Category: Latest Packers News

Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper ranks outside top 12 for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds

Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper has +3500 odds to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year coming out of the 2024 NFL draft.

A quick look at the odds for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year coming out of the 2024 NFL draft provided a little bit of a surprise: Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, the first off-ball linebacker off the board at No. 45 overall and a likely Day 1 starter for new defensive coordinatorJeff Hafley, doesn’t currently rank in the top 12 at BetMGM.

Cooper’s odds right now? +3500.

Here’s the top 12:

Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings: +400
Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts: +600
Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams: +1100
Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles: +1100
Terrion Arnold, Detroit Lions: +1100
Byron Murphy, Seattle Seahawks: +1300
Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles: +1600
Chop Robinson, Miami Dolphins: +2000
Payton Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers: +2000
Kool-Aid McKinstry, New Orleans Saints: +2500
Nate Wiggins, Baltimore Ravens: +3000
Darius Robinson, Arizona Cardinals: +3000
Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers: +3500

Cooper’s odds may reflect an on-going shift in the award itself. A true off-ball linebacker, once the dominant force for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, hasn’t won the annual award since Shaq Leonard in 2018. Four of the last five winners of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year were pass-rushers, the fifth was a cornerback. Overall, Leonard’s win in 2018 is the only by an off-ball linebacker between 2013 and 2023.

Can Cooper, a disruptive play machine at Texas A&M, help turn the tide for off-ball linebackers?

The 45th overall pick should get a chance to start next to Quay Walker right away. And he’ll likely have opportunities to shoot gaps in the run game and blitz in the passing game in Hafley’s defense. Any rookie of the year has to fill up the stat sheet and create big play after big play for an ascending defense.

In 2018, Leonard produced 163 tackles, 7.0 sacks, two interceptions, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 12 tackles for loss. The Colts defense went from 30th in points allowed in 2017 to 10th in 2018.

Cooper is going to play right away. He’s going to have talent all around him. He should play in an attacking style defense. The Packers should be contenders, possibly with an improved defense overall. And Cooper’s game — built on speed and chasing down the ball sideline to sideline — should be made for piling up the right kind of stats.

Cooper is still a long shot coming out of the draft. Can he beat the odds and give the Packers their first NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year since Willie Buchanon in 1972?

Bettors can also bet on second-round pick Javon Bullard. The 58th overall pick and likely Day 1 starter for the Packers has +5000 odds to be NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. Want the biggest of longshots? Seventh-round pick Kalen King has +20000 odds!

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

Senior Bowl gives Packers OL Travis Glover a boost during pre-draft process

Travis Glover, the Packers’ sixth-round pick, helped his draft stock during the Senior Bowl.

In the sixth round of the NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers continued to bolster their offensive line depth, selecting Travis Glover from Georgia State, who further made his way onto their radar with his play at the Senior Bowl.

“I think it definitely helped him,” said general manager Brian Gutekunst. “I think it helps anybody whether you come from a Power 5 school or whether you come from a small school, but I do think sometimes when you come from a small school you may have more questions about level of competition and then you walk out to the Senior Bowl and go against those guys and prove yourself a little bit, that certainly can help, yeah. In his case it did.”

You won’t find a much more experienced player than Glover, who was a five-year starter at Georgia State, playing almost 4,200 career snaps.

During that five-year span, Glover allowed only 11 total sacks. In his final four seasons, he never allowed more than 14 pressures in a season. In 2023 specifically, Glover ranked 29th among 200 tackles in pass-blocking efficiency and 57th in PFF’s run-blocking grade.

“He’s an exceptionally talented kid and all of his best football’s in front of him,” said Gutekunst. “So, again, versatile guys that I think we’ve talked about before can play inside and outside.”

However, even with Glover’s level of play and his experience, an already big jump just going from college to the NFL can be a bit more daunting for those who didn’t play at the Power-5 college football level.

So, the Senior Bowl provides non-Power-5 prospects with the opportunity to showcase that they can play with the best of the best. The unscripted nature of the event during the week of practices creates an abundance of one-on-one opportunities and highly competitive situations.

For Glover, it was a terrific chance to put his skills to the test and show what he’s capable of against some of the top pass rushers that college football has to offer, which the Packers took notice of.

“I think the Senior Bowl definitely helped out,” said Glover when speaking to the media, “especially going out there and getting in front of more teams. Then at the Hula Bowl, it showed guys that I wasn’t just a guy that could play in the Sun Belt. I could play against these Power 5 guys and I think it was a really big help just going out there and competing against new competition.”

The bulk of Glover’s playing time at Georgia State came at left tackle, but he is another versatile puzzle piece for the Packers as they go about constructing their offensive line, having some guard experience as well.

As the Packers often do, there will likely be plenty of mixing and matching along the offensive line during training camp, but where Glover can provide the most value is as a potential swing tackle option off the bench–a role he will be competing with Caleb Jones, Luke Tenuta, and Andre Dillard for, if we assume both Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan are in the starting lineup.

“I think my strength is probably just my hands,” said Glover. “I try to be violent when I play and really timing in my strikes is something that I’ve been trying to work on. It’s one thing to just be trying to throw haymakers, but in my training, just working on throwing fast strikes like a snake. It just pops.

“Just really fine-tuning everything I do, the way I move, the way I attack people, using my hands more. One thing I’m really trying to harp on.”

Green Bay Packers 2024 third-round pick: LB Ty’Ron Hopper

The Packers selected Missouri linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper in the third round (No. 91 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Height: 6-1
Weight: 228
Age: 23
From: Shelby, NC

College profile

Breakdown: Experienced SEC linebacker who produced 31.5 tackles for losses over 26 starts with Florida and Missouri. All-SEC and Butkus Award finalist in 2023. The Packers clocked him in the high 4.5s in the 40, highlighting his straight-line speed. Productive blitzer who created 65 career pressures, including 32 during breakout 2022 season. Extensive special teams experience. The Packers think he can be a run-and-hit linebacker with big-time tackling prowess and excellent overall length. Missed three games to finish 2023 season with a shoulder injury. Possible future starter in 4-3 base.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 44, Missouri LB Ty’Ron Hopper

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Missouri, Hopper played Will linebacker in defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After struggling to find a regular role at Florida, he transferred and averaged 5.8 tackles per game in two seasons with Missouri, earning All-SEC honors as a senior. With his initial quickness and rangy speed, Hopper aggressively responds to ball carriers and pass catchers and closes in a hurry. However, he lacks the play strength desired for an every-down role and needs to improve his block awareness. Overall, Hopper needs to be more consistent at the point of attack and as a finisher, but he is a fast-flowing athlete with the pursuit skills and blitzing talent to find a home in the NFL. He projects as a run-and-chase rotational linebacker with the skill set for special teams.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “An off-ball linebacker with length, speed and agility, Hopper is lacking in field vision and instincts. He can be a step late to diagnose play design and has moments where he looks lost in coverage. Hopper has sideline-to-sideline range and plenty of physicality to hit what needs to be hit. There are holes in his game that can be exploited, but he has traits and should get a chance as an NFL backup with special teams value.”

They said it: “He’s really physical, he can run, but his stopping power, when he takes on blockers, is pretty impressive. Very serious-minded guy, I think he really helped change that defense. The Missouri defense this year was excellent. They had a number of good players, but I think they’re very well-coached there, another one of those programs where we felt really good about taking somebody out of that program, because of how they do things there. But his stopping power as a tackler was really impressive.” — Brian Gutekunst

New uniform

RAS card

Highlights

Packers DL Devonte Wyatt with chance to ‘thrive’ in Jeff Hafley’s defense

As the Packers defense makes a transition under new coordinator Jeff Hafley, Devonte Wyatt has the chance to ‘thrive’ in this new system.

When vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan was answering questions about the Green Bay Packers’ Day 3 draft picks, he went out of his way to bring up a current player on the roster who he believes is going to greatly benefit from Jeff Hafley’s defense: Devonte Wyatt.

“Devonte Wyatt, I think he’s going to thrive in this defense,” said Sullivan. “Where you can kind of just pin your ears back, get off the ball. That’s what he was at Georgia — quick, work edges, penetrate, disrupt. I think there’s a bunch of guys who are going to benefit from what we’re doing.”

In his second NFL season in 2023, Wyatt saw much more steady playing time and was able to get after the quarterback regularly. He totaled 48 pressures, which was the fourth-most on the team and 20th overall among his position group.

Wyatt also recorded 5.5 sacks, although that figure could have been a lot higher if he was able to finish off some of those pressures. He would rank 12th among all interior defenders in pass rush win rate, although run defense is an area where he has to continue to improve.

Recently, Kenny Clark mentioned that Hafley’s defensive system will be really good for the interior defensive line, allowing them to be “way more disruptive.” Former Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels said the role of the interior defenders in this type of defense will be “simplified.”

In Joe Barry’s 3-4 defense, the interior defenders were responsible for two gaps, having to read the offensive line and the ball carrier, deciphering which gap was more vulnerable, and then trying to fill that void. Interior defenders in this style of defense are often space eaters, and it’s their job to help the linebackers and edge rushers make plays.

On the flip side, in Hafley’s system, the interior defenders are responsible for only one gap, allowing them to “cut loose” and get upfield, creating what is hopefully a more proactive than reactive approach along the defensive front.

This is a Packers defense in 2023 that ranked 23rd in yards per carry allowed, which included four games with the opponent rushing for more than 200 yards. The pass rush was also very hot and cold.

Sustained success for any defense begins with the interior defensive line. The best way to wreck any play for an offense is with quick pressure up the middle. When the defensive front is playing well, every other player on the defense benefits.

A jump from Wyatt in Year 3, due to his continued development along with benefitting from Hafley’s defense, could lead to a very productive and highly disruptive season from him after what we saw in 2023.

Green Bay Packers 2024 third-round pick: RB MarShawn Lloyd

The Packers selected USC running back MarShawn Lloyd in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected running back MarShawn Lloyd in the third round (No. 88 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Height: 5-9
Weight: 220
Age: 23
From: Wilmington, DE

College profile

Breakdown: Compact, well-built back with the burst, speed and balance through contact to create explosive plays. Big-play hunter on every run, creating boom or bust potential. Broke 47 tackles and averaged 7.1 yards per carry on only 116 carries last season. Caught 34 passes during collegiate career and showed ability to win 1-on-1 at the Senior Bowl. 23-year-old prospect but had only 291 carries. Led South Carolina in rushing in 2022 and USC in rushing in 2023. Scored 20 touchdowns on only 258 touches over final two seasons. Fumbled eight times (three in 2023), but Packers don’t think it’s an unfixable problem. Small hands. Likely to compete with A.J. Dillon for touches and snaps as the No. 2 running back behind Josh Jacobs right away.

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A one-year starter at USC, Lloyd was the top back on the depth chart in head coach Lincoln Riley’s RPO, spread (multiple-run) scheme. After three years at South Carolina, he transferred to the Trojans and had a productive 2023 season (led the team in rushing in 11 of 12 regular-season games), finishing as one of only five FBS running backs to average more than 7.0 yards per carry. With his vision and dynamic cutting skills, Lloyd is a shifty runner with the short-area explosion and lateral agility to leave defenders diving at air (20.87 percent of his carries resulted in a 10-plus-yard gain). He frequently springs free because of the creativity he shows with the ball in his hands, although he relies too much on his east-west options and needs to be more consistent finishing runs. Overall, Lloyd doesn’t have the profile of a high-volume back, but he can spark an NFL offense with his mix of patience, burst and promise as a pass catcher. His tape gives me flashbacks of a thicker version of Duke Johnson when he was coming out of Miami.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Lloyd’s flashes on tape could lead a team to envision a more expansive role for him in its offense, but based on his play, he feels more like a good complementary option with big-play potential. Frankly, some of his South Carolina tape from 2022 felt more exciting than his 2023 USC film, despite the higher yardage-per-carry mark in 2023. While he ran with improved patience and set up blockers more diligently in ’23, he ran with a greater sense of urgency the year prior and proved he could create explosive plays without as much help from his offensive line. Lloyd runs with slightly below-average vision but has the juice to play the role of “chunk-play slasher” and dangerous open-field pass catcher. Lloyd is a low-mileage prospect, and the scope of his role will obviously depend on scheme fit.”

They said it: “He’s a 220-pound man. He’s packed in a tighter frame but like his ability to make people miss, he’s got a little juice to him and, again, he’s 220 pounds, he breaks tackles. We think his best football’s ahead of him…He’s got serious speed. He’s very elusive, he’s got great balance, so he’s a little bit different than some of the backs that we have in our depth chart right now.” — general manager Brian Gutekunst

New uniform

RAS card

Highlights

Green Bay Packers 2024 second-round pick: DB Javon Bullard

The Packers selected Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected defensive back Javon Bullard in the second round (No. 58 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Height: 5-10
Weight: 198
Age: 21
From: Milledgeville, GA

College profile

Breakdown: Excelled as both a primary slot corner in 2022 and primary deep safety in 2023. Earned an elite coverage grade at both spots and was a confident and fearless tackler, especially against the run. Can be a heat-seeking missile playing downhill. Didn’t allow a touchdown and forced seven incompletions in 2023, per PFF. Leader for a talented Georgia defense and consistently showed up big in big games. Was a top player at the Senior Bowl. The Packers think he can play every spot in the secondary, from slot to in the box to the post safety. Likely Day 1 starter next to Xavier McKinney who will give the Packers terrific flexibility in the secondary.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 14, Georgia DB Javon Bullard

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Georgia, Bullard played the field safety role in head coach Kirby Smart’s 3-3-5 base scheme, and he also saw reps in the box and slot. The lowest-ranked recruit in Smart’s 2021 recruiting class, he played the “STAR” nickel position in 2022 before moving to free safety. He didn’t allow a touchdown in coverage during the 2023 season. With his swagger fitting up the run, Bullard is assignment sound as a down safety, where he can quickly diagnose, drive and make plays at the football. He has the eye balance to rapidly read routes, although his timing will need to be pristine to cover NFL receivers and tight ends. Overall, Bullard doesn’t have ideal size or length, but he is ultra-instinctive and makes his presence felt at all three levels of the field. His skill set fits best as a hybrid nickel defender who can handle box duties, disguise his intentions and drop into space.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Bullard isn’t a clean fit as a full-time nickel and might lack the length and range teams seek from a split safety, but he’s a good football player with the field awareness teams are looking for. He’s going to be a little tight with lateral movements, which will create some throwing windows and missed tackles from time to time, but his route recognition and angles of pursuit help to stabilize his play. There will be some challenging matchups, but Georgia’s provided the blueprint by playing him as a big nickel with run support and modest man cover duties — NFL teams would be wise to follow suit. With the right fit, Bullard should develop into a quality NFL starter.”

They said it: “Javon is a spirited, aggressive, smart football player. Loves the game, loves life, loves his teammates. You guys are going to love him. High energy. Always in a good mood but always competing. He’s just a good football player that loves to compete, loves to play. Will definitely raise the level of aggression and competitiveness in our locker room.” — Patrick Moore, assistant director of college scouting

New uniform

RAS card

Highlights

Packers announce signing of 8 undrafted free agents following 2024 draft

Top undrafted free agents signed by the Packers include OL Donovan Jennings, OL Trente Jones and LS Peter Bowden.

In addition to an 11-player draft class, the Green Bay Packers signed eight undrafted players following the 2024 NFL draft. (To be specific, the Packers announced the eight players as “agreed to terms,” so contracts haven’t been officially signed and are subject to change.)

Here are the eight players announced by the Packers on Tuesday:

LS Peter Bowden, Wisconsin
DL James Ester, Northern Illinois
LB Ralen Goforth, Washington
RB Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State
OL Donovan Jennings, USF
OL Trente Jones, Michigan
DL Rodney Matthews, Ohio
TE Messiah Swinson, Arizona State

Packers.com has bios on all eight undrafted free agent signings here.

Bowden was one of the top long snappers in the draft class, and Jennings and Jones were both considered to be draftable prospects.

The Packers will hold a rookie minicamp with tryout players in May.

New Packers CB Kalen King will play with ‘permanent chip’ on his shoulder

New Packers cornerback Kalen King fell to the seventh round in the NFL draft, which will be a big motivator for him moving forward.

Former Penn State cornerback Kalen King was the 255th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft out of 257 possible selections. That eventual phone call from Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers provided him with relief after what had been a very long few days.

“Today was honestly,” said King with a pause, “I feel like this whole experience definitely was one of the toughest things I’ve mentally had to endure in my life, but I felt like today was a blessing and curse. Even though I didn’t get drafted where I wanted to, I felt like God made the right choice for me. Every decision and everything happens for a reason. I feel like I’m in a place where I’m supposed to be and I’m happy I got my named called.”

This time a year ago, there were a number of draft analysts who projected King to be a potential first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

King was coming off a 2022 season with Penn State, where he was named a second-team Walter Camp All-American. That season, King allowed a completion rate of just 45 percent on 59 targets, showcasing excellent ball production with nine pass breakups and three interceptions.

This past season, however, King’s play and ball production took a fairly big step back. He would surrender a completion rate of 61 percent on 41 targets and totaled just one pass breakup the entire year. Also, not help King’s draft stock was that he ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash.

“I mean, I feel like the way I approach the game is always the same,” said King about his play in 2023. “I put in the work and I know what I’m capable of. Just because I got picked towards the end of the seventh round this year doesn’t mean that’s the player I am. That’s just where I was slotted to be. Going to go into the NFL, my career really starts now.

“Anything before this point, I feel like doesn’t matter anymore. With me having this opportunity with the Green Bay Packers, I feel like nothing happened last year. Everything is happening exactly how it’s supposed to. To answer your question, I feel like everything happens for a reason and I feel like I’m in the right place now.”

The latter portion of the NFL draft is all about taking a swing on upside and potential and trying to identify a key trait or two that teams believe can be developed.

King is a former All-American who played as one of the top cornerbacks in football for a full season and did so at a top-tier program. He also has three years of playing experience and is still just 21 years old. So, there is plenty to bet on from the Packers’ perspective.

Ben Fennell, a draft guru who works for NFL Network, recently mentioned that his two NFL comps for King were Casey Hayward and Logan Ryan. Of note with these two players is their versatility. Hayward played both from the slot and on the boundary throughout his career, as did Ryan, who also played at safety.

Perhaps the Packers view King in a similar light, and he is someone who can fill a few different roles, depending on where the need is, along with where he fits best.

“I think our league has a long history of guys who felt they were overlooked and use that as motivation to drive themselves,” said Gutekunst about King. “Hopefully, that’ll be the case. I didn’t hear that interview. Certainly, he was a guy that we expected to go higher, and as we went through it, we felt very fortunate to be able to pick him where we did.
“He’s got a really nice skill set. Has played some high-level football at Penn State. He’s got some versatility to play outside and to play nickel as well. And again, I think his best football is ahead of him as well. He’s a young player. He was a three-year player coming out. So, hopefully, that does drive him. We’re going to have a very competitive secondary right now and I feel really good about that and it’s going to be fun to watch those guys excel.”

King joins a Packers’ cornerback room that does have some unknowns right now. Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes will presumably be battling for the starting boundary position opposite of Jaire Alexander, but both come with question marks. The nickel could be viewed as an upgradeable position as well.

While it’s expected that Valentine will make a Year 2 leap after what we saw from him last season, that is never guaranteed either. Meanwhile, I’m not sure anyone knows what to expect from Stokes, who had a down 2022 season prior to his injury before missing most of 2023.

However, despite some of those concerns outside the building, the fact that the Packers waited to address the cornerback position until the seventh round, while having the opportunity to add to it in the first and second rounds, tells us that internally, they feel pretty good about the group that they have.

For King, unknowns can lead to opportunities. Last summer, the Packers cornerback room was viewed a strength of that team, but Valentine, who was also a seventh-round pick, would end up seeing significant playing time.

While in the moment, the fall down the draft board certainly stung, King is going to use that as motivation moving forward.

“It’s extremely motivating,” said King about being taken in the seventh round. “Not going where you thought you would go, seeing all the names being picked ahead of you, just enduring all that, seeing that and I felt like it put a chip on my shoulder, a permanent chip on my shoulder that I gotta keep there.

“I felt like the Packers are going to get one of the most competitive guys in the country, a tough corner, physical corner who’s going to give 100% effort around the field at all times and make as many plays as I possibly can by doing it at 100%.”

Green Bay Packers 2024 second-round pick: LB Edgerrin Cooper

The Packers selected Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper in the second round (No. 45 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Height: 6-2
Weight: 230
Age: 22
From: Covington, LA

College profile

Breakdown: Arguably the most disruptive off-ball linebacker in college football in 2023. Created SEC-leading 17.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks over just 12 games for one of the nation’s best defenses. First-team All-American. PFF’s top-rated linebacker Flies around the field with elite speed and pursuit. Explosive, powerful hitter. Can cover tight ends and running backs and was highly productive as a blitzer and quarterback spy, giving him three-down potential. The Packers think he’s an interchangeable linebacker who fits with Quay Walker. Should be an immediate starter.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 3, Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Texas A&M, Cooper lined up as a Will linebacker in defensive coordinator DJ Durkin’s 4-2-5 base scheme, also seeing snaps wide as a nickel or on the defensive line. Although 2023 was a forgettable season for the program, the Aggies’ defense ranked top 10 nationally and Cooper was the catalyst, leading the team in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles (only prospect in this class who can say that). An above-average athlete for his size, Cooper beelines to the football with outstanding closing burst and aggressive tackling. Though he has elite arm length, he can be better at shooting his hands to escape blocks. Overall, Cooper has some undisciplined tendencies and will run himself out of plays, but he is a fast-flowing linebacker who can run and cover. He has the explosive traits to be a regular on special teams as a rookie and grow into a three -down linebacker role in the NFL.”

Daniel Jeremiah’s scouting report: “Cooper is a long, rangy linebacker with excellent speed and coverage ability. Against the pass, he is very smooth in his drops, playing with vision and awareness. He is very comfortable in man coverage and has plenty of speed to carry tight ends up the seam. He is an explosive blitzer and has shown the ability to separate the quarterback from the ball. Against the run, he is quick to fill in the hole and displays stopping power as a tackler. He will have some fly-by missed tackles when in lateral pursuit. Overall, Cooper is an instinctive and explosive prospect who generates a bunch of splash plays. He’s ready to start right away, and I believe his best football is still ahead of him.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Highly physical linebacker with elite top-end speed and a burning desire to get to the football that can lead to some inconsistencies in his play. Cooper is average at diagnosing the run but takes off around traffic on a mission to find the ball-carrier once he sees it. He can be undisciplined playing his run fits and takes unorthodox paths downhill, but he somehow finds ways to slither around blocks and make challenging tackles. Cooper is a punishing hitter/tackler from any spot on the field, but he’s going to overshoot the mark from time to time due to his lack of control in pursuit. He’s a capable quarterback spy, can blitz the pocket and will be an instant hit on special teams, but teams will need to balance the inconsistencies with the passionate run-and-hit mentality.”

They said it: “He’s long and he’s fast. Brian does such a good job of targeting these guys that can really run. Loves football. Plays aggressively. Young kid, still growing into his frame. He’s aggressive. He covers ground. He plays the right way. Just has big upside. Can play the second level and pressure the quarterback up the middle, just a really excited athlete…you can feel his acceleration.” — Patrick Moore, assistant director of college scouting

New uniform

Packers.com

RAS card

Highlights

Packers get ‘winner’ in Michael Pratt as they reprioritize developing QBs

The Packers got a ‘winner’ in Michael Pratt in the seventh round of the draft as Brian Gutekunst reprioritizes drafting and developing QBs.

Although the Green Bay Packers already have Jordan Love, who is going to receive a massive extension, and they just selected Sean Clifford in the fifth round of last year’s draft, GM Brian Gutekunst picked Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt in the seventh round of this year’s draft.

This move shouldn’t have really come as a surprise either. In fact, back in late February, Gutekunst essentially told us it was coming.

“I’d love to continue to bring in quarterbacks,” said Brian Gutekunst at the NFL Combine. “Not only for the competition but for the development of them. Because I do think it takes time. It takes time, any player, but a quarterback particularly in a comfort zone of what he’s doing where you can really see his talent come out. I think Sean (Clifford) hit that pretty early compared to most, but I think that’s important you give that player the time to get there.”

I go into greater detail here, but in short, the decision to add a quarterback has far more to do with the organizational philosophy that the Packers have around drafting and developing that position than how they feel about Clifford being the backup.

As Matt LaFleur said this offseason, they’re “super excited” about Clifford after what they saw from him last season.

Pratt is an experienced quarterback with 1,469 career dropbacks and a three-time team captain at Tulane. In each of his four seasons, he steadily improved his accuracy, culminating with a completion rate of 65.4 percent this past year.

He took care of the football, throwing 90 career touchdowns to only 26 interceptions, and averaged an impressive 8.8 yards per pass attempt in 2022 and 8.5 yards per attempt in 2023. For some context, that 8.5 figure ranked 21st among all quarterbacks.

“Obviously a winner,” said Gutekunst of Pratt. “He really turned that program around. Started a lot of games for them. I think he won 21 or more games over the past two years. He’s a good athlete. He’s got a pretty live arm. Very accurate.

“Just like the way he handled himself. He had some big wins, so we’re excited. I wanted to add a quarterback and a bunch went early, so there wasn’t a lot of guys available in the mid-rounds. So as we got later and later he was kind of the only left that we wanted to target, so that was kind of nice.”

From a traits standpoint, LaFleur, like Gutekunst, would call Pratt a winner. He has a big arm, with LaFleur adding that he’s comfortable throwing from a muddy pocket, and Pratt was able to often strike a balance between knowing when to push the ball and when to take what was available.

Pratt enters a Packers’ quarterback room that, of course, features Love and Clifford, along with Alex McGough. While Pratt may be the most recent draft pick, until proven otherwise, that backup job belongs to Clifford. Ironically enough, Pratt mentioned when speaking with the media that he and Clifford are “buddies.”

While Pratt navigates the massive learning curve that comes with making the jump from college to the NFL, Clifford has already gone through that and has a year of experience in the LaFleur offense. If there is any sort of competition that were to unfold, Clifford has the clear leg up.

In recent years, however, Gutekunst has shown a willingness to churn the back end of the quarterback depth chart. In 2021, that third quarterback role belonged to Kurt Benkert. In 2022, it was Danny Etling’s job. And last year, it was McGough.

But now, as Gutekunst reprioritizes the drafting and developing of the quarterback position, he potentially has Pratt to fill that role rather than taking a swing on a free agent who has bounced around.

“I think consistency is one of the most important things as a quarterback,” said Pratt when asked what the strength of his game was. “I think that that’s one aspect of my game that I really elevated is being consistent, not being overly conservative but not being dumb with the ball and putting the ball in jeopardy.

“Just going through my reads, sticking to the course, trusting my training, I think is something that’s really important. I’ve had four different offensive coordinators in the four years I was there at Tulane and they all taught me different things. I just got to learn and develop throughout all of that. I just think that consistency is one of the biggest things I’ve implemented in my game.”