There's no questioning which player has been the biggest addition to the 2025 Green Bay Packers. Micah Parsons has the right to that title signed and sealed in blood. But another player addition who didn't come with nearly the same amount of pomp and circumstance as Parsons, one could argue that so far, his presence has had a big impact. That player would be defensive lineman Jordon Riley. 

After Devonte Wyatt suffered a fractured ankle on Thanksgiving, ending his 2025 season, many assumed it was all over for the Packers' run defense. Wyatt was credited as a driving force behind the Packers' success in defending the run. In their windshield, they were looking straight ahead at a Chicago running game that had gashed teams with their full complement of run defenders.  Who was going to help plug the middle? The media's eyes immediately turned to rookies Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse. Both had done a decent job so far against the run, but truth be told, they were both very inexperienced, and that's why the Packers went outside of the Lambeau confines to sign Jordon Riley off the New York Giants' practice squad. 

The Giants drafted Jordon Riley in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. Riley played in 21 games for the Giants through two seasons, recording 12 tackles, three for loss, and a QB hit. He spent his entire 2025 season on the Giants' practice squad before being signed by the Packers. So, honestly, an expected early career result coming from a player picked within the final 20 picks of the NFL Draft. But the Green Bay Packers have a history of bringing meaning to the term "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

In three games, playing an average of about 26% of the possible defensive snaps, Riley has only recorded two tackles. So, how can a player who has only recorded two tackles in three games have such an impact? I'm glad you asked. If you're a Packer fan over the age of 30, you likely remember the Ole Gravedigger, Gilbert Brown. If you're more between 20-30, then perhaps the name BJ Raji is a little more up your alley. What do those two players have in common? They were both strong, big-bodied run-stuffers who could plug up the middle of the line of scrimmage with their sheer presence alone. But another thing that set them apart was their ability to shed blocks and find the ball carrier quickly. 

At 6-5, 338 lbs, Riley definitely tips the scales the same as Brown and Raji, but Riley is about three inches taller, meaning he's a bit leaner than the other two, but he's still been providing the Packers with a big-bodied run-stuffer. 

During his first few games in a Packers uniform, it was noticeable seeing his number 97 close to the ball carrier when he was on the field. Any Packers fan could easily cast aside the familiarity of that number along the defensive line, given that it belonged to Kenny Clark for nine seasons before it went to Riley. The results in Riley's wake weren't exactly eye-popping, but it was noticeable that he was doing a great job closing his gaps and not allowing the running back a lot of operating space in the middle, as well as shedding blocks. 

On Saturday night, Riley finally got himself on the stat sheet and caught everyone's attention. Against Chicago, Riley was showing some textbook work, stopping the run. On a few run attempts up the middle, including those he was credited with tackles, he did an excellent job of getting leverage under the blocker and shedding the block at the perfect moment to free himself up for the tackle. He showed excellent patience in not making his move too soon and losing the ball carrier. 

In the passing game, Riley also could be seen on a few downs showing off his strength and power by driving the offensive lineman back into the QB's face, creating a bit of pressure. On those replays, the QB was able to get the ball out before scrambling, but I'd like to see what would've happened if the QB tried scrambling around Riley and his blocker, whether or not Riley would've displayed that block-shedding ability and come up with a sack. 

With Jordon Riley coming off three months without any game action, it's expected that he may have some rust to knock off. His presence in the middle has already contributed positively to the run defense, and we all can't wait to see what he could do once he's fully integrated into the Packers' defense.