Packers cornerback Eric Stokes had one of the best rookie seasons that almost nobody is talking about. After being drafted by Green Bay Packers 29th overall in 2021, Stokes led his team in pass breakups (14) and also led all rookie defensive backs with the lowest completion rate allowed in coverage at 51.0%, per Pro Football Focus.
Stokes wasn’t just dominant among the rookies, though. He also had the lowest percent of open targets allowed among all NFL cornerbacks with 24%, and to put that into perspective, four-time pro bowler Marshon Lattimore finished the season with 24.5%.
There were only a handful of cornerbacks since 2015 to register a sub 80.0 passer rating in coverage their rookie seasons: Marcus Peters (2015), Jalen Ramsey (2016), Marshon Lattimore (2017), Marlon Humphrey (2017), Tre’Davious White (2017) and now, Stokes (2021); putting him in elite company.
Let’s not forget that this was also against the top No. 1 receivers in the league last year: Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Jefferson, Terry McLaurin, Ja’Marr Chase, Deebo Samuel, Allen Robinson. And Stokes still finished as a top cornerback statistically.
Despite all these numbers, Stokes really isn’t getting the early recognition he deserves. This could be due to the Packers’ defensive scheme overall. So, let’s dive into the film to see how he was able to perform at an elite level and why we should start giving him the love he deserves!
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