NFL Draft 2024: First-round targets the Packers should avoid at #25

The Packers have plenty of options with the 25th pick, but some moves may not be ideal.

The 2024 NFL Draft is nearly here, and the Green Bay Packers need to steer clear of a handful of prospects with the 25th pick.

This isn’t to say that the Packers should avoid these prospects altogether if they fall into the second round. However, whether it’s positional value or the prospect themselves, these players would come with significant risk on a first-round pick the Packers need to hit on to contend in 2024.

Of course, the Packers could very well pick one of these prospects in the first round, so get your tweets ready.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Cornerback feels like more of a long-term need, but there are other CB prospects like Cooper DeJean and Terrion Arnold who would be more ideal first-round picks for the Packers.

Kool-Aid McKinstry has all the tools that could make him an excellent coverage corner at the next level. He has good size at just under 6’0” and 199 pounds, good length, and movement skills to stay in front of virtually any receiver.

However, it’s McKinstry’s on-and-off effort that should give draft scouts pause. This particularly shows up in the run game when receivers are able to get hands on him to wash him out of the play. While he has some highlight plays of attacking downhill to make a tackle, there are more instances of him getting himself taken out of the play.

Despite all of McKinstry’s natural ability, the Packers may be better off waiting to take a corner in Day 2.

Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

Offensive line almost certainly feels like the move for the Packers in the first round. That’s partially based on need, but also because of how many top-end OL prospects there are this year. A prospect like Amarius Mims, Graham Barton, or even a potential faller like Olu Fashanu or JC Latham could be a huge win for Green Bay.

However, if all of those guys are off the board, taking Tyler Guyton in the first round would be a mistake.

There’s no denying Guyton’s athletic profile. He’s nearly 6’8” and 322 pounds with a strong 9.73 RAS and excellent movement skills. However, the deficiencies in his game are extremely frustrating for a player of his pedigree.

Guyton consistently struggles as a mover in the run game due to high pad level and poor leg drive. As a puller, he regularly stops his feet and tries to throw a shoulder into defenders instead of trying to engage and wash them out.

If there’s any team that could help Guyton reach his full potential, it’s the Packers. However, there are simply other more valuable OL prospects that would be worth Green Bay’s time in the first round.

Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

This one hurts to write, because Edgerrin Cooper might be one of the most entertaining prospects to watch in this draft class. However, positional value makes it hard to justify the Packers taking their second off-ball linebacker in the first round in three years.

Make no mistake, Cooper should still be on Green Bay’s draft board. He’s an explosive athlete with sideline-to-sideline play speed that could be an awesome WILL linebacker in Jeff Hafley’s new scheme.

Cooper’s issue is that he’s so twitched up that he can come off as over eager at times. This leads to missed tackle attempts when scraping too far over, and rushing his keys instead of trusting his eyes to take the right path downhill. He also needs to be more consistent on the inside when taking on blockers.

There’s a lot that Cooper could bring to the Packers, but a second-round pick would be a more fitting spot for him.