Affecting the quarterback is a must in today's NFL. And it's something that the Green Bay Packers failed to consistently achieve throughout the 2024 season. For several reasons, including underwhelming performances of players like Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, and a coaching job that motivated a change, the Packers felt they needed more.
The first step was hiring former New England Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington as the team's new defensive line coach. The second came in the draft, with the addition of Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round and Collin Oliver in the fifth.
"Absolutely," general manager Brian Gutekunst quickly said when asked if they could be immediate contributors. "Obviously, there's gonna be a transition there. They are two different guys. One guy (Sorrell) wins with a lot of power, length, hands, the other guy (Oliver) has some athleticism and speed, just plays on his feet a little bit as well. So I think there's some versatility there. Both of those guys can contribute. But again, we'll see, once those guys come into the National Football League, it's a different ballgame."
Barryn Sorrell is a classic Packer
It's hard to find many more Packers-y prospects than Sorrell in this class. He's 6-3, 256 pounds, and has a 9.27 Relative Athletic Score. But he's more pro ready than players Green Bay frequently takes, and his productivity in college was more significant.
Last year, he had six sacks at Texas, finishing his college career with 15.5. He had a 13.4% pass rush win rate, well above average in this year's class.
Sorrell had a beautiful moment after the draft. He was in the green room and waited until the fourth round. Then, used his first press conference as a Packer to thank his parents, an emotional experience for him. When asked about a player who inspired him, Rashan Gary was his choice.
"I think my best is still in front of me, and I've just been developing, just getting better year in and year out," Sorrell said. "Just watching (Gary's) tape, similar body types, there's a lot of things that I learned and tried to emulate and use in my game. I'm ready to actually get face to face with him and actually sit down and learn."
Out of the comfort zone
Last year, the Packers' most efficient pass rusher was Brenton Cox Jr., who's also the lightest. It doesn't mean that they will chase lighter guys all the time, but adding a more flashy player to the defense was part of the equation to draft Collin Oliver, from Oklahoma State. He's an off-ball linebacker/edge hybrid, but the Packers will keep things with him in the defensive end room.
Oliver is basically a designated pass rusher, with an impressive ability to affect the passer, even if his run defense profile is weak.
"The game has evolved, especially in the last five to ten years, where the ball gets out so quickly that you have to have guys that can win in different ways," said Packers director of football operations Milt Hendrickson. "And you need guys that are more than power rushers."
Last year, Oliver suffered a foot injury that made him miss most of the season. Even so, he finished his college career with 23.5 total sacks—and that is splitting time between the edge and playing off the ball.
The Packers took two different types of players, but both offer Jeff Hafley more depth and options to be aggressive in 2025 and beyond.
