Packers leaning heavily on UDFA recruitment with 30 visits in 2026

As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, news of pre-draft, or ‘30’ visits is filtering in regularly, with the 16 Packers visits already reported from various sources. These are important to keep track of, as in Brian Gutekunst’s tenure as general manager, prospects who come to Green Bay for visits end up on the team at one point or another at a pretty high clip. Of the 216 players who were reported to have visited with the Packers between 2018 and 2025, 48 of them eventually found their way to Green Bay, which is a rate of 22.

22%, almost one in four. That comprises 26 draft picks, eight UDFA signings and 14 who joined Green Bay later. In 2025, five Packers picks were visitors: Matthew Golden, Anthony Belton, Savion Williams, Micah Robinson and John Williams.

Taylor Elgersma signed as a UDFA and Dalton Cooper joined later. In Ted Thompson’s days as GM, pre-draft visits were often used as a recruitment tool for potential UDFA targets, and this is a process Gutekunst has continued on. This year though, there has been a noticeable uptick in those types of visits.

Of the 26 players who were confirmed to have visited with the Packers last year, five were ranked outside of the top 275 players on the consensus big board. In 2026, there are already nine such players from just 16 reported visits so far. Those players are: QB Behren Morton - Texas Tech (ranked 268th) LB Jaden Dugger - Louisiana (322) G Josh Gesky - Illinois (352) S Jacob Thomas - James Madison (371) CB Karon Prunty - Wake Forest (459) LB T.