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The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.
Since taking over as general manager of the Green Bay Packers in 2018, general manager Brian Gutekunst has drafted six edge rushers, with four of those picks being Day 3 selections.
The Packers traded Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round pick and Kingsley Enagbare signed with the New York Jets.
With the Packers in need of depth at the position, Gutekunst could once again use a Day 3 pick on an edge rusher. A prospect who checks the boxes is Aidan Hubbard. The Northwestern edge rusher checks in at No. 26 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A three-star recruit from Ohio, Hubbard redshirted for the 2021 season and recorded one sack the following season. In 2023, Hubbard recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. The following season he recorded seven tackles for loss and six sacks. During his final season at Northwestern, Hubbard recorded 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
At 6-4, 260 pounds with 32-inch arms, Hubbard has an NFL frame. He has a quick first step and the upfield juice to threaten the corner. He has good lower-body flexibility and runs the arc with speed. He has a plan of attack and strategically strings together moves. Every move he makes in his pass rush plan has a purpose. To go along with his 13.5 sacks during the past two seasons, Hubbard also recorded 60 pressures.
"Aidan earns a lot of his pass-rushing production through a perpetual motor, paired with free-moving athleticism and play speed," Shane Coughlin, the Director of College Scouting for the Shrine Bowl, said. "Many of his sacks show him deconstructing multiple levels of contact, dealing with doubles and help from tight ends and backs. A unique part of his game is his ability to alter his pad level and posture. At times, you can see him flatten around the arc, but he can also stunt with the agility and balance to collide and temper his angles through creases and gaps. Overall, I find his entire pass rush approach to be a mature blend of technical hand fighting with consistent snap-to-snap urgency."
Hubbard plays the run with relentless energy. He's able to chase down ball carriers as a backside defender by utilizing his long strides and burst. He uses active hands to deconstruct blocks and make plays behind the line of scrimmag. During his final three seasons at Northwestern, he recorded 25.5 tackles for loss and 60 run stops.
"His motor also helps him compete in the run game," Coughlin said. "He sets the edge with physicality and most importantly, he stays alert to play direction with the control in his grip and sustains to disconnect with proper timing and pace to disrupt block development."
Micah Parsons will likely miss the beginning of the season as he recovers from the season-ending knee injury he suffered against the Denver Broncos.
That would leave the Packers with Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver and Brenton Cox Jr to hold down the fort until Parsons returns. It's a room that could use another body.
Hubbard checks the boxes for what Gutekunst has typically looked for out of Day 3 edge rushers. He's built somewhat similarly to Jonathan Garvin and Kingsley Enagbare, and has similar testing numbers. He also checks the box from a production standpoint.
"When I overlay the high effort disruption I see on film with the explosive pro day numbers, I continue to build out a few scenarios for him that range from a weak side defensive end where he's shown historic production at Northwestern but I could also see teams stretching him out to a nine where I could see his competitiveness paying dividends working against tight ends and slanting from wider alignments," Coughlin said. "Regardless, you draft the player for his proven ability to contribute on every down as a high-energy disruptor while also being optimistic on the developmental ceiling given his athletic testing."
A team can never have enough talented players who can put pressure on the quarterback. Hubbard may never develop into a double-digit sack machine. However, he is a player you can play on all three downs and not worry about him being a liability against the run and it would not be surprising to see him post five to seven sacks a year as part of a rotation. That type of production on Day 3 is hard to pass up.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 26, Northwestern DE Aidan Hubbard
Continue reading...
Since taking over as general manager of the Green Bay Packers in 2018, general manager Brian Gutekunst has drafted six edge rushers, with four of those picks being Day 3 selections.
The Packers traded Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round pick and Kingsley Enagbare signed with the New York Jets.
With the Packers in need of depth at the position, Gutekunst could once again use a Day 3 pick on an edge rusher. A prospect who checks the boxes is Aidan Hubbard. The Northwestern edge rusher checks in at No. 26 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A three-star recruit from Ohio, Hubbard redshirted for the 2021 season and recorded one sack the following season. In 2023, Hubbard recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. The following season he recorded seven tackles for loss and six sacks. During his final season at Northwestern, Hubbard recorded 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
At 6-4, 260 pounds with 32-inch arms, Hubbard has an NFL frame. He has a quick first step and the upfield juice to threaten the corner. He has good lower-body flexibility and runs the arc with speed. He has a plan of attack and strategically strings together moves. Every move he makes in his pass rush plan has a purpose. To go along with his 13.5 sacks during the past two seasons, Hubbard also recorded 60 pressures.
"Aidan earns a lot of his pass-rushing production through a perpetual motor, paired with free-moving athleticism and play speed," Shane Coughlin, the Director of College Scouting for the Shrine Bowl, said. "Many of his sacks show him deconstructing multiple levels of contact, dealing with doubles and help from tight ends and backs. A unique part of his game is his ability to alter his pad level and posture. At times, you can see him flatten around the arc, but he can also stunt with the agility and balance to collide and temper his angles through creases and gaps. Overall, I find his entire pass rush approach to be a mature blend of technical hand fighting with consistent snap-to-snap urgency."
Hubbard plays the run with relentless energy. He's able to chase down ball carriers as a backside defender by utilizing his long strides and burst. He uses active hands to deconstruct blocks and make plays behind the line of scrimmag. During his final three seasons at Northwestern, he recorded 25.5 tackles for loss and 60 run stops.
"His motor also helps him compete in the run game," Coughlin said. "He sets the edge with physicality and most importantly, he stays alert to play direction with the control in his grip and sustains to disconnect with proper timing and pace to disrupt block development."
Fit with the Packers
Micah Parsons will likely miss the beginning of the season as he recovers from the season-ending knee injury he suffered against the Denver Broncos.
That would leave the Packers with Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver and Brenton Cox Jr to hold down the fort until Parsons returns. It's a room that could use another body.
Hubbard checks the boxes for what Gutekunst has typically looked for out of Day 3 edge rushers. He's built somewhat similarly to Jonathan Garvin and Kingsley Enagbare, and has similar testing numbers. He also checks the box from a production standpoint.
"When I overlay the high effort disruption I see on film with the explosive pro day numbers, I continue to build out a few scenarios for him that range from a weak side defensive end where he's shown historic production at Northwestern but I could also see teams stretching him out to a nine where I could see his competitiveness paying dividends working against tight ends and slanting from wider alignments," Coughlin said. "Regardless, you draft the player for his proven ability to contribute on every down as a high-energy disruptor while also being optimistic on the developmental ceiling given his athletic testing."
A team can never have enough talented players who can put pressure on the quarterback. Hubbard may never develop into a double-digit sack machine. However, he is a player you can play on all three downs and not worry about him being a liability against the run and it would not be surprising to see him post five to seven sacks a year as part of a rotation. That type of production on Day 3 is hard to pass up.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 26, Northwestern DE Aidan Hubbard
Continue reading...
