Packers select LB Isaiah McDuffie with 220th pick in 2021 NFL Draft

With their first selection in round six of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers looked to their own backyard — quite literally — by selecting Wisconsin Badgers and former Bay Port High School offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen.

But with the 220th pick of the draft, the Packers went back East, grabbing a player from Boston College for the second straight draft. This time it is linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, a small but speedy linebacker.

At 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds, McDuffie fits the modern mold of an agile linebacker, running his 40-yard dash in a reported 4.58 seconds. He was a part-time starter as a true sophomore then lost most of his 2019 to a knee injury and redshirted. He returned in 2020 to start full-time, recording an interception, three sacks, and 6.5 tackles for loss. In fact, McDuffie had good success as a blitzer at BC, posting 8.5 sacks in his career.

However, as a sixth-round pick, McDuffie will surely need to contribute on special teams early to earn a reserve role on defense.

The Packers will have one more selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, coming up late in round seven at pick number 256 overall.