Packers Identify First “Must-Have” Candidate on Formal Interview List at NFL Combine

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin – 26/02/2026

The Green Bay Packers may have just revealed their first true priority of draft season.

With the NFL’s formal interview limit capped at 45 players per team — each lasting only 18 minutes — every slot is valuable. And when a prospect lands early on a team’s formal interview tracker, it often signals more than casual interest. It signals intent.

Multiple draft observers believe Michigan State center Matt Gulbin could be that “must-have” name for Green Bay.

Gulbin isn’t just another mid-round projection. The 6-foot-4, 312-pound interior lineman was officially invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, a recognition reserved for top-tier prospects. ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks him as the No. 3 center in the 2026 class behind Auburn’s Connor Lew and Florida’s Jake Slaughter — placing him firmly among the elite interior offensive linemen available.

For a Packers team potentially reshaping its offensive line, that matters.

Gulbin checks several boxes that align with Green Bay’s long-standing preferences. He is described by Packers Wire (USA Today) as “football-savvy, a natural leader, and a great communicator.” A co-captain at Michigan State in 2025, Gulbin brings 52 games of collegiate experience, including time at Wake Forest before transferring. That level of maturity and versatility fits the Packers’ historical profile for intelligent, position-flexible offensive linemen.

Center is quietly emerging as a position of need. The Packers have consistently valued linemen who can process quickly, communicate protections, and anchor the interior. Gulbin’s reputation for leadership and command at the line of scrimmage makes him a logical target.

There is also circumstantial evidence suggesting deeper interest.

Acme Packing Company reported that Packers scouts visited Michigan State multiple times last season — a detail that rarely goes unnoticed in draft circles. While some evaluators note Gulbin doesn’t perfectly fit the traditional “Packers type,” opinions appear split rather than dismissive.

In today’s draft environment, formal interview allocation speaks volumes. Teams do not waste those 45 opportunities. Early or notable interviews are often reserved for prospects considered cultural fits, scheme fits, or priority selections.

That makes Gulbin’s connection to Green Bay especially intriguing.

Is he the first true “must-have” prospect on the Packers’ board?

Nothing is confirmed. But if formal interview trends mean what they traditionally mean, Matt Gulbin may have just moved from mid-round projection to serious contender in Green Bay’s draft plans.

And when the Packers show intent this early, history suggests it’s rarely by accident