The Green Bay Packers need long-term upgrades at the safety position. As it stands right now Green Bay’s safety room consists of Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford, Tarvarius Moore, Tariq Carpenter, and Dallin Leavitt.
It’s a group that needs a complete makeover. Unfortunately for the Packers, the 2023 NFL Draft isn’t locked and loaded with blue-chip safety prospects.
Even with it being a weaker class, Brian Gutekunst will likely select a safety or two as they look for upgrades.
A safety that Gutekunst could target on day two or early on day three of the upcoming draft is JL Skinner. The Boise State safety checks in at No. 15 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
A three-star recruit out of California, Skinner became a full-time starter during his sophomore season and recorded 37 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one interception during the shortened 2020 season. In 2021, Skinner recorded a team-leading 92 tackles to go along with seven tackles for loss, seven pass deflections, and two interceptions. This past season, Skinner recorded 65 tackles, eight pass deflections, and four interceptions.
“I think Skinner set out to accomplish everything he wanted to this season, outside of winning a Mountain West Championship,” Brady Frederick, the sports anchor for KTVB said. “He was the leader of the defensive secondary, both vocally and by example, and he was able to continue to put up great stats and perform in the clutch while improving his defensive reads.”
At 6-3, Skinner is a long safety. He’s a downhill enforcer that plays with a ton of energy. The Packers are in need of more players that play with an edge and Skinner would give Joe Barry a tone-setter. His wingspan gives him a wide tackle radius. A former track athlete, Skinner has good range as a run defender.
Skinner plays an aggressive brand of football. That can get him in trouble as he tends to overrun the play and he’ll need to clean up some of his technique as a tackler. According to Pro Football Focus, Skinner has missed 21 tackles over the past two seasons.
“Skinner is extremely unique with his combination of size, strength, and speed,” Frederick said. “He’s great at using his 6-4 220 frame to his advantage to break up passes, get behind the line and serve as an enforcer within the defense.”
Skinner has the size and physicality to match up with tight ends. He’s an instinctive player with disciplined eyes. While Skinner is at his best moving downhill, he did show marked improvements in coverage this past season. Once the ball arrives, Skinner does a great job of getting the receiver to the ground to limit yards after the catch.
“After leading BSU in tackles his junior season, I think his coverage and defensive reads were a point of emphasis this season,” Frederick said. “He never really got burned or made the wrong decisions and has great hands to break up passes or reel in interceptions.”
A high school wide receiver, Skinner has adequate ball skills. With his length he’s able to get his hands on a lot of passes. Over the past two seasons he recorded 15 pass deflections and six interceptions.
“His ball skills are great, especially paired with his ability to read coverage,” Frederick said. “Notably two of his four interceptions came at the end of the game against Wyoming that came down to the wire. In the final four minutes, Skinner had what looked like a game-sealing interception, the Broncos fumbled, and then he secured another interception in the end zone of what could have been a go-ahead drive for Wyoming in the final seconds.”
During his time at Boise State, Skinner logged 460 snaps on special teams and recorded nine tackles. Skinner has the experience, athleticism, and physicality to be an instant contributor on special teams during his rookie season.
“I think paired with his speed, hard hits, and fundamental tackling Skinner would be extremely effective in special teams,” Frederick said. “Both in kickoff and punt teams.”
Fit with the Packers
From top to bottom, the Packers need improvements at the safety position. Given the state of Green Bay’s safety room, Skinner could earn immediate playing time.
He would bring much-needed physicality to not only the position but the entire defense. While he may not have centerfield-like range, he’s more than capable of playing closer to the line of scrimmage and matching up with tight ends.
“JL Skinner is a leader and puts the team first,” Frederick said. “Despite the hype of being an NFL prospect, Skinner refused to answer questions about his NFL dreams until after the season was over. His size and athleticism are also rare for a safety, especially one who hits as hard as he does. I think there’s enough tape on JL that shows he is worth taking in the draft, and I think he would compete for a starting role.”
Skinner didn’t get to test throughout the draft process due to a torn pectoral muscle he suffered while preparing for the combine.
That minor speed bump shouldn’t stop teams from drafting him. He’s an explosive, downhill safety that could help Green Bay shore up their leaky run defense.
Skinner’s at his best playing closer to the line of scrimmage where his physicality and short-area quickness shines through. During his time at Boise State he lined up in the slot, deep, and in the box during his time at Boise State. He’s a player that’s capable of wearing multiple hats for a defense.
The Packers currently have zero playmakers at the safety position. Skinner may have some concerns with his range in coverage, but given his size, track background, physicality, and special teams chops, Skinner should be a target for the Packers as they look for upgrades at the safety position.
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