Full Breakdown
Packers’ Day-2 Draft Moves: Cisse, McClellan and the Search for More Picks
4/25/2026, 11:01:16 PM
Day-2 Selections and Trade
Green Bay chose CB Brandon Cisse at No. 52 and traded up to No. 77 for DT Chris McClellan, giving up a third- and a fifth-round pick. The day ended with five picks left in Rounds 4-7.
Background & Context
The Packers entered the draft without a first-round pick after sending No. 20 overall and DT Kenny Clark to Dallas for pass-rusher Micah Parsons. The trade left cornerback depth and interior line play as top priorities, prompting GM Brian Gutekunst to label the secondary as the team’s biggest need.
Data & Statistics
Pick 52: Cisse – 27 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PBUs.
Pick 77: McClellan – 48 tackles, 8 TFL, 6 Sacks.
Trade cost: picks 84 (original third) and 160 (fifth) to Tampa Bay.
Draft-value charts value the 100th overall pick similarly to the Packers’ combined fourth-, fifth- and sixth-round picks.
Official Statements & Responses
Gutekunst said the draft board was “strong,” the team would not “make picks just to make picks,” and that Cisse is “very young” with “much more left in the tank.” He called McClellan the “best player available” who can line up at nose tackle, three-technique, and as a pass-rusher, and expressed willingness to “move around” on Day 3.
Criticism & Opposition
Analyst Lance Zierlein warned that Cisse’s “lack of instincts” could delay his impact. Fox 6 noted McClellan’s “average first step” and hand-usage issues, questioning whether the trade’s cost justified the upside.
On-the-Ground Reports
Cisse described his selection as “special,” citing his Wisconsin-area code and family’s Packers fandom, and said he looks forward to learning from veteran Keisean Nixon.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
One source says the Packers gave up their original third- and fifth-round picks; another lists picks 84 and 160. Reports also vary on whether five or eight picks remain after the trade.
Why It Matters / Impact
The selections fill the secondary and interior line gaps left by the Parsons trade and Clark’s departure, enabling a 3-4 base defense under coordinator Jonathan Gannon and adding depth to special teams.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We took some cracks at getting back at the bottom of the third round,” — Brian Gutekunst, GM
- “He's very young. We think his best football is ahead of him,” — Brian Gutekunst
- “It’s special,” — Brandon Cisse, CB
- “This was the Packers’ greatest need,” — Rob Demovsky, ESPN
What’s Next
Day 3 gives Green Bay five picks, including two seventh-round compensatory slots. Gutekunst signaled interest in moving up early in Round 4 or trading back for extra assets, with Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr. and safety Charles Demmings among analyst-cited targets.
