Paul Bretl | 8/10/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers’ preseason opener against the New York Jets on Saturday marked the beginning of Colby Wooden’s third NFL season. But before kickoff took place, the day prior, the team held a ceremony for Wooden to celebrate an impressive accomplishment.
Wooden graduated and got his business degree from Auburn University.
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In the midst of training camp and the preseason, Wooden couldn’t make his way back to Auburn to attend graduation. So the University sent him his cap and gown, and the Packers held their own graduation ceremony for him.
In one of the team’s large meeting rooms, coaches, teammates, and Wooden’s mom, Nicole, celebrated Colby.
“I ain’t going to lie, that was electric,” Wooden said at his locker after Saturday’s game. “I’m forever grateful to coach LaFleur for just doing that for me. I feel like that was a cool moment, especially to have my teammates embrace me. That was cool. That was cool.”
When Wooden declared for the NFL draft, he had only three classes remaining to graduate. Prior to his second NFL season with the Packers, Wooden told his mom that he would go back to obtain his degree. This past January, he enrolled in his final three classes and made that commitment come true.
Wooden knew the team was going to have a celebration for him, but he didn’t realize to what extent.
“I knew we was going to have something,” Wooden said, “but I didn’t know to what extent, but they outdid themselves, for sure.”
On the field on Saturday night, it was a “sloppy” and “humbling” performance for the Packers team, as LaFleur put it afterward. But one of the bright spots was the play of Wooden at defensive tackle.
Wooden finished the game with six total tackles, three of which were solo with one for a loss. He also had a pass deflection as well. His playing time often came against the run, where he was able to create a steady push up the middle.
During the pre-draft process prior to the 2023 NFL draft, Wooden measured in at 273 pounds. Getting bigger and stronger as been part of Wooden’s acclimation process to the NFL. Last season, he played in the 280 to 290 range, and now, he’s up to 300 pounds.
As Wooden put it, knowing he had to continue to get stronger and more stout at the point of attack, he hit the gym hard during the offseason, lifting, to help put on good weight.
“More sturdier and confident in my abilities to affect the game and play the run,” Wooden said of playing heavier. “I was able to use my hands more. I feel like going into this third year, it’s starting to slow down, starting to make sense. I’m starting to see the big picture and that’s good.”
While Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt lead the way at defensive tackle, Wooden has often been rotated in with Karl Brooks as the second unit. He and Nazir Stackhouse have also seen their share of reps together during more run-heavy situations.
In the ultimate team game, winning is all that matters, and what the Packers put on tape on Saturday night was not anywhere near good enough. However, two things can be true at once, and while there are plenty of improvements to be made across the board, it’s also been a good 48 hours for Wooden.
“I mean I did good but at the end of the day, I want a W,” Wooden said. “Regardless of my accolades or what I got individually, it still don’t trump the W. I wanted to win.”