Brian Gutekunst was in attendance for the Clemson vs. Georgia matchup at Mercedez-Benz Stadium on Saturday, per Jordan Reid of ESPN. Following the conclusion of that game, Green Bay’s general manager was at College Station for a nightcap between Notre Dame and Texas A&M, per Jim Nagy of the Senior Bowl.
Along with Gutekunst being in SEC country, Green Bay’s director of football operations, Milt Hendrickson was in attendance for the Iowa vs. Illinois State matchup, while Green Bay’s director of college scouting Matt Malaspina was at Penn State vs. West Virginia, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
The next Bulldog defender
Since 2021, the Georgia Bulldogs have had 23 defensive players selected in the NFL Draft. They’ll add more to that tally in the 2025 NFL Draft with Malaki Starks and Mykel Williams both likely going in the first round.
Another potential first-rounder for the Bulldogs is Jalon Walker. It was hard not to notice the former five-star recruit out on Saturday as he led the team in tackles (six), added 1.5 sacks, and two pressures.
The below clip showcases Walker’s strength at the point of attack. It’s teach tape for setting the edge. On the previous play (next clip), Walker was a backside defender and showcased the pursuit speed to track the ball carrier down for no gain. It was an impressive two-play sequence that showcased his skillset.
The Bulldogs line Walker up all over the front seven. It doesn’t matter if he lines up off the ball or on the edge, he makes a difference. That potential hybrid skill set, coupled with his athleticism could make him a possible target for the Packers as they look to add to a budding front seven.
DL talent on display at College Station
With the pieces that the Packers have in place along the defensive line, they don’t have a pressing need to add more talent to that group. If Gutekunst opts to add another piece to that group, he got a good look at some potential targets while at College Station.
Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner was active on Saturday against Notre Dame. The 6-3, 289-pound defensive linemen showcased power to bench press offensive linemen and was stout at the point of attack. He finished the game with a .5 tackle for loss and two run stops.
Along with Turner, Gutekunst got a good look at Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton, who has an ideal frame and plays with a ton of power. The Purdue transfer finished his first game as an Aggie with one sack and a pair of pressures. He showcased his inside spin move that he utilized frequently during his time at Purdue.
Other defensive lineman prospects that Gutekunst got a first-hand look at that could be potential targets in the upcoming draft include Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Rylie Mills (Notre Dame), Jordan Botelho (Notre Dame) and R.J. Oben (Notre Dame).
Dynamic RB
With AJ Dillon’s career in Green Bay likely over, the Packers could be in the market for a running back in the 2025 draft.
Malaspina got a look at Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton, who finished the game against West Virginia with 114 rushing yards and one touchdown.
The Penn State running back is an explosive runner, who runs with good patience and vision. He showcased his home-run ability on Saturday with a 40-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter.
Another DE from Iowa
The Hawkeyes have a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, including a handful of defensive linemen who could get drafted in April.
Max Llewellyn is one of those linemen. The 6-5, 258-pound edge rusher finished the game with 1.5 tackles for loss on 26 snaps. When he was on the field, it was hard not to notice. He plays with a persistent motor and showcases outstanding burst.