The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney:
What he can do
– Short, slender cornerback at 5-10, 191. Wingspan of 75″ and vertical of 37.5″ help negate some size deficiencies
– Ran 4.48 at the combine, but had a slow 10-yard split and a concerning three-cone time of 7.26 seconds. Teams might be terrified of a small and (potentially) slow-footed cornerback
– Good thing the tape shows a fast, quick corner capable of recovering from a misstep. Teams will have to weigh measurables against the tape
– Experienced and productive playing press-man coverage. Jams receivers with quick hands and mirrors routes off the ball with quick feet. Very disruptive early in routes. Likes to re-direct and play trail coverage. Will be annoying for all types of receivers at the line
– So competitive at the catch point. Battles receivers for every inch of space. Believes every ball in the air is his. Times incoming targets well and contorts his body in any way possible to get an arm or hand into position to disrupt the football
– Stays sticky downfield and rarely gets beat deep for big plays
– His utter lack of social distancing will likely result in penalties at the next level. So physical downfield that he’ll get nabbed for PIs and illegal contact. Will need to be less grabby
– Balance and body control are incredible. Has the hips to play any corner spot at the next level. Continually finds ways of recovering late in the snap and getting into position to irritate the final product
– Boundless energy and enthusiasm on the field. Always moving, talking. Won’t hide his feelings about a big play. Infectious playstyle. Very Jaire Alexander-like
– Battled big-time cornerbacks. Covered Jalen Reagor every day at practice. Faced Denzel Mims, CeeDee Lamb, etc. Really competed well with Mims. Will enter the NFL fearless of big-time receivers
– Can be a huge hitter. Drives downhill into the flat and arrives with bad intentions. More than physical enough to play the run. Tackle percentage isn’t perfect but he gets guys down more often than not
– Broke up 43 career passes and intercepted five more. Huge production on the ball. Dropped some picks but got his hands on a ton of targets
– Four-year starter with 42 career starts. Instincts and play recognition skills are now well-defined
– Required surgery to fix his meniscus in March
How he fits
Team Gladney with Jaire Alexander and the Packers will have an annoying, disruptive and ultra-energetic pair of cornerbacks to anchor the pass defense for the next 10 years. Gladney and Alexander are quite similar, not only in size but also in demeanor and playstyle. They battle every second of every snap and win the majority of one-on-one fights in coverage. He lacks length and didn’t test particularly well, but Gladney’s tape is solid. He’s quick, instinctive and terrific with the ball in the air. Would the Packers draft another cornerback after getting Alexander in the first round in 2018? Who knows, but this team clearly prioritizes the defensive secondary, and the Packers could lose Tramon Williams this offseason and Kevin King next year. Gladney could be an instant starter (even in the slot) in 2020 and a long term No. 1 or No. 2 cornerback. He projects as a starting cornerback who should produce a lot plays on the football despite a lack of length at the next level. The Packers met with Gladney before the draft.
NFL comp
Dre’ Bly, with Jaire Alexander’s energy. Like Bly, Gladney doesn’t have ideal size or length, but he’ll win at the next level with a hyper-competitive playstyle at the line of scrimmage and an ability to combat passes with annoyance and tenacity at the catch point.
Where Packers could get him
Likely at No. 30 overall, if he’s still there. Projections for Gladney range from the middle of the first round to the second round. He probably won’t be there at No. 62, but if he falls, he could be a target after trading down from 30 or a target for trading up from 62.
Previous Prospects for the Pack
WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool
LB Zack Baun
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
OT Josh Jones
OT Austin Jackson
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
DL Raekwon Davis
DB Xavier McKinney
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
DL A.J. Epenesa
TE Hunter Bryant
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Zack Moss
WR Michael Pittman
WR K.J. Hamler
WR John Hightower
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Troy Dye
LB Willie Gay Jr.
OT Jack Driscoll
WR Devin Duvernay
OT Ezra Cleveland
WR Van Jefferson
OT Andrew Thomas
S Grant Delpit
TE Cole Kmet
OT Tristan Wirfs
QB Jordan Love
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
DB Jeremy Chinn
RB/WR Antonio Gibson
DL Jordan Elliott
DB K’Von Wallace
WR Bryan Edwards
DL Ross Blacklock
LB Logan Wilson
DL Justin Madubuike
RB Cam Akers
LB Malik Harrison
RB Darrynton Evans
WR Lynn Bowden Jr.
WR Gabriel Davis
LB Josh Uche
CB Trevon Diggs
DB Terrell Burgess
OLB Terrell Lewis
CB A.J. Terrell
WR Quintez Cephus
TE Albert Okwuegbunam
QB Jalen Hurts
WR Tyler Johnson
IOL Cesar Ruiz
DB Ashtyn Davis
WR Quez Watkins
OT Ben Bartch
IOL Matt Hennessy
WR Isaiah Coulter
RB J.K. Dobbins
OT Lucas Niang
RB A.J. Dillon
TE Dalton Keene
DL Jason Strowbridge
TE Adam Trautman
WR Joe Reed
CB Michael Ojemudia
RB D’Andre Swift
DL Leki Fotu
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