Source: Mike Clemens and Jesse Strong
Grading the Draft with Mike Clemens: How did Green Bay really do?
Civic Media's Sports Reporter Mike Clemens shares his wrap-up and grades an NFL Draft featuring surprise picks and emotional moments at Lambeau Field
Apr 29, 2025, 2:58 AM CST
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The signs are coming down, traffic is back to normal, and the area around Lambeau Field in Green Bay is now quietly being cleaned up. Wasn’t this just the center of the football universe for the NFL Draft?
The game itself returns in a few months, but memories of an event that stormed into town – bringing glitz, glamour, and a world-wide audience with it – will be everlasting.
Civic Media sports reporter Mike Clemens didn’t miss a minute of the player selections and shares his thoughts — along with a wrap-up following this monumental draft with Todd Allbaugh, host of The Todd Allbaugh Show.
Listen to Mike’s complete NFL Draft wrap-up discussion with Todd here:
Clemens says while reporting from Lambeau Field, it was easy to see the number of fans – 600,000 – would shatter attendance records. And he notes even the chilly Friday rain didn’t dampen the excitement as the spotlight was shining bright on Wisconsin and Packers fans were cheering every move.
One of the biggest highlights?
The Packers choosing to use a first-round pick on a wide receiver, nabbing speedster Matthew Golden from Texas. Clemens says he is the first first-round WR pick since before Golden was even born!
And the stories don’t stop there.
Clemens shares the emotional journey of Barryn Sorrell, a Texas pass-rusher who bet on himself, and stayed in Green Bay after not being picked early. It paid off when he finally heard his name called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell — leading to a Lambeau Leap and tears of joy at the media podium.
And in the end, if we are meant to learn something from the draft, it’s that perseverance — both on and off the field — defines these players. But also, it defines the people of Wisconsin. And our love of sports.
Team Coverage of the NFL Draft
A northeast Wisconsin team from 97.9 FM WGBW and 98.3 FM WISS, including Station Manager Todd Michaels, John Maino and Jim Schmitt, hosts of the Maino and the Mayor Morning Show; News Bureau Chief Lisa Hale, Features Reporter Teri Barr, Blogger Amanda Nimmer, and Photographer Jesse Strong captured stories from every angle.
Enjoy these highlights from coverage of draft week and find many other articles, interviews, and photos on the WGBW and WISS websites and social media:
Mayor Thanks Green Bay for NFL Draft Success
Wisconsin Band’s Big-League Dreams set to Rock the NFL Draft
Rich Packers Legacy is ‘Coming to Life’ in Green Bay
Green Bay’s Ready for Thousands of Fans and Millions of Dollars
The Fox Cities Prepares for the NFL Draft 2025
Your Daily Update to Plan a Personal Draft Experience
Mother Nature’s Pick: Will it Dampen the NFL Draft?
Green Bay Unveils Battery Electric Bus in time for NFL Draft
Teri Barr is Civic Media’s Content Creator and a legend in Wisconsin broadcast journalism. Email her at teri.barr@civicmedia.us.
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