When the Green Bay Packers turned in the card for Penn State edge defender Dani Dennis-Sutton (DDS) or (The Dentist) are also acceptable names, in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, it immediately felt like one of the better value picks of Day 3. Not because Dennis-Sutton was some under-the-radar flier, but because many evaluators expected him to come off the board much earlier. Several draft analysts graded him as a Day 2 prospect, and Green Bay landing him at in the 4th round at pick No. 120 overall represented the kind of upside swing that can reshape a defensive rotation. 

For a Packers team that entered the offseason needing to replenish its pass-rush depth and add young talent on the edge, Dennis-Sutton offers exactly the kind of traits-based profile Green Bay has historically valued. He is big, explosive, long, versatile, and still ascending. In many ways, he checks every box the organization looks for in a developmental front-seven defender.

At 6-foot-5 and roughly 256 pounds, Dennis-Sutton arrives in Green Bay with a prototype NFL frame. His testing numbers only reinforced what scouts already believed about his athletic profile. He posted a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, a 39.5-inch vertical, and earned an elite 9.96 Relative Athletic Score, ranking among the best defensive end athletes measured in recent decades. Drawing comparisons to Danielle Hunter the 88th overall pick in the 2015 draft and a former All-Pro.

While it’s a bit early to consider him becoming an All-Pro, That blend of size and explosiveness is what makes him such an intriguing projection at the next level.

Scouting Report: What the Packers Are Getting

Dennis-Sutton, the 2x third team all-big ten defender (2023,2025) was a four-year contributor at Penn State University and a two-year starter who steadily increased his production. Across his final two collegiate seasons, he totaled 25 tackles for loss and 17 sacks, proving he could consistently disrupt offenses in a major conference. He also added special-teams value, leading the FBS with three blocked kicks in 2025. 

On tape, his game is built around length, leverage, and power.

His first step is better than some critics give him credit for, but his biggest asset is how he converts speed into force. Offensive tackles who fail to anchor against him can get walked backward into the pocket. He has a legitimate bull rush and flashes heavy hands that can jar blockers off balance.

What stands out most is his versatility. At Penn State, he lined up as a wide edge, reduced inside on passing downs, and even moved around in stunt packages. That positional flexibility should translate well to the NFL, especially in a defense that values disguise and multiplicity.

He is not simply a straight-line rusher.

Dennis-Sutton has shown flashes of a spin move, inside counters, and enough awareness to capitalize when quarterbacks drift in the pocket. While he is still refining his rush plan, the tools are there for a much deeper arsenal.

Against the run, he sets a strong edge thanks to his frame and physicality. He is capable of stacking blockers, extending with long arms, and forcing runs back inside. He is not just a pass-rush specialist — he can play early downs without becoming a liability.

Strengths:

The biggest strength in Dennis-Sutton’s profile is his already pretty well developed overall game. He brings an outstanding frame which helps not only rush the passer but helps set the edge. His 25 tackles for loss and 17 sacks over his final two seasons at Penn State can atest to that.   

Players with his frame and athletic profile simply do not last until the fourth round very often. Green Bay is betting on traits that can be molded into a highly effective pro contributor.

His power is NFL-ready. He can collapse pockets and create disruption even when he does not finish with sacks. That matters because pressure often leads to hurried throws, turnovers, and broken offensive rhythm.

His versatility is another major asset. He can align in multiple spots and execute different assignments depending on personnel packages. That gives defensive coordinators flexibility in how they deploy him.

He also brings high-end effort and special-teams impact, which increases his value early in his career while he develops into a larger defensive role.

Perhaps most importantly, his production suggests there is substance behind the athleticism. He was not simply a combine warrior — he delivered results on the field in a major college program.

Weaknesses:

As promising as Dennis-Sutton is, he is not a finished product, hence him being available to the Packers in the 4th round. 

The biggest concern is bend and flexibility at the top of the rush. He can struggle to corner sharply around tackles, which limits his ability to consistently win with pure speed off the edge. Instead of flattening cleanly toward the quarterback, he sometimes takes wider arcs that allow passers to step up.

His pass-rush plan can also become predictable.

At times, he leans too heavily on power and does not always string moves together effectively. NFL tackles will adjust quickly if he cannot diversify his counters.

Pad level is another area that needs improvement. Because of his height, he can play too upright, which reduces leverage and makes him easier to neutralize against technically sound blockers. When his pads rise, his power diminishes.

There have also been concerns about missed tackles and penalties, suggesting his aggression occasionally works against him. Those issues are coachable, but they must be addressed for him to maximize his role.

In short, Dennis-Sutton is a high-ceiling prospect whose game still requires technical refinement.

Fit in Green Bay’s Defense:

This is where the pick becomes especially interesting.

Under defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Green Bay values front versatility and aggressive disruption. The Packers want defenders who can rush from multiple alignments, stunt inside, and create pressure without relying solely on blitzing.

Dennis-Sutton fits that philosophy perfectly.

He can serve as a rotational edge defender on early downs, using his size and strength against the run, while also sliding inside in sub-packages to attack guards with his athleticism.

That versatility gives Green Bay another chess piece in its defensive front.

With Micah Parsons returning from injury and established players like Lukas Van Ness already in the mix, Dennis-Sutton does not need to be a full-time starter immediately. That is ideal for his development. Instead, he can take some time to grow into the role ala Barryn Sorrell from a year ago. He will likely compete with Brenton Cox Jr and Collin Oliver for snaps at edge while also contributing on special teams with that knack for blocking kicks.

Learning behind elite pass rushers while contributing in a rotational capacity gives him time to refine technique without the pressure of carrying the edge room from day one.

That setup could accelerate his progression.

The Packers also needed to replenish edge depth after offseason departures in Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare, and Dennis-Sutton gives them a cost-controlled young player with legitimate starting upside. If he develops as expected, Green Bay may have landed one of the steals of the draft. 

Final Outlook:

Dani Dennis-Sutton is not a polished product, but he is exactly the kind of prospect teams should target on Day 3.

He offers elite athletic traits, proven production, positional flexibility, and a clear developmental pathway in Green Bay’s defense. Similar to last years 4th round edge rusher Barryn Sorrell, he will likely be weened into Jonathan Gannon's defense early on and slowly see an increase in reps towards the later part of the season. Micah Parsons injury might change the calculus a bit if the Packers need some more juice early in the season. 

His weaknesses are real — bend, consistency, and technical refinement will determine whether he becomes a starter one-day or simply a rotational contributor. But the ceiling is undeniable.

For the Packers, this was not just a depth addition. It was a calculated investment in upside.

And if Dennis-Sutton reaches his potential, Green Bay may look back at the fourth round as the moment they quietly found one of the most impactful defenders in their 2026 draft class.