The Green Bay Packers struggled to replace A.J. Dillon last season after he suffered a season-ending injury before the start of the 2024 season. Josh Jacobs was the primary running back last season for head coach Matt LaFleur.
A lot of people expected rookie running back Marshawn Lloyd to be the number two running back, but he was dealt with massive injuries. Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson served as the backup running backs last season, but they didn’t provide the necessary juice in the backfield.
Green Bay Packers Find A.J. Dillon Replacement In 2025 NFL Draft
Green Bay will look to find a running back in the later rounds of the NFL Draft if they feel like Marshawn Lloyd will not be ready for the 2025 season. In the fourth round of the 2025 NFL mock draft, Pro Football Focus has the Packers selecting 123rd overall running back Damien Martinez from the Miami Hurricanes.
“Martinez capped off an impressive senior season at Miami by forcing 42 missed tackles and averaging 4.5 yards after contact per carry. He also added eight forced missed tackles on just 19 receptions.”
Martinez is 6’0″ and weighs 232 lbs. This past season with the Miami Hurricanes, he rushed for 1,002 yards on 159 carries and 10 touchdowns, along with averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 204 yards receiving and zero touchdowns, along with averaging 12.0 yards per reception.
Damien Martinez would be an interesting choice for the Green Bay Packers in the later rounds to find as an A.J. Dillon replacement. This draft class is deep at the running back position. Having Josh Jacobs is a luxury for the Packers, but they need to have some reliability behind him because the running back position is prone to injuries also.
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