The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.
Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens just beat Green Bay’s defense to a pulp. Henry rushed for 216 yards, four touchdowns and averaged six yards per carry. It was a pitiful performance from a squad that entered the contest ranked in the Top 10 against the run.
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It was a performance that made it painstakingly obvious that the Packers have plenty of work to do to improve on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. It all starts on the interior of the defensive line.
Devonte Wyatt is their X-factor at defensive tackle. The former Georgia Bulldog will return next season from a fractured ankle he suffered against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks and Warren Brinson are all solid depth pieces, but they are not difference makers. Green Bay needs to add a more active player to that group and a player who could help shore up the run defense.
A prospect who could maybe kill two birds with one stone is Deven Eastern. The Minnesota defensive tackle checks in at No. 100 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown and could help fortify Green Bay’s front seven.
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A four-star recruit from Shakopee, Minnesota, Eastern was a 260-pound product when he arrived on campus and worked hard to reshape his body and was listed at 316 pounds before the start of the season.
Eastern recorded two tackles for loss during his first two seasons on campus. In 2023, Eastern recorded five tackles for loss and two sacks. This past season, the Minnesota native recorded five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
“Deven Eastern was a key veteran presence within the interior,” Daniel House, the founder of Gophers Guru, said. “Eastern is a player who progressively developed over time. Eastern began his journey at 3-technique before gaining more weight during his college career and ending up primarily at nose. It took a little time for him to start gaining comfort from this alignment, and then things really clicked during the 2024 season. His disruptive playing style became a key component of the Gophers’ defense.”
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At 6-5, 316 pounds, Eastern has an NFL body. He may drop some jaws with his wingspan at the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine.
The Minnesota native is a stubborn son of a bee sting at the point of contact. He fights hard to control his gap and is more than willing to do the dirty work. Even though he’s gained over 40 pounds since his prep school days, there are still shades of his quickness off the snap to access gaps and get into the backfield. The Minnesota defensive tackle has a GPS for the football and recorded a career-high 20 run stops this season.
“He has great length and flashes lower-half power when his technique is tight,” House said. “Eastern has a quick first step and solid lateral quickness to gain ground vs. linemen and create penetration. He is quite gifted athletically and I think those movement skills could be unlocked in different ways at the next level, possibly from wider alignment shades if a team has him cut a little weight. When his hands are in the right spot and activated, he can shed blocks and produce knockback.”
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With his frame and his blend of raw power and quickness off the snap, Eastern has the tools in the shed to develop into an impactful interior pass rusher. It will be fascinating to see how he looks in practice during Senior Bowl week. He generates power with his strong upper body to cave in the pocket. During the past two seasons, Eastern has recorded 31 pressures and 4.5 sacks. Putting him alongside Micah Parsons could allow him to eat in one-on-one situations.
“Eastern rushes hard and relentlessly,” House said. “I think more of this potential could be unlocked if he cut some weight and played from a wider alignment. He has a nice blend of movement skills and length, but he got bigger to play nose in Minnesota’s defense. Potentially trimming back down, working from wider alignments and diversifying his pass rush arsenal could make his career arc particularly interesting.”`
Fit with the Packers
As it stands right now on Dec. 28, Green Bay’s biggest need is on the interior of the defensive line. It’s a position they could attack heavily in the draft by double-dipping.
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With his frame, quickness and ability to constrict running lanes, Eastern could be an ideal target for Brian Gutekunst on Day 3 of the draft.
“Based on his length, lateral agility and quick first step, I could see him cutting a little weight and playing as a gap-attacking 3-technique at the next level,” House said. “Minnesota had him working from the nose shade, but I think his physical and athletic traits might project well to a wider alignment at the next level. He could possibly have multi-shade versatility depending on the scheme he ends up in at the next level. I think defensive coaches will think outside the box with him because they’ll like his frame and athletic profile.”
With his tools, Eastern flashed dominance against the run during his time at Minnesota. He plays with energy, quickness and power to penetrate gaps. He possesses NFL size and traits to make an impact as part of a defensive line rotation as a rookie, with the upside to become an impactful interior force.
If he lands in Green Bay, Eastern would help shore up Green Bay’s leaky run defense, while also giving the interior pass rush a jolt.
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This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 100, Minnesota DT Deven Eastern
