Will the Packers Finally Draft A First-Round Wide Receiver?

At FanDuel, wide receiver has the third-best odds to be the Packers' first drafted position, trailing only defensive line/edge and cornerback—understandable, given that Brian Gutekunst has selected defensive line, edge, or cornerback in the first round in five of his seven drafts as Green Bay’s GM.

The Packers have not selected a wide receiver in the first round since 2002. However, Gutekunst has shown no reluctance toward drafting one in the first round, especially if the value aligns with the team’s needs.

“I don’t think we’d ever hesitate to take a receiver in the first round if the right one was there,” he said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We certainly talked about it at different times in the last seven years since I’ve been in this spot, trying to make that happen.”

Green Bay has hosted visits with the top three wide receivers in the 2025 draft—Emeka Egbuka, Tetairoa McMillan, and Matthew Golden. It's worth noting that the Packers often use these visits to address any doubts they have about prospects. If they do so with any of these three, the odds of selecting them could increase.

Early in the offseason, there was speculation about Green Bay potentially trading for a proven number-one receiver, but they ultimately stood pat, reflecting Brian Gutekunst's confidence in his current group. While history suggests the Packers prioritize defense in the first round under Gutekunst, the long-term outlook of the wide receiver position makes drafting a first-round wideout this year more logical than any year since he took over GM duties in 2018.