Paul Bretl | 4/26/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — After addressing wide receiver in the first round, the Packers didn’t choose to bolster their pass rush as they searched consistently in Round 2, nor did they add competition at cornerback. Instead, and as GM Brian Gutekunst often has, he prioritized the offensive line, selecting NC State offensive tackle Anthony Belton.
“He’s a professional kid. He’s quiet, he’s about his business,” said Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan. “I think when you talk to the people there at NC State, we talked about his growth over the years there. Football’s important to him. He’ll fit great in the locker room. He’s one of the guys. He’s humble, there’s humility but, again, a lot like Matthew Golden, being a good football player is very important to him.”
Even for an NFL offensive lineman, Belton is big, measuring in at 6-6 and weighing 336 pounds during the pre-draft process. As Gutekunst mentioned during his press conference after Day 2 of the draft, the Packers have always tried to prioritize size along the offensive line, searching for players who can “move people off their spot.”
But to go along with that size Belton possesses, is athleticism, quick feet, and the ability to operate in space. That combination is how Belton was given the nickname ‘Escalade.’
“I got that from my strength coach, Coach Thunder (Dantonio Burnette),” Belton said of his nickname. “When I first got there, we had team runs, agility stuff and he seen I could move good. He drives an Escalade himself so that’s what he always told me – how smooth I could move be like an Escalade so that’s what that was.”
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Belton is an experienced player coming out of NC State, with over 2,200 career snaps on offense, including three years as a starter. From the 2023 season to this most recent year, Belton took a big step forward. According to PFF’s metrics, he went from allowing 22 pressures in 2023 to just 12 this past season over 438 pass-blocking reps. Out of 131 eligible tackles, Belton ranked tied for 32nd in pass-blocking efficiency.
“I think you can really see what you needed to see in terms of the twitch to play out there on the edge whether it be left tackle, right tackle when we were down there in Mobile (at the Senior Bowl), his ability to get out of his stance and match speed on the edge, it’s in there,” said Sullivan.
With Josh Jacobs at running back last season for the Packers, we saw a shift in how Green Bay ran the ball. There was less of the outside zone running scheme that we had grown accustomed to seeing under Matt LaFleur, and more power, gap running between the tackles. As Sullivan mentioned, having a number of blockers up front who possess that people-moving play-style, adds flexibility for Matt LaFleur as he builds out his game plans each week.
The addition of Belton is another example of the Packers wanting to lean into that running and blocking style. Both Sullivan and Gutekunst when discussing Belton referenced his ability to move defenders off their spot. Along with Belton’s improved play in pass protection, he made a big jump as a run-blocker as well last season, according to PFF’s metrics.
“I learned a lot about myself to the approach to the game, just mentally,” Belton said of his improved play. “As I got older I was able to do things to help myself out. Got better at film study, did stuff like that, that kind of helped me anticipate things pre-snap. Throughout my time cleaned up some technical stuff, just with my little things like hands forward, pad level, stuff like that. Over time I’ve progressively got better at that and that’s stuff I want to continue to grow at as well.”
Every one of Belton’s snaps at the college level came at the tackle position, specifically left tackle. However, the Packers believe he has the ability to not only be a swing tackle and play either the left or right side, but they view him as someone who can step in and play guard as well.
The Packers haven’t determined yet where Belton will begin his NFL career, and as always, that will remain fluid, as we possibly see him bounced around the offensive line throughout training camp.
‘Absolutely he can play guard,” Sullivan said. “One, the size, the girth and his ability to move people. When he gets on you, he can thick on you in a hurry and kind of road grade you out of the way. I think the ability to play against big people inside and hold up in the pass game, vs. power, you’re not going to see him in the quarterback’s lap too often. He can do those things.
“Again, I think he’s got all the athleticism and length to play on the edge, or outside at tackle, right or left if need be, and I think you can kick him in to guard and you can a really good player there, too.”
Even with the addition of Aaron Banks in free agency, addressing the offensive line depth was very much still a need for the Packers. The league-wide attrition rate among offensive line units last season was very high, and statistically speaking–and as we saw in the Packers’ playoff loss to Philadelphia–have six or seven capable linemen to lean on can be vital.
Perhaps Belton can step in and carve out a role on this Packers team right away, competing at right guard with Sean Rhyan for playing time. But this was a selection on Green Bay’s part that very much felt like they had their eye on the future, specifically 2026.
As of now, Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, and Rhyan are all set to hit free agency, and I believe the only thing we can anticipate right now is that Tom will be back, but the other two, I’m not so sure. Gutekunst did confirm that the addition of Belton won’t change the team’s plans with Jordan Morgan, he will still be competing at left tackle with Walker this summer.
Belton has size, athleticism, and the Packers believe he can play both guard and tackle spots. That’s a very Packers-esque selection, especially at a position we know they covet and have prioritized adding to heavily during Gutekunst’s tenure. In the short-term, Belton boosts competition and depth, in the long-run, he’s a probable starter.
“I’m pretty comfortable with that,” Belton said of playing guard. “Just my mindset and I was telling them, pretty much everything is my mindset, I’m a competitor and I’m a ball player. I want to put myself in a position where I’m out there being one of the five out there. If it’s at guard, I’ going to figure out how to be the best version of myself at guard. My mindset, I’m going in there as a competitor, I just want to play ball, and I want to be in a position to be out there on that field.”