jayden Reed has already given the number a modern jolt after arriving as a second-round pick in 2023 and leading Green Bay in receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, but the deeper conversation around No. 11 reaches back through Ty Detmer, David Beverly and Jug Earp to a much different era of Packers football.
What makes the debate interesting is how much it says about Green Bays standards. The number has been worn by players who mattered in their own moments, yet the bar for the best to wear it still points to a figure from the pre-stat era, when versatility and winning carried as much weight as any box score. The case for that old-school standard is strong enough that even the modern names only sharpen the contrast, and the final comparison in the discussion leaves one familiar Packers judgment hanging in the balance.
This Overlooked Rookie Could Change Green Bays Pass Rush Picture
Training camp has a way of turning overlooked additions into real roster conversations, and Nyjalik Kelly is at least putting himself in that lane for Green Bay. The former UCF edge rusher arrived as an undrafted rookie free agent, bringing the kind of size and length that can catch a coachs eye quickly if the pads come on and the motor stays hot.
Kelly is entering a crowded edge-rusher picture, but the Packers are also sorting through some health-related uncertainty at the position, which only adds to the opportunity in front of him. His college production gives him a foundation to work with, and if he can translate that into consistent camp reps, he could make the kind of push that forces Green Bay to keep a closer look than most undrafted rookies usually get.
Packers Already Have One Veteran Signing Under Serious Pressure
Javon Hargrave arrived in Green Bay on a two-year deal to help stabilize a defensive tackle spot that needed proven help, and the Packers are already treating his role like one of the most important roster decisions of the summer. Entering his age-33 season, he is being asked to bring the kind of interior presence that justified the signing, especially with the defensive line still dealing with injuries around him.
The pressure only grows because the Packers also have a young challenger in rookie Chris McClellan, who has been getting chances to work into the mix for playing time. Add in the concerns that have followed Hargrave from his recent injury history and uneven production, and this becomes more than a standard veteran addition. For Green Bay, the question is whether Hargrave can still be the answer up front, or whether the team will be forced to rethink the move sooner than expected.
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