A main priority for Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers this offseason was to fix the special teams unit. It’s been a black eye for the Packers for what seems like 84 years (Rose Dawson voice).
The Packers took the first step in the right direction by hiring Rich Bisaccia to become the new special teams coordinator at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
Now, Gutekunst needs to get him some hired guns for Bisaccia. A way of doing that is finding players in the draft that have special teams experience.
The 2022 NFL draft is full of prospects that have experience on coverage units and there is no shortage of dynamic return men.
Britain Covey is one of those return specialists. The Utah prospect may be undersized (5-8, 170 pounds) for Green Bay’s “thresholds,” but as a late day three selection, he could provide an immediate impact as a return specialist, while also providing depth at the wide receiver position.
Why should the Packers use one of their late day three picks on Utah's Britain Covey?
My column: pic.twitter.com/YeA7XdT3bI
— Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) April 5, 2022
Covey caught 52 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns in 2021. As a return man, Covey returned one kickoff for a touchdown and added two punt return touchdowns. Covey averaged 30 yards per kick return and nearly 15 yards per punt return.
For his career, Covey set the program record for career punt return yards (1,092) and earned four All-Pac-12 selections as a returner.
What made him so good?
“My initial step and peripheral awareness,” Covey said in an interview with Packers Wire. “There is no hesitation in my initial step from my understanding of where the threats are coming. My highlight film is full of plays where my initial step is put on display. I also helped draw up the punt return schemes with my special teams coach the last two years of my career. As a kick returner, I was sixth nationally in kick return average.”
Covey is quick in short areas with the speed (4.45) to bust angles. Covey is shifty in space and has great vision.
“I would say my greatest strength is my ability with the ball and field vision,” Covey said. “The reason I say that is because I think it’s one of the few things that you can’t teach. You can teach catching, route running and releases, but you can’t teach ability with the ball. I don’t lose hardly any speed on my cuts and it’s very rare to see me not fall forward when tackled.”
As a wide receiver, Covey is a crisp route runner out of the slot. During his time at Utah, Covey practiced against Jaylon Johnson, Julian Blackmon, Terrell Burgess, Javelin Guidry and Marcus Williams. All players that are now in the NFL. Covey said going up against those athletes has helped prepare him for the next level.
“I’ve always prided myself on route running, especially from the slot,” Covey said. “Since I’ve been at Utah, I’ve played against defensive backs every day in practice who are now in the league and doing very well. They have all told me that I’m as good or better than the slots they are facing in the league, which gives me confidence.”
The Packers drastically need to improve on special teams. A big part of that is their return game. Covey’s size didn’t stop him from being a dynamic return man at Utah and it won’t stop him from being a dynamic return man in the NFL.
Covey may not hit the size “thresholds” the Packers have in place, but if they are serious about turning around the special teams unit, Covey’s size shouldn’t stop them from drafting one of the best return specialists in the draft.
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