The Green Bay Packers have built a reputation for finding hidden gems on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, and their latest project could be Kentucky’s Jager Burton. Selected in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Burton brings the kind of versatility and raw talent that has turned previous late-round picks into reliable starters. For a team that values offensive line depth, this pick feels like a classic Packers move.
Burton, a Lexington native, was a standout in both football and lacrosse during high school. He made history as just the third offensive lineman ever to win the Paul Hornung Award, which honors the best high school player in Kentucky—fittingly named after the Packers legend. Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the state and 10th nationally among interior linemen, Burton chose to stay home at Kentucky over offers from powerhouse programs like Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State.
Over five seasons with the Wildcats, Burton logged 2,666 snaps and started 47 of 50 games, lining up at left guard, right guard, and center. That kind of positional flexibility is gold in the NFL, especially for a team like Green Bay that values adaptability along the line. After his senior season, he earned an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl, where he was voted one of the practice players of the week—a nod to his work ethic and football IQ.
At 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds, Burton has the ideal frame for a center, with 32⅝-inch arms and 10⅛-inch hands that make snapping the ball a smooth operation. But it’s his athleticism that really turns heads. Burton posted a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of 10, ranking second among 735 center prospects since 1987. His 4.94 40-yard dash places him in the 97th percentile, and his pro day vertical and broad jump numbers only boosted his stock. His athletic comps read like a who’s who of elite NFL linemen: Ryan Kelly, Frank Ragnow, Creed Humphrey, Elgton Jenkins, and Connor McGovern. If Burton can develop into even half the player those guys are, the Packers will have found another Day 3 steal.