The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers will need to replace TJ Slaton this offseason. The former Day 3 selection inked a new deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, leaving the Packers devoid of a true space eater.
Instead of going bargain-bin shopping in free agency, Brian Gutekunst may wait until Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft to replace the former Florida Gator. A potential target and a familiar face to defensive coordinator and former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley could be Cam Horsley. The Boston College defensive tackle played under Hafley for four years and checks in at No. 25 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
"Horsley was one of the first major recruiting splashes of the Jeff Hafley era," Mitchell Wolf, a staff writer for the Eagle Insider, said. "While he was not necessarily the highest-rated recruit of his class, Horsley made an immediate impact as a true freshman. He established himself as a key part of the rotation at defensive tackle in Hafley's 4-3 defense, appearing in all eleven games during the 2020 season and playing 326 snaps. Over the next two years, he appeared in all 24 games, starting 22 of them as the 3-technique or B-gap defensive tackle. He developed next to two veteran nose tackles, which helped him hone his skills as a run defender; while there were flashes of pass rushing acumen, they appeared infrequently."
A three-star recruit out of New Jersey, Horsley recorded two tackles for loss during his first season on campus. In 2021, Horlsey started 10 games and recorded two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The following season, he recorded six tackles for loss and one sack. In 2023, Horsley recorded 41 tackles, three tackles for loss and a .5 sack.
"In 2023, Horsley shifted to become more of a 0/1-technique or A-gap nose tackle, taking an overwhelming majority of the snaps there," Wolf said. "He became an even better run defender, routinely clogging the interior run lanes. While edge defender Donovan Ezeiruaku got most of the publicity, Horsley did much of the dirty work in the middle, even on some struggling defenses."
This past season, Horsley recorded career highs in tackles (42) and tackles for loss (seven). He also knocked down three passes.
"This past year, BC shifted to a 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, although they still mostly deployed Nickel personnel," Wolf said. "Horsley stayed at the nose and continued to improve, even though he missed the final 1.5 games of the season."
Horsley's trump card is his ability to clog up running lanes and he may be one of the best two-gappers in the draft class. He could quickly carve out a role as a two-down player due to his ability to be a road block against the run.
Horsley shows good effort from snap to snap. He’s strong at the point of attack and rarely gets pushed off his spot. He controls his gap and puts down roots against double teams. He uses his length and strength to forklift ...
