It has become no secret that Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme is predicated on dominant play in the secondary.
Look no further than Xavier McKinney mounting a charge towards a potential Defensive Player of The Year award while intercepting a league-high seven passes in his first season since defecting the New York Giants via free agency.
And, while the Packers are still hoping Jaire Alexander can return and make an impact this postseason, Green Bay may be looking to add a young and dynamic playmaker ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Packers Linked to Top Playmaking Cornerback
After committing significant resources in free agency to sign McKinney last offseason, the Packers could make a similar investment during the 2025 NFL Draft.
That’s exactly what plays out in The 33rd Team’s latest 2025 Mock Draft, with the Packers selecting Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter Jr. with the No. 27 overall pick.
“The NFL loves long corners with instincts and burst,” Kyle Crabbs writes for The 33rd Team. “As a result, they’re likely to grow impatient while waiting to draft Darien Porter. Porter is a highly instinctive player in coverage and has all the uncoachable elements of the position worth betting on.
“The Packers’ last bet on a long, bursty corner didn’t work out so well in Eric Stokes Jr., but Porter has the foundation of a talented perimeter starter. With new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley in place, starting with a blank slate at that spot feels like it could pay dividends.”
Across five seasons in Ames, Porter Jr. logged 51 total tackles with three interceptions, six pass breakups, and even contributed on special teams at times as a punt returner.
Porter Jr. has the upside of being an immediate plug-and-play starter, in a system built upon dominant play on the back-end of a defense.
