The wait is over, the draft is here

GREEN BAY – It’s finally here. The 2018 NFL Draft has arrived, and new General Manager Brian Gutekunst enters it with 12 selections, which he may convert into more or less depending on trades.It’s his first draft as the man in charge, and it’s certain to be remembered, just as the two former GMs he learned under both made significant impressions with their first drafts. Back in 1992, Ron Wolf of course had traded one of his first-round picks for quarterback Brett Favre, and even though his other first-rounder, cornerback Terrell Buckley, didn’t become the player in Green Bay the Packers hoped, the rest of the draft was still fruitful. Offensive mainstays in receiver Robert Brooks (third round), running back Edgar Bennett (fourth round) and tight end Mark Chmura (sixth round) all became Packers then.Fast forward to Ted Thompson’s first draft in 2005, and his tenure started with two home-run picks – quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the first round and safety Nick Collins in the second. How will history look back on Gutekunst’s first draft? No one will know for a while, but he’ll be starting with the No. 14 overall selection in tonight’s first round, the highest the Packers have possessed since sitting in the No. 9 spot nine years ago. Here’s the full rundown on Green Bay’s picks, as of now: First round: No. 14 Second round: No. 45 Third round: No. 76 Fourth round: Nos. 101, 133 Fifth round: Nos. 138, 172, 174 Sixth round: Nos. 186, 207 Seventh round: Nos. 232, 239 Packers.com’s draft preparation has been weeks in the making, with dozens of Prospect Primer videos on draft-eligible players, and a position-by-position review of the Packers’ current roster heading into the draft. As for coverage once the draft begins, writers Mike Spofford and Wes Hodkiewicz, along with analyst Larry McCarren, will be providing constant content throughout the three-day affair.A quick bulletin will be posted as soon as the Packers make a pick (or trade), and that will be followed by a more extensive story on the individual selections, after they speak to the Green Bay media via conference calls. Video highlights and photo galleries of the players chosen will be made available as soon as possible, too. News conferences from the Lambeau Field auditorium with Gutekunst, as well as members of the personnel department and coaching staff, will be live-streamed on the website, and McCarren will be conducting one-on-one video interviews with all the subjects who go to the podium as well. A written wrap-up will conclude each day, as will a video recap featuring McCarren, Spofford and Hodkiewicz giving their initial impressions of the Packers’ picks. All of the Packers’ social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat) will provide up-to-the-minute updates, player graphics and links to all the content. So buckle up, Packers fans, it’s going to be both a busy and fun three days, with Packers.com always on the clock.

The wait is over, the draft is here

Packers.com will be jam-packed with content throughout the three-day draft