GREEN BAY, Wis. — As I watched six quarterbacks get picked in the Top 12 of Thursday night’s NFL Draft, I couldn’t help but think of the foresight by Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst to trade up to take Jordan Love in 2020. By thinking ahead, the Packers landed their quarterback of the future before he had to be thrown into the fire and play. Smart.

Now that you have Love, you have to protect him. That’s why the Packers selected Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan with the 25th pick in the first round. He was a three-year starter at left tackle for Arizona.

Some scouts think Morgan’s short arms may lead to him being moved to guard. Morgan says he’s confident he can play tackle, and Gutekunst believes Morgan’s athleticism will make up for any perceived deficiencies.

Morgan is the first offensive lineman to be taken in the first round by the Packers since Derrick Sherrod in 2011. The release of David Bakhtiari created an opening in the Packers offensive line group.

Whether Morgan competes with Rasheed Walker at left tackle, or moves inside, Gutekunst has created the competition he loves in the offensive line room.

It’s never a huge splash when a team drafts an offensive lineman. It’s how they ultimately perform that matters in the end.