The NFL has officially announced who will be in Green Bay for next week’s draft. The list of 17 prospects invited and attending are:
– Tyler Booker/OG Alabama
– Jihaad Campbell/ILB Alabama
– Will Campbell/OT LSU
– Abdul Carter/DE Penn State
– Jaxson Dart/QB Ole Miss
– Matthew Golden/WR Texas
– Mason Graham/DT Michigan
– Travis Hunter/WR-CB Colorado
– Ashton Jeanty/RB Boise State
– Will Johnson/CB Michigan
– Tetairoa McMillan/WR Arizona
– Jalen Milroe/QB Alabama
– Josh Simmons/OT Ohio State
– Malaki Starks/S Georgia
– Shemar Stewart/EDGE Texas A&M
– Cam Ward/QB Miami (FL)
– Mykel Williams/EDGE Georgia
Pittsburgh has shown interest in and/or had pre-draft visits with four of the above prospects: Dart, Milroe, Stewart, and Golden.
Ward is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans. The top quarterback of this year’s class, Ward will have one of the most unique stories of a first-overall selection. He began his career at FCS Incarnate Word before transferring to Washington State and finally to Miami (FL) for the 2024 season. In his final season, Ward broke out to throw for over 4,300 yards and 39 touchdowns while leading the Hurricanes to their first ten-win season since 2017.
Two other quarterbacks will join him at the draft in Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. While not a guarantee, invites are generally a sign of a player expected to go in the first round. It suggests Milroe and Dart will be no worse than top-40 picks and increases the odds that a team like Pittsburgh is interested. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders isn’t on the invite list but previously stated he had no plans to attend even if asked, choosing to stay home with family and friends instead. It’s not currently known if the NFL formally invited him.
Other notable players not attending (but possibly invited) include Georgia LB/EDGE Jalon Walker and the draft’s top two tight ends in Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty is the only runner going. North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton and Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson will watch from home.
Carter is expected to land in the top five and potentially be selected as early as No. 2 overall to the Cleveland Browns. The latest in a long line of freaky-athletic Penn State pass rushers, a foot injury slowed his pre-draft involvement but not his draft stock. A 2024 All-American, Carter racked up 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
Starks is considered the top safety in this year’s draft. He helped lead an elite Bulldogs’ defense with 77 tackles and one interception in his final season. An All-American in 2023, he intercepted three passes.
Graham is the top defensive lineman in a historically deep class. Though his numbers were never prolific, he was consistent and commanded plenty of attention from opposing offensive lines. In 2024, he recorded 45 tackles (seven for a loss) with 3.5 sacks. He was also named an All-American. He’s likely slated to go in the Top Ten, potentially as early as No. 5 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
LSU’s Will Campbell is slated to be the first offensive lineman drafted. There’s still debate about whether the NFL views him as a left tackle or guard, but he was one of college football’s top linemen in 2024. A consensus All-American, Campbell started 38 games for the Tigers.
McMillan and Golden are considered the top two receivers battling to be the first wideout off the board. McMillan was viewed as the top receiver for much of the pre-draft process, but Golden could hear his name called first.
