Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst could deny his scouts no longer. With Appalachian State cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles still on the board late in the fifth round, the Packers’ roster-builder had to surrender to the will of his lieutenants and finally take the ball-hawking cornerback that had won over so many on the scouting side.
Jean-Charles, the FBS leader in pass-breakups in 2020, was the Packers’ pick at No. 178 overall in the 2021 draft.
Many in the team’s draft room were encouraging Gutekunst to take him.
“He was a favorite of a bunch of our scouts,” Gutekunst said after Day 3 of the draft. “We have a certain process we go through in the final three weeks before the draft. Guys get together and they work our board from the bottom up. This was a guy that just was the outlier for them. They were so excited to try and move this guy up the board, which we did. As it unfolded, I got a lot of taps on my shoulder during those period of times about him being on the board and available. We were thrilled to be able to select him.”
Jean-Charles (5-10, 184) likely fell in the draft due to his size and average athletic profile at the cornerback position. For the Packers, the stuff he put on tape was just too good to pass up, especially on Day 3.
There’s a higher chance of hitting in the draft by taking big, elite athletes. But size and athleticism are only parts of the scouting process, and sometimes really good football players just find ways to consistently win on the field.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jean-Charles allowed only 17 receptions over 387 coverage snaps in 2020. He’s been terrific getting his hands on the ball, defending 27 passes on just 119 targets into his coverage over his final two collegiate seasons.
The Packers think he has the football IQ and quickness to compete for snaps in the slot.
“I think he has a really good chance to play inside at nickel and do some of those things,” Gutekunst said. “I also think he’s a very strong athlete even though he doesn’t have great height that will allow him to play outside if we need him to. I think we looked at him as a guy that can compete inside. He has a lot of twitch and he gets his hands on a lot of balls. Very productive year this last year at App. State. Just a great kid.”
The pick was well-received. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com highlighted the Packers’ selection of Jean-Charles as one of his three favorite picks from the fifth round.
Scouts don’t always get their way on draft day. On Day 3, Gutekunst listened to his and took a staff favorite in the fifth round. The scouting side of the operation clearly thinks Jean-Charles can play. His future is now in hands of defensive coordinator Joe Barry and secondary coach Jerry Gray, who will attempt to develop him as a pro and find a role for him within the Packers defense.
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