A lot has happened in the week following the 2021 NFL draft. Aaron Rodgers this, Aaron Rodgers that.
But seven days have provided enough time for a clear perspective on the Green Bay Packers’ work in the draft.
The immediate assessment of a draft class is often based on what can be assumed is instant impact potential. The Packers’ draft in 2020 was maligned for a variety of reasons, but it was also quite difficult to scan through the class and find a player that would impact the Packers on the field that season.
The Packers’ 2021 draft does not suffer from this problem. The nine-player class could provide impact in a variety of ways right away, but this reality isn’t the only reason why the Packers’ work this year looks solid, safe and sensible.
Consider the following:
– In the first round, the Packers added an elite athlete with two years of high-level play in the receiver-rich SEC. Eric Stokes might not play right away, but he will provide immediate competition for the oft-injured and inconsistent Kevin King. And he is a strong investment in the team’s weakest premium position and possibly the team’s biggest need.
– In the second round, the Packers took a center from a program with a rich history of producing NFL centers and provided a potential Day 1 replacement for the team’s biggest loss in free agency, All-Pro Corey Linsey. Josh Myers might have the highest potential for instant impact in the class.
– In the third round, the Packers traded up to get a slot/gadget weapon that both fits the Matt LaFleur offense nicely and adds a threat on special teams. Amari Rodgers is exactly the type of player the Packers offense has been missing over LaFleur’s two seasons. He’ll add a new dynamic for the NFL’s No. 1 offense, strengthening a strength.
– The first three picks will have a very good chance at contributing in a meaningful way in 2021. And all three play positions that can provide value in the passing game. Smart.
– On Day 3, the Packers loaded up with big people (two offensive linemen, one defensive lineman), found depth at need positions and added help for the special teams.
– Closer examination of Royce Newman (fourth round) and Shemar Jean-Charles reveals two potentially useful players for the Packers found on Day 3. Newman has the kind of snap quickness that could help him play right tackle. Jean-Charles is so fluid in his movements and always finds the football. Getting a potential future starter at right tackle and slot cornerback on in the middle rounds could really make this a nice class.
– Many analysts saw offensive line, cornerback and wide receiver as the three deepest positions in the draft class. This aligned nearly perfectly with the Packers’ biggest needs. We all expected the Packers to get a cornerback, help for the offensive line and a pass-catcher. Check, check, check. In fact, the Packers took two offensive linemen, a cornerback and a receiver in the first four rounds.
– The competition along the offensive line and cornerback will be very fascinating this summer. One thing to remember: Adam Stenavich and Jerry Gray might be the two best positional coaches on the staff. Not a bad idea to give them both a bunch of quality players.
– There was hardly a surprising pick in the bunch. Maybe taking Josh Myers over Creed Humphrey and Quinn Meinerz raised some eyebrows, but many had Myers graded out similarly, and Myers might be the best fit in the Packers offense of the three.
– Not every draft board will agree, but the Packers clearly believe they took second-round caliber players on Day 2. They were ready to pick Rodgers at 62 but ended up getting him by trading up to 85. The fourth-round pick was a steep price to pay, but it’s also not if the Packers thought they were getting a top-60 player at 85.
– The Packers gave up one draft pick but ended up picking nine players. The roster will be very competitive at the fringes this summer, but the Packers also needed to create some depth at several positions going into 2022. They accomplished this goal well.
– The draft class actually fits the Packers offseason (save for that pesky Aaron Rodgers situation). This team put in a lot of work to bring back just about everyone from last year. They couldn’t retain everyone, but they found some answers to the departures in the draft. The Linsley-Myers connection is an easy one. But also consider Newman-Rick Wagner, Cole Van Lanen-Lane Taylor, Isaiah McDuffie-Christian Kirksey and Kylin Hill-Jamaal Williams. This class did a nice job of filling in the cracks leftover from free agency.
– The goal of any draft is to build a better, deeper roster. The Packers did this in a perfectly sensible way over three days.
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