Matt from Fitchburg, WI

Really want to thank Mike for including my picture in the heading of Monday's column. I could definitely pick myself out in that crowd.

Never let it be said our readers aren't the stars of the show.

Julian from Gastonia, NC

This is the week of draft grades. Has anyone ever had a teacher that gave out grades before the test was taken?

Sure would've saved me a lot of time and trouble.

Allen from Fairhope, AL

II: Sorry, Mike, but for Full Consistency, "Unrestricted Free Agent" should be abbreviated as URFA. :) Also, neither four-letter abbreviation is an acronym.

I didn't brew the alphabet soup, I'm just trying to keep the crackers out of it.

John from Appleton, WI

When will the Packers assign jersey numbers for this year's draft class? I am anxious to head to the Packers Pro Shop for a customized "Sorrell" jersey.

All the numbers will be assigned when they arrive later this week for rookie minicamp. Thus far, Matthew Golden has No. 22 and Savion Williams No. 83, but we'll know the rest in another day or so.

Jack from Chicago, IL

I can't be alone in this but my favorite part of draft weekend is getting to hear the pressers from the scouting department. In particular Jon-Eric Sullivan. I'm enjoying his while I can.

I get a kick out of hearing the scouting lingo when personnel execs like Sullivan and Milt Hendrickson take the podium. It gives a little peek into their world. The "scout speak" slips out of Gutey every once in a while, but I think he tries to avoid it.

Steve from Scranton, PA

Mike, though not often mentioned, GB seems to rotate their D-linemen much more than other teams. For example, Jalen Carter and Myles Garrett played well over 800 snaps last season, while Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary logged under 700. Interesting that DT and edge positions weren't addressed until Day 3. Having used recent first-round picks on Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt, is Gutey now relatively "devaluating" the D-line in favor of other positions (O-line, LB, WR) where starters take the majority of snaps?

Not at all. Drafts fall the way they fall. For all we know, they had their eye on DT and edge prospects that got snatched up shortly before the Packers went on the clock in the early rounds. We knew a trade up wasn't likely with Gutey having only eight picks going in.

Brett from Milwaukee, WI

In all of the rounds, who do you think was taken one or two picks before the Packers, that we likely would have jumped on if they were there? Any guesses?

Couldn't say, but as a follow-up to Steve's inquiry above, my pick in the first round, Oregon DT Derrick Harmon, went at 21, two picks before the Packers. In the second round, edge rushers Scourton from Texas A&M and Oladejo from UCLA were taken two and three picks before Anthony Belton, and in the third round, another Oregon DT was taken one pick before Williams. Both a beauty and frustration of watching/covering a draft is not knowing the board.

Michael from St. Louis, MO

On Day 3 of the draft, I was confused when Gute selected two smaller pass rushers. In the article "10 Things Learned from Packers GM Brian Gutekunst at the NFL Scouting Combine," it is mentioned in point No. 4 that having smaller pass rushers is a risk due to injuries and limited snap counts. When I read that, I took it to mean he didn't really care for smaller pass rushers. Was he just blowing smoke before the draft?

Again, not at all. I took his comments at the combine to mean he wasn't likely to spend a high draft pick on an undersized speed rusher, because the value isn't there, so seeing those Day 3 picks didn't contradict that. By all accounts, Barryn Sorrell plays bigger and stronger than his listed 256 anyway. His 28 reps on the bench at the combine tied for ninth among all players, tied for second among edge rushers, and was just five reps off the top number. He's a strong dude. Drafting the undersized speed rusher in the fifth round, with Collin Oliver able to play some off-ball linebacker too, provided enough value to make it a shot worth taking.

Isaac from Columbia, TN

"X player played tackle in college, but projects as a guard." What characteristics do the scouts look at for those projections?

That usually gets tagged to college tackles who have the overall size to move inside but may not have the quickness in their feet to handle NFL edge rushers.

Chris from Marshfield, WI

Regarding keeping seven WRs, when the regular season starts Christian Watson will be on IR and wouldn't count (yet) correct? We "know" we are keeping Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Golden, and Williams. That means we have at least two realistic spots for a good chunk of the season for two others to make a statement before Watson returns. Talk about competition. Do you also get the sense that expectations are higher this year than ever for this entire offense, given the talent and experience they now have?

"Higher than ever" is a bridge too far for me having covered QBs who won a combined seven MVPs. But barring injury or something unforeseen, I pretty much see the receiver picture as you outlined, except I'm not going to automatically say the Packers will keep seven. Every spot will have to be earned.

Shawn from Colby, WI

Yesterday Wes talked about the UFA window closing this week and how that will end the compensatory pick equation. We signed Mecole Hardman, Aaron Banks, and Nate Hobbs, but lost Slaton, Myers, and Dillon. I see that as a push. So are we playing with house money, since we are unlikely to even be awarded a comp pick?

The current projection at OverTheCap has Banks and Hobbs canceling out Slaton and Stokes, with the contracts signed by Myers, Dillon, Mecole Hardman and Eric Wilson not being big enough to count in the equation anyway. So no comp pick for the Packers, at this point.

Andy from Danvers, IL

I brought my son along with me to the Draft, and when we were getting James Jones' autograph on Friday, my son asked him who he though the NFL comparison is for Matthew Golden. James said his best comp is Jordan Addison. Do you guys see that or is there a different NFL comp that you would say Golden compares to?

I never think of comps until I see a player with my own eyes, and often not even then, unless something really strikes me. On paper, Golden is bigger (191 vs. 175) and faster (4.29 vs. 4.49) than Addison.

Mark from Big Bear City, CA

Good morning, gentlemen. So it should be interesting to see how Hafley uses Isaiah Simmons in the defense and he should be a good special teams fit. Here's hoping Hafley will bring out the best in him.

Color me curious.

Chuck from Santa Ana, CA

I realize that there's a long way to go before we play a game, but post-draft which position group(s) do you feel are the thinnest right now? Meaning that one or two injuries could be hard to overcome. I feel linebacker and cornerback are a bit on the thin side.

Linebacker is changing as we speak. It sounds like UDFA from Kentucky was a late-round pick in most projections, and now Simmons is on his way. At corner, I could see a veteran signing perhaps this spring, but there are two reserves on the roster who were late-round picks last year ( Kalen King and Kamal Hadden), and Alexander's situation has yet to be resolved.

Jeffrey from Sioux Falls, SD

If Jaire Alexander is released and signed by a different NFL team, will that team be obligated to any part of his existing contract? If no, the new team can sign him for any amount for any length of time? Also, what other "non-qualified" Super Bowl host cities are potential draft day hosts?

If Alexander is released, his contract is terminated. He will have no contract and immediately becomes a free agent. As for future drafts, all I've heard/read is that Pittsburgh has it next year, Denver and Washington, D.C., are vying for 2027, and Buffalo is considering a bid for '28 or '29.

Craig from Sussex, WI

With a surplus of talented offensive linemen, maybe having a rotation would be a good way to groom the newcomers.

We'll see if the Packers go down that road. While they've gone against the grain with those experiments in recent years, and there's certainly merit in deciding a competition through game performances, the downside is less continuity for a position group that typically thrives on it. There are pluses and minuses.

CJ from Marion, IA

Of the NFC North teams, which one do you think improve the most thru the draft? Which team improved the most thru the whole offseason?

The easy answer is the Bears. They won only five games last year, did a lot of work on their offensive line via trades, and used high draft picks to surround their young QB with more weapons. I expect Chicago's offense to be the most improved unit in the entire NFC North.

Ryan from Mt. Zion, IL

A little off topic but I'm curious as to the Insiders' thoughts. ATMR, WCBW, there are 10 teams in domes. With the Titans, Browns, Jags, Commanders and maybe even the Bears potentially building domed stadiums, that will be 15. What is the Insiders' opinion as to the shift towards domes? Will it give our beloved Packers more of a home-field advantage?

I don't know. I just think it's too bad nearly half the league's games soon might be played indoors. That bums me out.

Tony from Wauwatosa, WI

What draft year was the lowest amount of attendees?

The 600K in Green Bay tied Nashville (2019) for the second-highest draft attendance, behind Detroit's 775K last year. The next highest is Kansas City's 312K in 2023, and the numbers drop from there all the way down to 160K in Cleveland in post-Covid 2021. Chicago's two drafts, the first two outside New York in 2015 and '16, drew a combined total of 425K (225 and 200).

Scott from Sauk City, WI

The topic that my friends and I kept discussing this weekend is whether or not there is another NFL city that can do what Green Bay just did. Lambeau being located in a neighborhood with never-ending lawns to park on, an entire entertainment district attached, a vast parking lot to hold the masses. It was busy, yes, but never felt uncomfortable. Of the other NFL stadiums, can any of them even come close to the atmosphere we just had? Or are they all too urban and/or boxed in?

Green Bay is the only city to host the draft and incorporate its stadium in such a way into the event. So nobody else had done what Green Bay did, visually speaking.

Paul from Yorkshire, UK

Just a comment. The success of the draft reminded me of the 2014 Tour de France when they brought the first two stages here to Yorkshire and everybody asked why? No experience of hosting an event of that size and the likely crowd size was unknown. The result? 2.5 million spectators over two days, massive publicity and tourist boosts for the region and what was generally recognized as the best start to the race ever. These lesser-used areas often generate the most pride and passion for the events.

There is definitely something to be said for that.

Doug from Neenah, WI

Good morning, Mike. The draft experience was incredible and unforgettable in so many ways. Do you suppose Mark Murphy will use his retirement years to bring the Winter Olympics to Green Bay?

I don't think Ariens Hill quite measures up to handle the alpine skiing.

Steve from Chippewa Falls, WI

Who do you think the Packers will pick in the first round of the 2026 draft?

Whom. Happy Wednesday.