The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.
Next up: defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, the 150th overall pick and the Packers’ fifth-round draft pick in 2019:
Season stats
Keke finished his rookie season with 10 tackles and a quarterback hit over 14 regular-season games. He added three more tackles and a tackle for loss during the postseason.
Snap counts
Keke played 94 defensive snaps and nine special teams snaps during the regular season and another 14 defensive snaps and two special teams snaps during the postseason, giving him 119 total snaps over 16 games in 2019. He played a season-high 15 snaps against the New York Giants. He wasn’t active in Week 1 or 2 but was on the 46-man active roster every game the rest of the way. He reached 10 or more defensive snaps in five different games.
Best game
NFC Championship Game against the 49ers. Keke came on late in the 37-20 drubbing and actually stood his ground well over 11 snaps, mostly against the run. By then, the game’s result wasn’t in question and the 49ers were killing clock, but it was an encouraging effort nonetheless. On one late third down, Keke bench-pressed the right guard to disengage from the block and then burst into the backfield to stop Raheem Mostert for a loss. Earlier in the half, he once again got off a block from the right guard and helped stop Mostert on the edge after a short gain. His three total tackles were a season-high.
Best play
It might have resulted in a touchdown, but Keke’s hit on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 5 was an impressive individual play. He worked through a double team and then powered right through the left guard en route to smacking Prescott in the pocket as he launched a second-down throw late in the third quarter. Michael Gallup ended making a tough catch downfield and scoring, but Keke wasn’t far away from tallying his first career NFL sack. It ended up being his lone quarterback hit of the year.
Season review, future outlook
Keke was very much a rotational player during his rookie season. During most games, he was the fifth defensive lineman option for a defense that didn’t put many down linemen on the field in 2019. There were flashes, including a few early as a pass-rusher and especially late in the run game. He still needs to get a little bigger and stronger to handle more snaps at defensive end, and his gap discipline against the run looked a little inconsistent at times. However, his movement ability jumps off the tape, and with added weight and a legitimate second-year jump, he could help the Packers improve against the run as a five-tech defensive end while also giving the pass-rush another athletic interior option. It’s possible he could wiggle his way into the conversation for a starting spot in 2020. The traits are there.
Season grade
Keke didn’t have many chances to get on the field as a rookie, which was expected given the experience of the players ahead of him and the Packers’ defensive scheme. He still managed to flash some of the athletic traits that had the Packers excited to get him in the fifth round. There’s potential for Keke to make one of the defense’s biggest development jumps in 2020. Grade: C+
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