Packers have learned to adapt to NFL Draft challenges

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GREEN BAY – Brian Gutekunst won't be making picks from inside his home this year, but the 2021 NFL Draft will still be vastly different than most for the Packers' general manager and personnel executives across the league.


While Gutekunst and his scouts will be back in their usual digs at Lambeau Field on Thursday night, the challenges of preparing for this year's draft rival that of last year's quarantined event in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.


As problematic as the pre-draft process was a year ago, precipitated by the cancellation of many college pro days, the NFL still managed to squeeze in the annual scouting combine two weeks before nationwide lockdowns went into effect.


This year, NFL front offices had no such luxury. Along with the cancellation of the combine, and the medical examinations that go with it, many of the 2021 draft's top prospects chose to sit out of their college football season.


"Our area guys were probably put under the toughest circumstances during the fall without the ability to be on-campus every day," said Gutekunst during his pre-draft news conference on Monday. "They had to find a lot of creative ways to get to know these prospects, to get the information that we are so dependent upon as we make these decisions, and they just did a fantastic job."


All the data collecting the Packers missed out on in the fall and winter was made up on the road this spring. Gutekunst, himself, estimates that he attended more pro days this year (roughly 12) since he was the Packers' director of college scouting under former GM Ted Thompson.


Scouts had their work cut out for them, not only trying to learn more about the players who sat out last season but also crossing hundreds of seniors off draft boards who opted to return to school after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility.


Meanwhile, team physician Dr. Pat McKenzie and head athletic trainer Bryan Engel were tasked with getting the necessary information on the medical history of prospects. All that intel went into building the Packers' draft board.


"We have an excellent medical staff with 'Flea' and Dr. McKenzie, who put a lot of time into these prospects," Gutekunst said. "Every year there's risk with all these guys, medically, and it's a little bit of an educated guess more than anything (but) I have a lot of confidence in those guys and the information they provide me with to make those decisions.


"You always have a little apprehension and this year, I think specifically with some guys, maybe on that third day, you're gonna have less information than you've had in the past."