The Green Bay Packers selected Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper with the 45th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, marking him as the first off-ball linebacker to come off the board.
The Packers were also the first team to draft an inside linebacker in 2022 when they took Quay Walker 22nd overall.
Green Bay is currently in the process of transitioning to a 4-3 defense under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, so additions to the linebacker room were expected. Of course, in today’s NFL, defenses spend most of their time in nickel with two linebackers.