ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WFRV) – Packers fans celebrated the opening night of the 2024 NFL draft in a variety of ways.
There were the more traditional fans who flocked to local bars to take in all 32 picks of the first round. Stadium View Sports Bar & Event Hall and The Bar on Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon were popular destinations for fans on draft night.
Fans waited over three hours from the beginning of the draft for the Packers No. 25 pick to roll around. They picked offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
The instant reaction to the pick among the crowd at Stadium View was a bit subdued, but after thinking about it for a while most fans told Local 5 News they liked the pick.
“Not the guy I had on my board, but excited to see them beef up the o-line for Jordan Love,” said Packers fan Matt Van Den Avond.
“It may not be the most sexy pick like you said, but hey a tackle, offensive lineman is important in the NFL,” said Packers fan Justin Wyngaard.
Packers take Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan with 25th overall pick in NFL draft
Local 5 spoke with several Packers fans before the draft began. They said they had hoped the Packers would draft a cornerback or an offensive lineman. They said they’re confident that the Packers decision makers are going to guide Green Bay to a successful draft.
The Packers still have 10 more draft picks scattered across the next two days of the draft.
Over at a very different draft night party, there’s a special guest who knows a thing or two about waiting awhile to hear your name called.
“Once you get drafted it’s one of the best days of your life so take it in, but the work starts now,” said Packers quarterback Sean Clifford who went in the fifth round (149th pick) in the draft last year.
Clifford spent his draft night this year hanging out with kids involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin mentorship program. With the help of their partner Take Action Realty Group, they hosted a draft night party to celebrate success in their own unique draft they’ve been conducting the last few months.
Officials with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin said they’ve been able to recruit 57 new adult mentors to their programs. This will help them cut down on their waiting list of kids who are looking to match with a mentor in the program.
“I love to be part of this program, I see the value in it constantly whenever I’m around it,” said Clifford who was an adult mentor in the program during some of his high school and college years. “You think you’re doing all these things for the little, but the little surprises you and you grow so much yourself.”
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“Help spread the word, get more mentors in here,” said Haley Vickman who is one of the adult mentors with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin. “Having him (Sean Clifford) be an advocate for us is priceless.”
“Those adults to come alongside littles and support them, I think that is something that anybody can get behind,” said Anthony Alvarado who is the chief marketing officer for Take Action Realty Group.
The draft night party included games like Jenga and Connect Four, lawn games, a cotton candy maker, and a bonfire.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin officials tell us they are still looking for adult mentors for the program and especially need men to join to mentor some of the boys in their program.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin matches adult mentors (‘bigs”) with area kids (“littles”) to create positive connections and mentoring opportunities.
