GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will feel good about their starting five on the offensive line in 2025. They felt good about it in 2024, too, only to see the unit ransacked by the Eagles in the playoffs due to attrition.

If nothing else, the Packers need to crank up the level of competition. They selected three blockers in four of the last five drafts, which should – in theory – provide an ample sample size to figure out general manager Brian Gutekunst’s preferences.

This story leads off with offensive tackles. Later, we’ll turn our attention to the interior linemen.

Arm Length and Offensive Tackles

Typically, teams prefer their offensive tackles to have 34-inch arms. The Packers haven’t been beholden to it, though. Bryan Bulaga and, now, Zach Tom have been stalwarts at right tackle with 33 1/4-inch arms.

Last year’s first-round pick, Jordan Morgan, will challenge Rasheed Walker at left tackle in training camp. Morgan fell short of even 33 inches, measuring 32 7/8. Walker’s got 33 5/8-inch arms.

Of the 20-plus offensive tackles who will be drafted, only UConn’s Chase Lundt (32 7/8) fell short of 33 inches.

Height Among Tackles

The Packers are looking for Goldilocks. Not too short. Not too tall. Just right. Gutekunst has drafted four offensive tackles. Walker is 6-foot-5 5/8, Tom is 6-foot-4 1/4, Morgan is 6-foot-5 and 2024 sixth-round pick Travis Glover is 6-foot-6.

Going back to Ted Thompson, the Packers have drafted 15 linemen who lined up primarily at tackle in the NFL. Only Breno Giacomini (6-7 1/8) in 2008 was taller than 6-foot-6.

That could mean Boston College’s Ozzy Trapilo (6-8 1/8) and Lundt (6-7 1/2) could be off the board in Day 2 and Oregon State’s Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan (6-8 1/4), Rutgers’ Hollin Pierce (6-8 3/8), Iowa State’s Jalen Travis (6-7 3/4), Florida’s Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (6-7 1/4) Alabama A&M’s Carson Vinson (6-7 1/8), Georgia’s Xavier Truss (6-7 1/8), Wisconsin’s Jack Nelson (6-7), Michigan’s Myles Hinton (6-6 3/4) and BYU’s Caleb Etiennne (6-6 3/4) could be off the board in Day 3.

The 40 and Shuttle Among Tackles

The historic Combine average in the 40-yard dash is 5.256 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle is 4.752 seconds.

Laugh if you want at the importance of the 40 but, over the past two decades of drafts, only 2011 first-round pick Derek Sherrod (5.28), 2012 seventh-round pick Andrew Datko (5.32) and Glover (5.27) were slower for the Packers. They didn’t miss by much, and Sherrod (4.63) and Datko (4.54) crushed the shuttle average.

Tom, a magnificent choice in the fourth round, delivered superb times with a 4.94 in the 40 and a 4.47 in the shuttle.

The slow 40s in this draft class? It’s a short list who failed to break 5.30: Lundt (5.40), Iowa’s Mason Richman (5.34) and Cranshaw-Dickson (5.33).

Only two drafted Packers linemen missed the average in the shuttle: 2009 fifth-round pick Jamon Meredith (4.82) and Glover (4.84). Meredith ran a great 40 (5.03), though.

The slow shuttles? It’s a short list, partially because so many linemen skip the test. Indiana’s Trey Wedig (4.90), Hinton (4.94), Travis (4.94), William & Mary’s Charles Grant (4.95) and Truss (5.01) badly missed the mark.

Taken together, only Glover missed the Combine average in both for the Packers. So, that Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery and Grant – a pair of Day 2 prospects – ran slow shuttles (4.82 and 4.95, respectively) might not matter because of their strong 40s (5.01 and 5.09, respectively). Vinson also ran a solid 40 (5.12) with a slow shuttle (4.85), as well.

Relative Athletic Score and Offensive Tackles

RAS places a player’s measurables on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10.0 being best of the best and 0.0 being worst of the worst.

Here are Gutekunst’s picks:

Jordan Morgan (first round, 2024): 9.25

Travis Glover (sixth 2024): 4.72

Zach Tom (fourth round, 2022): 9.59

Rasheed Walker (seventh round, 2022): DNP

Cole Van Lanen (sixth round, 2021): 8.49

And going back further to Thompson’s picks:

Jason Spriggs (second round, 2016): 9.78

Kyle Murphy (sixth round, 2016): DNP

David Bakhtiari (fourth round, 2013): 6.72

Andre Datko (seventh round, 2012): 7.85

Derek Sherrod (first round, 2011): 6.85

Marshall Newhouse (fifth 2010): 7.94

Jamon Meredith (fifth round, 2009): 7.28

Breno Giacomini (fifth round, 2008): 8.34

Allen Barbre (fourth round, 2007): 9.45

Tony Moll (fifth round, 2006): NA

Obviously, with his 4.72, Glover is the real outlier. Previously, Bakhtiari had the lowest RAS at 6.72, a byproduct of being shorter and lighter than the typical prospect.

As a potential early-round pick, Grant (5.77) could be off the board. Glover’s low score opens the door for almost everyone else other than Crenshaw-Dickson (2.52).

Who Are the Best Fits at Offensive Tackle?

Looking purely from a size, length and athleticism perspective, these blockers might fit better than others.

Ohio State’s Josh Simmons: 6-4 7/8, 317. 34 1/8 arms. No workouts.

Oregon’s Josh Conerly: 6-4 5/8, 311. 34 1/4 arms. 5.05 40, DNP shuttle, 8.84 RAS.

Texas’ Kelvin Banks: 6-5 1/8, 315. 33 1/2 arms. 51.6 40, 4.66 shuttle, 8.32 RAS.

Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery: 6-6, 331. 33 1/2 arms. 5.01 40, 4.82 shuttle, 9.42 RAS.

N.C. State’s Anthony Belton: 6-6, 336. 34 5/8 arms. 5.26 40 40, 4.69 shuttle, 7.72 RAS.

Kansas’ Logan Brown: 6-6 3/8, 311. 34 1/4 arms. 5.18 40, 4.51 shuttle, 9.50 RAS.

Oklahoma State’s Dalton Cooper: 6-5 1/2, 326. 33 1/2 arms. 4.99 40, 4.64 shuttle, 9.06 RAS.

Washington State’s Esa Pole: 6-5 1/4, 324. 33 5/8 arms. 5.29 40, 4.72 shuttle, 7.36 RAS.

Cincinnati’s John Williams: 6-4 1/8, 322. 34 1/2 arms. 5.17 40, 4.72 shuttle, 7.60 RAS.

Brian Gutekunst has drafted nine players who lined up primarily at guard or center for the Packers. Plus, he signed Aaron Banks to an enormous contract in free agency. That’s 10 interior blockers to provide a solid sample size.

Arm Length and Interior Linemen

Center Josh Myers had 32-inch arms – the shortest selected by Gutekunst. Going back further, only center Jason Spitz (31 1/4) was shorter than 32 inches.

Last year’s starters were Elgton Jenkins (34 inches), Myers (32 inches) and Sean Rhyan (32 3/8). Banks has 33 1/8-inch arms.

Going with the draft positions listed in Dane Brugler’s draft guide for The Athletic, all the guards who probably will be drafted have arms longer than 32 inches.

Many of the centers check in at shorter than 32 inches, including Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin (31 1/4), Kentucky’s Eli Cox (31 1/8) and Texas’ Jake Majors (31) and USC’s Jonah Monheim (30 1/2).

Height Among Interior Linemen

All of Gutekunst’s picks at guard and center stood at least 6-foot-4 until he broke the mold for five-year Duke starter Jacob Monk in the fifth round last year. At 6-foot-3, he is a real outlier for Gutekunst, though Josh Sitton (6-3 5/8) and Corey Linsley (6-2 5/8) were excellent starters selected by Thompson.

Among guard prospects, only Jacksonville State’s Clay Webb (6-3 5/8) is shorter than 6-foot-4. Height isn’t as important for a center – though Myers’ 6-foot-5 1/4 frame was appealing to Gutekunst – so Georgia’s Jared Wilson (6-3 1/8), Sacramento State’s Jackson Slater (6-3), Majors (6-3 3/8) and Arkansas State’s Jacob Bayer (6-2 3/4) should be fine.

No interior blocker was taller than Myers and Newman (6-5 1/4); Banks is even taller at 6-5 3/8.

At one extreme, there’s Georgia’s Tate Ratledge, who is 6-foot-6 3/8 and one of the top guard prospects in the draft. At the other extreme is North Carolina’s Willie Lampkin, who started 61 games at the three interior spots but is only 5-foot-10. The Packers haven’t drafted a player of either stature.

40 and Shuttle Among Interior Linemen

The historic Combine average in the 40 is 5.289 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle is 4.743 seconds.

The shuttle seemed to be a big deal for a long time. Sitton, T.J. Lang and Linsley were midround studs drafted by Thompson. They crushed the average by 0.25 seconds, 0.33 seconds and 0.22 seconds, respectively.

Gutekunst had hits with Jenkins (4.62) and Runyan (4.69), who were considerably faster, as well, but Rhyan (4.81) was a little slower and Banks (4.92) was considerably slower.

In the 40, Jenkins (5.10), Runyan (5.08) and Monk (5.09) were fast and Cole Madison (5.33) and Jake Hanson (5.50 but coming off an injury) were slow. Banks’ 40 time was a little slower than the average at 5.34.

Of the guards who probably will be drafted, Alabama’s Tyler Booker – a presumptive first-round pick – ran a plodding 5.38. That once upon a time might have taken him off Green Bay’s board but the team seems more interested in power with the addition of Banks. A couple midround options, West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum (5.27) and Miami’s Jalen Rivers (5.29) were a bit slower than the average.

Of the centers who probably will be drafted, Majors was the slowest in a still-decent 5.21 seconds.

In the shuttle, two top prospects at guard produced bad times, with Booker’s 4.84 (but 4.65 at pro day) and Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson (4.84). Also: LSU’s Miles Frazier (4.84) and Jacksonville State’s Webb (4.90). South Carolina’s Torricelli Simpkins had bad times in the 40 (5.45) and shuttle (4.90).

Relative Athletic Score and Interior Linemen

Here are Gutekunst’s picks:

C Jacob Monk (fifth round, 2024): 9.73

G Sean Rhyan (third round, 2022): 9.33

C Josh Myers (second round, 2021): DNP

G Royce Newman (fourth round, 2021): 8.69

G Jon Runyan (sixth round, 2020): 9.45

G Jake Hanson (sixth round, 2020): 3.10

G Simon Stepaniak (sixth round, 2020): DNP

C Elgton Jenkins (second round, 2019): 9.32

G Cole Madison (fifth round, 2018): 6.39

Hanson’s woeful RAS was due to injuring his hamstring during his 40 so probably can be ignored. Otherwise, that’s a lot of high scores. Does it matter, though, with the signing of Banks (7.19 RAS) signaling more of a quest for power over the type of athletes needed to make a pure zone scheme work?

Booker will be an interesting case. With Rhyan set to be a free agent next offseason, he’d solve a potential long-term need. But his RAS was a 3.68. The guess is Gutekunst covets athleticism but maybe not quite as much as a few years ago.

Who Are Best Fits Among Interior Linemen?

Again, these are the fits from a size-length-athleticism perspective and not necessarily talent.

Centers

North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel: 6-6, 312; 32 1/4 arms, DNP 40, 4.60 shuttle. 9.49 RAS at OT, 9.93 at C.

Georgia C Jared Wilson: 6-3 1/8, 310. 32 5/8 arms. 4.84 40, 4.56 shuttle. 9.84 RAS.

Ohio State C Seth McLaughlin: 6-4, 304, 31 1/4 arms. DNP testing, no RAS.

Boston College C Drew Kendall: 6-4 1/4, 308; 32 1/4 arms. 5.05 40, 4.51 shuttle. 9.20 RAS.

Oregon State G/C Joshua Gray: 6-5 1/8, 299. 32 1/8 arms. 5.04 40, 4.65 shuttle. 8.90 RAS at C.

Arkansas State C Jacob Bayer: 6-2 3/4, 306. 32 1/2 arms. 5.20 40, 4.83 shuttle. 7.04 RAS.

Guards

Arizona G/T Jonah Savaiinaea: 6-4 1/8, 324. 34 arms. 4.95 40, 4.66 shuttle. 9.85 RAS at G, 9.19 at OT

Purdue G/T Marcus Mbow: 6-4 1/4, 302. 32 1/2 arms. DNP 40, 4.67 shuttle. No RAS.

Georgia G Dylan Fairchild: 6-5 1/4, 318. 33 arms. DNP workouts. No RAS.

LSU G/T Emery Jones: 6-5 1/4, 315. 34 1/4 arms. DNP workouts. No RAS.

Texas Tech G Caleb Rogers: 6-4 5/8, 312. 32 1/2 arms. 5.10 40, 4.49 shuttle. 9.70 RAS.

Kansas G Bryce Cabeldue: 6-4 1/2, 308. 33 1/4 arms. 4.95 40, 4.59 shuttle. 9.91 RAS.

Wisconsin G Joe Huber: 6-5 1/8, 310. 32 1/2 arms. 5.20 40, 4.78 shuttle. 8.98 RAS.

Cincinnati G Luke Kandra: 6-4 3/4, 320. 32 3/8 arms. 5.17 40, 4.78 shuttle, 9.35 RAS.

LSU G Garrett Dellinger: 6-4 3/4, 320. 33 arms. 5.15 40, 4.66 shuttle. 9.76 RAS.