The Packers are well known for their track record at the QB position. They’ve had three Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Bart Starr, Brett Favre, and Aaron Rodgers, and multiple high-level starters in Lynn Dickey, Don Majkowski and Jordan Love. People always remember their starting guys but tend to forget their successful backup QBs: Matt Hasselbeck started a decade for the Seahawks after backing up Favre, Matt Flynn signed a multi-year deal with the same team after sitting behind Rodgers, and Aaron Brooks made the Pro Bowl with the Saints after netting the Packers a third-round pick.
This year, Malik Willis did a great job when Jordan Love was sidelined due to injuries. Unfortunately, he has only one year left on his deal, so this forces Green Bay to address the future of the position in the short term. This draft class is considered a strong one for backup QBs, so we’ll discuss a few quality options that make sense for the Packers. Off we go!
Tyler Shough, Louisville
Shough finally hit his stride as a college quarterback at Louisville after being mainly a career backup for Oregon and Texas Tech between 2018 and 2023. He’s a big quarterback with a live arm, easily reaching all three levels of the field. He’s clearly an impressive thrower, but what caught my attention the most were his quick reads, how well he identified what defenses were throwing at him and his in-rhythm playstyle. His age, injury history, and mechanical issues will scare many evaluators, but he would be a high-floor backup for Jordan Love. He’s my favorite signal caller in this year’s draft.
Quinn Ewers, Texas
The former highest-rated high school QB of all time had ups and downs as a starter for the Longhorns. At his best, he showed what the hype around him was all about: he displayed his insane arm talent both in structure and on the move, handled RPOs with mastery, and played with great anticipation. Ewers also led Texas to a 27-9 record and a Big 12 championship. On his bad days, his lackadaisical accuracy, sloppy footwork, and struggles against pressure were tough to watch. The Longhorns’ offense shares many concepts with Matt LaFleur’s playbook, so he could be a nice pick for the Pack as a Day 3 flyer with potential high-end play down the road.
Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Failed as a Buckeye, triumphed as an Orange: after struggling in 2023, McCord broke the ACC’s all-time passing record with 4,779 yards in only 13 games. He’s a classic pocket passer with a lightning-quick release and gorgeous deep ball placement. Mobility and reaction to pressure are glaring issues, but he could become a solid backup QB under the Packers’ tutelage if recently appointed QB coach Sean Mannion can clean up his inconsistencies.
Donovan Smith, Houston
A projected first-rounder for some people before the 2024 season, Smith is a raw, developmental QB. He has a pro-ready frame, good arm talent, and impressive mobility for a guy of his size. His downside is that he still has a long way to go with the mental aspects of the game. His skillset bodes well with what the Packers showed they can do schematically with a dual-threat QB like Malik Willis, so they might rate him very highly as a potential replacement for the former Titan.
——————Lautaro has been writing about the Green Bay Packers and the NFL since May 2021, posting in both Spanish and English on his X account, PackersLatam. He joined PackersTalk in 2025.
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