The Green Bay Packers lack the young blue-chip talent that other NFL contenders possess, and a recent exercise by “The Athletic Football Show” made that reality painfully clear. The hosts drafted the best NFL players under 26 years old, using a specific threshold: no player who turns 26 before Nov. 1 of this season. Not a single Packer was selected.

That omission says something about where Green Bay stands after years of drafting late in the rounds and enduring first-round misses. The Packers have found value in the middle rounds, though, and they do have impactful pieces age 26 or younger who deserve recognition.

Tucker Kraft leads the way

The most valuable under-26 player on the Packers roster is tight end Tucker Kraft, and there’s a strong argument he should have been selected in The Athletic Football Show’s exercise. Kraft turns 26 on Nov. 3, just two days after the cutoff. He was one of the most prolific and efficient tight ends in football based on his 2025 production, with an ascending skill set and an impressive ability to generate yards after contact. Kraft led the league amongst tight ends with 10.8 yards after the catch per reception and was tied for second in yards per route run.

The ACL injury affected his volume numbers last season, but the talent is there for him to become one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

Edgerrin Cooper’s defensive ceiling

The second player on this list is off-ball linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. He wasn’t selected in the exercise, and that’s understandable from a national perspective. For the Packers themselves, though, Cooper carries significant value. He had a phenomenal rookie season in 2024 and somewhat regressed in a full-time role last year, but his combination of pass-rush ability and coverage skill makes him well suited for the modern NFL game. Cooper can be a centerpiece of the Green Bay defense for years.

Evan Williams and Javon Bullard form a valuable safety tandem

Safety Evan Williams might be the most underrated player on this roster. A fourth-round pick in 2023, Williams started his rookie season behind Javon Bullard before taking over as the deep safety. He has developed into a complete player who can cover, defend the run, and shoot gaps in the box with rare athleticism and versatility. Alongside Xavier McKinney, Williams forms one of the best safety duos in the NFL.

Bullard, the fourth player on this list, hasn’t become the deep safety Green Bay initially envisioned. His value lies elsewhere. Bullard took a step forward as a slot corner last season, and with the Packers releasing veteran Nate Hobbs, he’s slated to continue as a full-time starter at the position. His versatility to play multiple spots in the secondary gives the Packers flexibility to deploy heavier personnel packages in the defensive backfield.

Matthew Golden’s projected leap

The fifth name is more of a projection, and that partially proves the point about the Packers needing more young talent. Wide receiver Matthew Golden, last year’s first-round pick, had a quiet rookie season. He didn’t receive many opportunities, and the production wasn’t there in terms of total yardage, volume, or yards per route run. When Golden did touch the ball, though, he was effective.

The expectation in Green Bay this season is that Golden can take a massive leap. The roster no longer includes Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, which should open a clear path for Golden to earn a larger role and become a more productive piece of the Packers offense in Year 2 of his NFL career.

The Packers’ lack of representation on The Athletic Football Show’s list reflects the consequences of drafting late and missing on early picks. Green Bay has found contributors in the middle rounds, but the gap between those players and true young stars across the league remains the front office’s most pressing roster-building challenge.