GREEN BAY – Anthony Belton wasn't always this big.
Long before the Packers tabbed the 6-foot-6, 335-pound tackle as their second-round pick (No. 54 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft, Belton was a skill-position player at first.
After picking up football at the age of 6, Belton slowly sprouted from a receiver and defensive back in elementary school to a linebacker and tight end in middle school.
Belton thought that may be where he'd settle in for a second. Until he kept growing…and growing and growing following a growth spurt that came "out of nowhere."
By the time he graduated from Florida State University High School in his hometown of Tallahassee, Fla., Belton hovered in the 290-pound range and the decision was made for him.
"That's when I realized I had to play O-line, D-line," Belton said. "After that, it was over."
It worked out pretty well, as Belton blossomed into a three-year starting left tackle for North Carolina State known for his tenacity in the run game and ability to power defensive linemen off the ball.
Despite his massive size, Belton maintained his movement skills and athleticism on the offensive line. After a brief stint at Georgia Military Academy, Belton made a fast impression on N.C. State strength-and-conditioning coordinator, Dantonio "Coach Thunder" Burnette – both figuratively and literally.
Belton's performance in speed work and agility drills earned him the nickname, "Escalade," which stuck with him throughout his time in Raleigh.
"He saw I could move," said Belton of Burnette. "He drives an Escalade himself, so that's what he always told me – how smooth I could move be like an Escalade so that's what that was."
Belton started 33 of his 40 games for the Wolfpack and improved his draft stock with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl in January, catapulting himself onto the Packers' radar in the process.
Equipped with a 34-inch reach, Belton posted respectable numbers for a man his size at the NFL Scouting Combine, including a 29½-inch vertical and 8-foot-11 broad jump.
Take a look at Packers T Anthony Belton during his college career at North Carolina State.
The Packers liked enough of what they saw in Belton that they hosted him for a pre-draft visit, a meeting that confirmed many of their inklings about the 24-year-old offensive lineman.
Belton's prolific size was merely a bonus.
"It's the old phrase, 'Big doesn't get small,' especially when you play here in the NFC North," vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan said. "We want to be physical. We want to be able to overwhelm with size and physicality. That's what attracted us to him. He's a good football player, and he happens to be a huge man, as well."
A college career that spanned six years allowed Belton to grow as an O-lineman, but he was prideful about his playstyle from the very beginning. Over time, Belton learned how to blend his size into physically overpowering his opponent.
That edginess showed up on film, along with clips of him using his brute strength to push around trucks. The Senior Bowl served as confirmation Belton could line up across from high-quality D-linemen and dominate.
"Obviously he's got great size, and he can move people in the run game," said General Manager Brian Gutekunst. "Down at the Senior Bowl was my first real exposure to him and just seeing him and his ability to pass block, do all the things that I think Matt (LaFleur) asks our offensive line guys to do within our scheme, a lot of the movement stuff for a man his size is what drew us to him."
While Belton's length and footwork naturally align with tackle, the Packers feel he has the versatility to play guard if needed. That's in lockstep with the approach the organization has taken with recent draft picks Jordan Morgan (first round, 2024), Sean Rhyan (third round, 2022) and Zach Tom (fourth, 2022).
Green Bay was incredibly healthy on the offensive line last season, with only Morgan missing extended time due to injury. The Packers saw how quickly that can change, though, after a shoulder injury forced Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins out of the NFC Wild Card game in Philadelphia after just four snaps.
Belton is open to whatever the Packers ask of him. After a nerve-wracking wait that left him unable to eat anything before his selection, Belton couldn't be happier to land in Green Bay.
And he plans to bring his Escalade mindset with him.
"It is everything I dreamed of since I was a kid," Belton said. "This is all I wanted. This is all I worked for. The journey I went on to just be in this position is everything I've been wanting, man."
