Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes, once a first-round pick out of Georgia in 2021, is now surrounded by former Bulldogs in Green Bay, and he’s especially excited about playing with the most recent addition.
After Stokes was first-round picks Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt in 2022. This year, the Packers added safety Javon Bullard, a second-round pick in the 2024 draft. While they didn’t play together at Georgia, Stokes and Bullard will share the same secondary in Green Bay.
Stokes said he knew Bullard well before the draft after going back and training in Athens during the offseason. And he knows exactly what kind of player the Packers are getting.
“I love Bull,” Stokes said. “He came (to Georgia) right after me. He’s a dog. He’s a savage. He’s knocking heads off. I can’t wait to be out there with him.”
The description of Bullard sounds fitting for a player once nicknamed a “little stick of dynamite” by Georgia coach Kirby Smart. While listed at 5-10 and 198 pounds, Bullard is a big hitter who seeks out contact — increasingly uncommon traits for a defensive back.
Bullard is No. 20 and Stokes is No. 21, so the two are positioned right next to each other in the Packers locker room. Stokes has been a mentor for Bullard during the early portions of his rookie season.
“That’s my locker buddy. Me and E go way back, even before I got here,” Bullard said. “He’s helped me tremendously, on and off the field. That’s my guy.”
It’s possible the Packers will have four starters from Georgia come Week 1 of 2024: Stokes at cornerback, Bullard at safety, Walker at linebacker and Wyatt at defensive tackle.
“It’s amazing. Might as well keep adding Dogs to Green Bay,” Bullard said.
Can the Packers defense reach the elite levels so commonly achieved by the immensely talented Georgia defenses at the collegiate ranks?
The four Bulldogs — including Bullard, the “savage” — will play a big part in answering that question for the Packers in 2024 and beyond.