Name: Pete Skoronski

School: Northwestern University

Year: Jr

Position: Offensive Tackle

Measurables: 6’4”, 315 lbs.

General Info:

Born and raised in Park Ridge, Illinois, Peter Skoronski attended Maine South High School where he was a five-star left tackle. He turned down offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, and Penn State to play for the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois (a 20-minute drive from his house).

Pete played three years for the Wildcats, earning All-Big Ten honors each year, including his selection as the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2022. Following his junior season, Pete was selected as a unanimous All-American. He has spent the offseason training with offensive line coach Duke Manyweather in preparation for the draft. I met Pete through my brother, who played alongside Pete for two years at Northwestern. Pete was gracious enough to speak with me about the opportunities ahead of him.

Cheeseheads will be delighted to learn that Pete is the grandson of Bob Skoronski (Packers Hall of Fame left tackle) and has been a Packer fan his entire life. When asked about the opportunity to play in Green Bay, Skoronski said, “It really is difficult to put into words what it would mean for me and my family if I were a Packer. The Packers organization has had an incalculable impact on my family ever since my grandfather played and still does to this day. Ever since I could understand football, I have bled green and yellow and have lived and died with the team. To play for them would literally be a dream.” Suffice it to say he’d be open to playing in Green Bay.

Positional Skills:

Strengths

I watched nearly every snap of Peter’s young career and have seen both his initial dominance as well as his development as a player. His work ethic is second to none, and he is a bright player with a high football IQ.

His strength was evident in the weight room upon his arrival at NU’s campus; he is equally strong on the field. This top-tier play strength allows him to be a punishing run blocker, as was evident in Northwestern’s 2022 matchup against Nebraska. Skoronski’s elite athleticism enables him to excel in run-blocking at the second level as well.

Pete’s combination of strength and athleticism also made him a great pass-blocker at NU. According to PFF, 93.7% pass-blocking grade in 2022 was the highest of any offensive lineman in the country.

Weaknesses

Early in his career, Pete struggled with hand placement and punch timing in pass protection. This is an area in which he substantially improved, as demonstrated by his 93.7% pass-blocking grade. Some may point to his height and arm length as obstacles to him playing left tackle. I would tell these people to look no further than Rashawn Slater, former NU left tackle who received this same criticism. He finished his NFL rookie season as an All-Pro and was on his way to doing so again before his second season was cut short due to injury. NFL offensive line evaluation is moving toward skill and athleticism and away from measurable traits like height and weight.

Fit with the Packers:

The Packers finished the season 5th in team pass block win rate, which may be deceiving because of the their pivot to the quick passing game in 2022. The eye test showed that the Packers offensive line was stellar when left tackle David Bakhtiari played, but they struggled when he did not. Yosh Nijman is a fine player, but the Packers routinely use a running back to chip in protection when he or Zach Tom are in at left tackle.

With Aaron Rodgers’ impending departure, the Packers may look to draft a franchise tackle to pair with Jordan Love. If Green Bay drafted Pete Skoronski to fill this role, he would likely play for at least two years with David Bakhtiari. When asked what it would mean for him to play with an All-Pro left tackle like Bakhtiari, Pete said, “Playing with someone like David would be really special because I have been such a huge fan of him for so long. Personally, I love to watch and learn from great offensive linemen to help improve my own game, and David is someone that I’ve studied a lot. It would be really cool to not only learn from him but play with him as well.” This pairing could provide Green Bay with two stalwart tackles in the short term and a secure blind side for years to come.

From a cultural standpoint, Pete would be a perfect fit in Green Bay. His grandfather played for the team, he has grown up a die-hard fan, and he’s spent his entire life in cold-weather Chicago. If he falls to 15 or the Packers get their hands on an earlier draft pick, don’t be surprised if they select Peter Skoronski.