The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.
In the last three drafts, Brian Gutekunst has selected two quarterbacks on Day 3. Green Bay’s general manager drafted Sean Clifford in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and Michael Pratt in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Clifford finished his career at Penn State as the program’s all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Pratt left Tulane as the program’s all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
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It’s clear that the Packers and Gutekunst value production when they target quarterbacks on Day 3 of the draft.
With the Packers in the market for a new long-term backup quarterback, now that Malik Willis is likely to land a starting gig this offseason, a potential target on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft is Mark Gronowski. The winningest quarterback in college football history checks in at No. 85 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
Gronowski started his collegiate career at South Dakota State University. During his first season with the Jackrabbits, Gronowski rushed for 577 yards and seven touchdowns, while passing for 1,565 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The following season, Gronowski led the Jackrabbits to an FCS Championship and passed for 2,967 yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for 408 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2023, the Jackrabbits once again won the FCS Championship and Gronowski passed for 3,058 yards, 29 touchdowns, while rushing for 402 yards and eight touchdowns.
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During his final season in Brookings, Gronowski threw for 2,719 yards and 23 touchdowns, while churning out 380 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Gronowski transferred to Iowa for his final season and he threw for 1,741 yards and 10 touchdowns, and rushed for 545 yards and a Big 10-leading 16 touchdowns. He also added a receiving touchdown.
Gronowski just has that “it” factor that you want at quarterback. He finished his career with 58 wins, including two FCS National Titles. When you think about what you want in a backup quarterback, he checks the boxes. You want a player who’s not going to sink the ship and Gronowski could keep Green Bay’s offense moving, much like Willis was able to when Jordan Love was forced to watch from the sideline. The former Jackrabbit quarterback is a leader and will impress teams throughout the interview process.
“He never thinks he is out of the game or that any moment is too big,” Riley Donald, a contributor for Hawkeyeswire, said. “He is a gamer. Look at the Oregon game. He took Iowa on a 12-play, 93-yard drive in the rain to take the lead. He is an innate winner. He is the winningest quarterback in NCAA history. Some guys just deliver when it matters, and that is Mark Gronowski.”
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Gronowski has played a lot of football and one of his strengths is his football acumen. He processes things fast and gets the ball out of his hands quickly. He gets the ball out in rhythm and throws receivers open. While he doesn’t have a John Elway cannon, he has the requisite velocity on intermediate throws. He is able to make throws on the move and does a good job of keeping his eyes upfield.
Gronowski killed opposing defenses throughout his college career with his ability to make plays with his legs. This past season at Iowa he picked up 49 first downs with his legs. During his time in Brookings, he picked up 146 first downs on the ground and also had 60 runs of 10-plus yards. He’ll get killed at the NFL level if he continues to run at that clip. However, he has the functional athleticism and strength to continue to make that part of his game and be a thorn in the side of defenses.
“At his size, he is never going to be a burner, but he has a sneaky ability to stride once he gets into the open field,” Donald said. “He can hurt teams for chunk plays on designed draws, options, and scrambles. The larger aspect of this is that he can turn sacks into throwaways or short gains to not derail drives.”
Fit with the Packers
At the Shrine Bowl, Gronowski measured in at 6-2, 233 pounds with 10 ¼ hands. With his measurables, athleticism, experience and leadership qualities, it would not be shocking to see the Packers use a Day 3 pick on the winningest quarterback in NCAA history. It’s also worth noting that Gronowski was coached by Green Bay’s quarterbacks coach, Sean Mannion, during Shrine Bowl week.
“The Packers are the ideal fit for Gronowski,” Donald said. “He has the winning mentality and is more than willing to come in and learn. I think he also provides you with an instant option for unique short-yardage packages where teams have to still respect the pass, as well as a short-yardage quarterback for sneaks.”
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It will be fascinating to see how the Packers opt to attack the backup quarterback spot behind Love. It was such a luxury to know that the offense would be in good hands when Willis was on the field.
Now, the Packers must get ready to go into the deep unknown. They could opt to go sign a trusted veteran. Maybe they believe that Desmond Ridder could be the long-term plan. Whatever they decide to do, it should not come as a shock if Gutekunst opts to add a quarterback to the mix via the draft. If they go that route, Gronowski will likely be on their board and could wind up being the pick. If something happens to Love, Gronowski is the type of player you can hand the keys over to and trust that he won’t get any violations or be in any accidents.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 85, Iowa QB Mark Gronowski
