The Green Bay Packers are still focused on the job at hand in the 2024 NFL regular season, but it is also never too early to think about next year’s draft.
Given that the Packers are likely to make the NFL playoffs, they can be expected to pick in the latter portion of the 2025 NFL draft. Nevertheless, there should be plenty of elite talents for Green Bay to choose from.
If the Packers want to shore up their defense, particularly their pass rush, they might want to take a closer look at a name recently brought up by Field Yates of ESPN, who has South Carolina Gamecocks star Kyle Kennard pegged to be selected 26th overall in the first round of the 2025 draft by Green Bay.
Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina
The South Carolina defensive line is among the best position groups in the FBS this season, with Kennard bursting onto the scene in his first season with the program. He is tied for fifth in the nation with 11.5 sacks, and his length and acceleration made him a challenge to block this season. (Kennard drew six penalties on opposing dropbacks, tied for the most in the country.)
Green Bay is middle-of-the-pack in sacks (33) but ranks 28th in pressure rate (28.3%). Kennard can improve that situation.
South Carolina star could be a worthy target for the Green Bay Packers in the 2025 NFL draft
Kennard is a huge reason why the Gamecocks have one of the scariest stop units in the nation in the 2024 college football season. South Carolina finished the regular season 11th nationally with just 18.4 points allowed per game, thanks in large part to the team’s pass rush. The Gamecocks ranked sixth in the nation with a 9.47 percent defensive sack rate, with Kennard making up for 11.5 of the team’s 40.0 sacks.
Apart from the stats mentioned by Yates, the Packers are also just 15th in the NFL in the 2024 campaign thus far with a middling 7.14 percent sack rate.
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