Every year, once the NFL season concludes, the attention of all 32 teams turns to the NFL Draft. And that’s no different for the Green Bay Packers in 2026, with Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst hoping that their picks this year can help them go even further in the postseason.

Green Bay is currently seen as a potential contender for the 2027 Super Bowl, but a strong draft class will go a long way toward boosting its aspirations in the eyes of fans. The Packers will be strongly backed across North America next season, including in Canada, where fans can check out the best sportsbook bonuses on Canada Sports Betting.

However, the Green and Gold’s picks in 2025 will play a big part in that push, too. Here’s a look at what the team’s top three picks from last year’s draft class need to do in their sophomore NFL seasons.

Matthew Golden

The Packers ended a two-decade streak by selecting wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round with the 23rd overall pick of the 2025 Draft. There were encouraging signs in his debut season as he racked up 361 receiving yards on 29 catches.

Now, the franchise has cleared the way for him to assume a greater role, following the departure of Romeo Doubs and trade of Dontayvion Wicks to the Eagles. It’s now on Golden to show he can be trusted with that responsibility.

For all the potential, his first touchdown of the whole season came in the Wild Card loss to the Chicago Bears, and there were elements of Golden’s play that can be refined, such as the angle he takes when catching the ball - something that cost him a potential touchdown in the Week 3 loss against the Cleveland Browns.

Nevertheless, injuries did disrupt his debut year, as he missed three games. If he becomes a more consistent threat, he could form a dangerous partnership with Jordan Love.

Anthony Belton

Although drafted as a tackle in the second round, Anthony Belton was shifted to right guard after Elgton Jenkins picked up a lower-leg injury. The NC State graduate then remained there for the rest of the season.

Gutekunst has now said that he wants to see the offensive lineman stay at that position heading into 2026. While there were flashes of quality from the 25-year-old over his 14 games in the regular season, he did allow an 8.91% pressure rate, ranking 32nd among right guards.

The key for Belton is to now get that number down. This should be possible as he becomes more familiar with the position through the offseason and during training camp.

Savion Williams

In many ways, Savion Williams’ situation mirrors that of fellow wide receiver Matthew Golden. The Packers are likely to place more faith in their third-round pick from last year heading into the 2026 season following the moves made in the offseason.

Williams will remain behind Golden, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed in the pecking order, but he showed that in a limited role, he can still have an impact. During his debut year, he had 10 receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown, mostly operating as a gadget player.

Heading into 2026 with a greater share of the workload placed on his shoulders, more traditional roles will likely open up for Williams. He now needs to prove to LaFleur that he can be trusted in the long term.