Green Bay Packers Stole Two Players From This Team In Draft

There have been times throughout Brian Gutekunst’s tenure as general manager of the Green Bay Packers that strategy during the NFL Draft has come into question. Namely, how he moves up and down the board looking for value among prospects.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, Gutekunst once again came under fire for that. The Packers made a trade with the New York Jets to move up in the fourth round. They acquired the No. 111 pick in exchange for Nos. 126 and 190 to select Oregon safety Evan Williams.

Many fans thought that was a poor use of assets, surrendering a pick to move up 15 spots to reach for Williams. It was a smart move on Gutekunst’s part, as Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy noted Williams was a hot name in the fourth round for teams around the NFL.

That wasn’t the only time that Gutekunst navigated the draft board perfectly, snagging prospects out from under other teams. He reportedly did it not once, but twice to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

According to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report, the Buccaneers were targeting running back MarShawn Lloyd with their third-round pick. They “really liked” Lloyd but were unable to snag him as the Packers selected the USC product with the pick before Tampa Bay came on the clock.

In the seventh round, the same thing happened. “The Packers also stole a prospect right in front of the Bucs in the seventh round,” reports Reynolds. “Tampa Bay was contemplating drafting Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt in the seventh round.”

The Packers used the No. 245 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Michael Pratt, which was considered excellent value by evaluators. With the No. 246 selection, it was none other than the Buccaneers, who ended up selecting Washington tight end Devin Culp.

Luck is a big part of finding success in the NFL Draft. The Packers had some this year, as three of their 11 picks could have easily been off the board when they sent in their cards.