When do the Packers pick? NFL Draft's 2nd round underway Friday

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Having traded their first-round pick in last season's swap for star edge rusher Micah Parsons, the Green Bay Packers will look to make their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft's second round on Friday night.

Packers draft history

The backstory:

The Packers' recent draft history tells us two things. Despite a recent shift, the team usually uses its first pick in the draft defense. The team also tends to prioritize offense in the second round. How that pans out, with their first selection this year coming in the second round instead of the first, remains to be seen.

Since 2015, Green Bay has used nine of its 12 first-round picks on a defensive player. In 2017, when they made their first pick in the second round, they took cornerback Kevin King. But the team has gone offense to lead off back-to-back drafts, with wide receiver Matthew Golden (2025) and offensive lineman Jordan Morgan (2024).

History also tells us, regardless of the round, it would be unusual for Green Bay to use its first selection on an offensive player in three consecutive drafts. That hasn't happened in nearly four decades, and perhaps for good reason, because the results were a mixed bag: running back Brent Fullwood in 1987, eventual Hall of Fame receiver Stering Sharpe in 1988 and offensive lineman Tony Mandarich – who became known as an all-time draft bust – in 1989.

When do the Packers pick?

By the numbers:

The Packers enter the 2026 NFL Draft with eight selections, one more than they did a year ago. Having traded the No. 20 overall pick to Dallas in the Parsons trade, Green Bay's first pick is slated to be No. 52 overall.

Entering draft night

Round 2, Pick 20 (52)
Round 3, Pick 20 (84)
Round 4, Pick 20 (120)
Round 5, Pick 13 (153, via trade)
Round 5, Pick 20 (160)
Round 6, Pick 20 (201)
Round 7, Pick 20 (236)
Round 7, Pick 39 (255, compensatory)

The fifth-round pick is from the Atlanta Falcons via the Philadelphia Eagles, who sent it to Green Bay in the trade for Dontayvion Wicks. The seventh-round compensatory pick, the third-to-last pick of the draft, was awarded for a combination of free agent signings and losses, according to the team.

This will be the first draft with Ed Policy in place as the organization's chief executive, having taken the reins from Mark Murphy last summer.

Brian Gutekunst

By the numbers:

Since 2018, when Brian Gutekunst took over as general manager, the Packers have made 80 total draft picks – 40 offense, 37 defense and three special teams:

Quarterback (three), running back (five), tight end (four), wide receiver (12), offensive line (16), defensive line (10), linebacker (12), cornerback (eight), safety (seven), kicker (one), punter (one), long snapper (one)

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Looking to the second round, where Green Bay will likely make its first pick this year, Gutekunst's focus has been on offense, using seven of his 10 selections on that side of the ball. The same goes in round three, with seven of nine picks building the offense.

The last day of the draft has been relatively balanced. Gustekunst has picked 25 defensive players, 23 offensive players and three specialists across rounds four, five, six and seven during his tenure.

By round

First round: Linebacker (three), cornerback (two), defensive line (one), offensive line (one), quarterback (one), safety (one), wide receiver (one)
Second round: Offensive line (three), wide receiver (two), cornerback (one), linebacker (one), running back (one), safety (one), wide receiver (one)
Third round: Tight end (three), linebacker (two), wide receiver (two), offensive line (one), running back (one)
Fourth round: Defensive line (two), offensive line (two), wide receiver (two), safety (one)
Fifth round: Defensive line (three), linebacker (two), offensive line (two), wide receiver (two), cornerback (one), punter (one), quarterback (one), safety (one)
Sixth round: Offensive line (five), defensive line (two), cornerback (one), kicker (one), linebacker (one), running back (one), wide receiver (one)
Seventh round: Cornerback (three), linebacker (three), safety (three), defensive line (two), offensive line (two), running back (two), wide receiver (two), long snapper (one), quarterback (one)

Offseason highlights

The Source: FOX6 News produced this report with information from the Green Bay Packers.

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