The NFL Draft is an important day for NFL teams and fans.
The anticipation of a three-month long excitement of figuring out what your team should do and on that day in April will do.
For the Green Bay Packers, every Packers’ fan on the planet thought the strategy should be to draft a receiver in the first round, but with all their top draft options gone, the Packers had to go with a new strategy. The Packers went back to the well and stockpiled more defensive players and a couple of weapons for Aaron Rodgers.
So who did the Packers end up taking with their Draft selections?
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Quay Walker LB Georgia
Packers love them Dawgs
Walker played in all 14 games as a freshman in 2018, and tallied six tackles on the season.
Walker saw an got more playing time as a sophomore (23 tackles, 3.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks in 13 appearances) Before getting an opportunity to start twice in the 2020 season (43 tackles, two for loss with one sack).
Walker started every game last season for the national champs, and finished with 67 tackles, 5.5 for loss with 1.5 sacks.
Walker waited his turn for three years to become a starter, and ended up reaping the benefits of becoming a first round draft pick.
Walker will make a great pairing with All-Pro Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and Krys Barnes who was a solid contributor for Green Bay last season.
Overall, the Packers needed a Linebacker to help out a run defense that while improved, needed to shore up the LB room as they have gotten next to nothing from Ty Summers or last year’s draft pick Isaiah McDuffie.
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Devonte Wyatt DL Georgia
The run of drafting Georgia Bulldogs continues.
Wyatt began his college career at Hutchinson Community College because he was ruled academically ineligible to play at Georgia. Wyatt had 30 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Wyatt eventually met the requirements to enroll at Georgia.
Wyatt played in 12 games as a reserve in 2018 (19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and played in 13 games with one start in 2019 (30 tackles 1.5 for loss). Wyatt became a regular starter in 2020, (25 tackles, two for loss in 10 games.
Wyatt burst onto the scene last season, picking up first team All-SEC selection and tallying (39 tackles, seven for loss with 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 14 starts.
The Packers have done everything to fortify the defensive line this offseason. Green Bay signed Jarran Reed from Kansas City in free agency to help out star DL Kenny Clark.
Packers drafted Wyatt, because similar to the LB position, Green haven’t gotten anything from their rotational players. The Packers next season, face a gauntlet of great running teams in the NFL, a guy like Wyatt should help solidify their run defense.
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Christian Watson WR North Dakota State
A weapon for Aaron Rodgers has arrived.
Watson was regarded as one of the more underrated WR prospects in the Draft and with good reason.
Watson went to a small school in North Dakota State so he wasn’t talked about as much as the guys from Alabama and Ohio State were. But the Packers held Watson in high regard as they traded two second round selections (53rd and 59th overall) to the Vikings to trade up for Watson.
Watson caught nine passes for 165 yards in his freshman camapign but, an increased workload in his sophomore year, saw a jump in his stats: Watson hauled in 34 passes for 732 yards and six touchdowns and was named second team All- Missouri Valley Football Conference.
In the pandemic shortended 2020 season, Watson caught 19 balls for 442 yards and one touchdown, and was named first-team All MVFC. Watson once again repeated as a first team All- MVFC performer in 2021, snaring 43 passes for 801 yards and seven touchdowns.
Green Bay needed to find more talent at a position that is an area of concern heading into the 2022 NFL season.
Trading away Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders and losing Marquez Valdez- Scantling to free agency, the Packers lost their top receiver and top downfield threat all within the span of six days.
Green Bay have since signed veteran Sammy Watkins, and Randall Cobb took a pay cut to remain with the team.
Watson making an impact right away for Green Bay will take time, there hasn’t been a young wide receiver for the Packers in the Rodgers era who developed a rapport with Rodgers right away, Davante took three years, Jordy Nelson took two and James Jones took a couple of years. Christian Watson will be a good WR in this league, but it will take awhile for him to reach that point.
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Sean Rhyan OT UCLA
Sources close to me tell me that Sean Rhyan and David Bakhtiari will be doing Head and Shoulders Shampoo commercials for the upcoming 2022 season.
Rhyan was a three-year starter for the Bruins and can play either guard or tackle.
Offensive line has been an area of strength for the Packers the past few seasons, but losing Lucas Patrick in free agency and releasing Billy Turner the Packers neeeded more depth at offensive line.
Green Bay has one of the deepest offensive lines in the league, and drafting Rhyan gives them a good alternative in case Pro Bowl Guard Elgton Jenkins isn’t ready to start the season.
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Romeo Doubs WR Nevada
Another weapon in the artillery for Aaron Rodgers .
In his freshman season in 2018, Doubs started 9 of 13 games and tallied 43 receptions, 562 yards, 13.1 avg and two touchdowns. Doubs also returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown against Portland State in his first collegiate touch.
Here’s the play:
In Doubs sophomore season, he played in 10 games tallying 649 yards and four touchdowns and was named Nevada’s team MVP for his efforts. As a junior, Doubs broke out and had his first 1,000 yard season where he also had nine touchdowns. He was named First-team All Mountain West after leading the conference in receiving yards. Doubs in his senior season, had a career best 80 receptions, 1,109 yards and 11 touchdowns. Doubs last season in a game against Fresno State, tied the school record in receptions with 19, which was also the FBS record in receptions in a game for the 2021 season.
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Zach Tom OL Wake Forest
More offensive line help for Aaron Rodgers.
Tom will likely move back to center in the NFL. Tom was the Demon Deacons starting center and earned all-honorable mention All-Athletic Coast Conference (ACC) after starting 13 games for Wake Forest. Tom moved to left tackle in his redshirt junior season, and started nine games. He was named first-team All ACC in 2021.
Green Bay drafted Josh Myers out of Ohio State to fill the void left by Corey Linsley who departed as a free agent in 2021. Myers unfortunately missed part of the season last year with a torn MCL and a tibial plateau fracture suffered against the Chicago Bears in Week 6 of the 2021 campaign. Myers also broke his finger, which caused him to miss a game after it was discovered the injury got infected which required medical attention.
Packers did not have good depth a center last season, after Myers went out the Packers turned to Lucas Patrick who is more suited to play guard than center. This pick allows for better depth along the offensive line at premium positions.
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Kingsley Enagbare LB South Carolina
Enagbare played two different positions at South Carolina. Enagbare moved from defensive end to defensive tackle early in his USC career. He played in 12 games and finished his freshman campaign with 20 tackles with three tackles for loss and one sack.
He moved back to defensive end as a sophomore and registered 27 tackles, seven for loss and 3.5 sacks. As a junior, Enagbare had a breakout campaign tallying 30 tackles, seven tackles for loss with six sacks and three forced fumbles and was named first team All-SEC. Enagbare last season, picked up 44 tackles, seven for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two pass breakups.
Enagbare is expected to compete with Dean Lowry, Jack Heflin, free agent signing Jarran Reed and this year’s first round pick Devonte Wyatt for snaps next season.
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Tariq Carpenter S Georgia Tech
Carpenter’s career began as a reserve in 2017, tallying two tackles on the season. Carpenter got a starting role as a sophomore, starting all 13 games, 55 total tackles, 1.5 for loss, and five pass breakups, Carpenter also tied the team lead with two interceptions. Carpenter in 2019, started 10 games and picked up 62 tackles, two for loss, one interception and four pass breakups. In the shortened 2020 season, Carpenter had 39 tackles, two for loss, five pass breakups. Carpenter last year, started 9 out of 12 games played and registered a career high 65 tackles and breaking up three passes.
The safety spot outside of Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos has been an area of concern for Green Bay the past two seasons. They haven’t gotten a lot of production from Vernon Scott or Henry Black who have only seen time as special teamers. Hopefully Carpenter can add more contributions at the safety position.
Congrats to Tariq on getting to play for the team he grew up rooting for.
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Jonathan Ford DT Miami (FL)
More beef is being added to the Dairy State.
At 6’5″ 333 LBS Jonathan Ford is a space eater
In 2018, Ford recorded eight tackles, two for loss, in 10 games. In 2019, Ford started in all 13 games with 18 tackles, 3.5 for loss with three sacks and a forced fumble. He started in eight of 10 games in both 2020 (19 tackles, 1.5 for los) and 2021 (14 tackles) for the Canes.
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Rasheed Walker OT Penn State
Walker played in four games as a reserve offensive lineman before using a redshirt in 2018. In 2019, Walker stepped into the left tackle position and picked up honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference honors the following two seasons and started in nine games in 2020 and 10 in 2021, missing the end of the 2021 season due to injury.
Walker played a key role for Penn State as he did a great job protecting the blindside of Sean Clifford and he will fit in well with the Packers offensive line group, as he’s gotten early praise for being a finisher.
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Samori Toure WR Nebraska
Toure began his college career at Montana and was named third-team Associated Press All American, Big Sky Conference Receiver of the Year and first-team all league honors in 2019. Toure set program records with 87 catches and 1,495 yards with 13 touchdowns. Broke an FCS playoff record with 303 receiving yards against Southeast Louisiana. Transferred to Nebraska in 2020 after Montana’s season was cancelled due to COVID-19. He led the Huskers with 898 receiving yards and five touchdowns starting nine of 12 games.
Stat of the weekend:
