Tag: Samori Toure

Packers rookie WR Samori Toure catches first NFL touchdown pass

Packers rookie Samori Toure, the 259th overall pick in the 2022 draft, caught his first career touchdown pass on Sunday night in Buffalo.

One week after catching his first career pass, Green Bay Packers rookie Samori Toure now has his first NFL touchdown catch.

In the fourth quarter on Sunday night in Buffalo, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers bought time before finding Toure wide-open in the end zone for a 37-yard score.

The touchdown cut the Bills’ lead to 27-17 with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter.

Here’s the scoring play:

Toure, who played college ball at Montana and Nebraska, was the 259th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.

Active for the first time last week, Toure caught one pass for four yards during the Packers’ loss to the Washington Commanders. He now has two career catches for 41 yards.

Toure made the play just one snap after having a 19-yard completion negated by a drop.

Rodgers has thrown touchdown passes to Toure and Romeo Doubs, both rookie receivers from the 2022 draft class.

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Huskers in the NFL: Week 7

Two former Huskers made their NFL debuts!

Week 7 of the NFL season saw various ups and downs for former Husker football players. Rookies Cam Taylor-Britt (Cincinnati) and Samori Toure  (Green Bay) made their NFL debut, with the former playing a large role on defense.

On the flip side, a handful of Huskers were either held out of the game, sidelined with an ailment or suffered an injury in this past weekend’s slate of games.

Although Taylor-Britt came off the Bengals’ injured reserve last week, Randy Gregory, Matt Farniok and Nick Gates are sidelined with injuries. JoJo Domann, Jack Stoll, Cam Jurgens and Lamar Jackson didn’t see action.

Leading the way for the Huskers, perhaps to little surprise, was Lavonte David and Brett Maher, both of whom have had stellar seasons to this point.

Below are all the former Huskers’ notes and stats from Week 7 in the NFL:

Packers film room: Rookie WR Samori Toure flashes potential against Chiefs

On the latest edition of Packers Film Room from @PackerScribe: Breaking down the impressive preseason finale from rookie WR Samori Toure.

The Green Bay Packers went with potential over experience for the last wide receiver spot. The Packers want to see more of rookie Samori Toure, who they chose over Juwann Winfree for the initial 53-man roster.

The decision was a bit of a surprise, considering Winfree had received praise from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. However, this isn’t another Jake Kumerow situation. Winfree, now in his fourth NFL season, had the experience edge over Toure, but the rookie’s production in the preseason was tough to ignore.

Toure led all Green Bay receivers with 125 yards after catching nine out of 13 targets. He capped it off with an impressive performance in the preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, bringing in six catches for 83 yards.

To get a better look at what the Packers may have seen in Toure to keep him around, let’s go to the film from his game against the Chiefs.

Green Bay selected Toure with the 258th overall pick in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Toure was coming off an impressive season at Nebraska, where he led the Big Ten in yards per reception (19.5). Toure is listed at 6-1, 191 lbs, making him a solid-sized receiver with the ability to run. He ran a 4.48 with a 1.64 10-yard split at his pro day.

In the above clip, both receivers are in a reduced split and aiming to work back across the field. Toure is at the top of the screen facing an aggressive corner. He takes a jab release to get the defender leaning, so the jam misses its intended target. Toure then takes the inside release and uses his speed to gain separation on a deep over route. The opposite corner notices Toure coming toward his side of the field just as the ball is getting released. The help defender is actually in pretty good position, but Toure shows good processing skills to get in front of him and make a great concentration catch.

Toure logged a RAS score of 6.15, which is a tad low for what Packers GM Brian Gutekunst usually looks for. However, when you are able to run precise routes, it can help make up for average athleticism. Toure is tasked with running an in-breaker against zone coverage. He utilizes an effective stutter step to gain inside leverage against the corner but does so without losing too much momentum. This keeps the flow of the play intact and creates ideal timing for the quarterback to get rid of the ball. The safety crashes down hard on Toure when he makes the catch, and there is also a linebacker in the area. However, Toure shows great effort to stay on his feet, breaking a pair of tackles and picking up good YAC to get the ball down to the one-yard line. This kind of effort doesn’t go unnoticed by coaches.

Here is another example of Toure’s mental processing and competitive toughness. As a young player fighting for a roster spot, you have to be able to do the dirty work. Toure isn’t afraid to go over the middle and also understands how to beat zone coverage. After getting behind the linebacker, he demonstrates good pacing on this route to settle into the soft spot of the zone. You love to see this kind of recognition from a rookie.

Being a willing blocker is required of all Green Bay receivers. If you want to get on the field, you have to be able to block. This was one of the areas where Winfree was believed to have a slight edge over Toure, but the rookie definitely has the tools to be an effective blocker. He attacks this defensive back with force and good hand placement while getting his arms extended. Overall, this is a solid rep that could carry over to the run game.

We’ve seen Allen Lazard do this a ton. The crack block is a useful move to create room for the ball carrier by sealing either the linebacker or safety. Toure takes a good angle to the safety, but unfortunately, the corner recovers to set the edge and prevent the running back from turning the corner. Even though the play goes for a minimal gain, it says something about the team’s trust in Toure to perform this type of block.

Conclusion

After reviewing the tape, it’s understandable why the Packers want to hang onto Toure. He is a solid athlete who runs good routes and is a willing blocker. The blocking part is important because it will help Toure get on the field for special teams. Offensively, he probably won’t have much of a role in 2022. After all, he is the seventh receiver on the depth chart and is still learning the playbook. That said, Toure will have a chance to carve out a role down the road if he continues to improve. One thing we didn’t see much of against Kansas City was his ability to stretch the field, which is a huge part of his game and upside. If Toure can be a deep threat, who is also capable of running good short to intermediate routes, he will have a much longer NFL career. Early on, though, he will have to make the most of his reps on special teams.

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Strong finish, upside in the slot gets rookie WR Samori Toure onto Packers roster

A strong finish to the preseason and upside as a separator from the slot gave rookie WR Samori Toure the edge he needed to make the Packers roster.

A strong finish to training camp and the preseason and the upside of his skill set pushed rookie receiver Samori Toure onto the 53-man roster of the Green Bay Packers to start the 2022 season.

General manager Brian Gutekunst called it a “tough call” to pick Toure over Juwann Winfree, the more experienced player. But the rookie’s late push gave him the edge.

“Samori really started to excel toward the second half of training camp. That last preseason game, did a lot of really nice things,” Gutekunst said. “Samori, his ability in the slot, ability to get open and separate, some of those things, really intrigue us.”

Toure, a seventh-round pick, caught nine of 13 targets for a team-high 125 yards during the preseason. After dropping a deep ball from Jordan Love against the Saints, Toure responded in the finale in Kansas City, catching six of eight passes for 83 yards.

Toure’s nine catches ranked tied for fifth among rookies during the preseason. And only six rookie receivers had more receiving yards.

After the Chiefs, Toure ran 26 of his 30 routes from the slot, per PFF. He created four first downs and forced two missed tackles after the catch. His production and potential from the slot was a big plus in his favor.

Toure knows making the team is just one step in a long process.

“I’m not satisfied,” Toure said. “I’ve still got a long ways to go to be where I want to be at.”

Winfree, in his third season in Green Bay, caught seven of 15 targets. He’s returning on the practice squad.

Toure’s speed down the field and ability to change gears within routes gave him an edge, at least in terms of upside. The Packers think he can become a legitimate separator as a route-runner at the NFL level.

It’s unclear how much Toure will play as a rookie. The 2022 season could be something of a redshirt year considering he has six receivers ahead of him on the depth chart and both Winfree and Travis Fulgham – who have more experience – are available for call-up from the practice squad.

The Packers have seven receivers on the initial 53-man roster, including three draft picks: Toure, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.

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Secret Superstars for Week 3 of the 2022 NFL preseason: The offense

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar lets you in on the most prominent under-the-radar offensive performances in the final week of the 2022 NFL preseason.

With final cuts just around the corner (all teams must reduce their rosters to 53 by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. EST), and the 2022 regular season starting Thursday, September 8, anybody who doesn’t have a lock on a starting job tends to see the final week of the preseason as a sort of Hunger Games. At this point, you’re not just trying to impress your coaches and your teammates — you’re just trying to hang onto the roster spot you have, or give enough of an effort to make other teams aware. Perhaps one of those teams will pick you up if you do get cut.

Our Secret Superstars list for that final week of the preseason has a lot of guys who may have either evaded the Turk (the guy who comes to your room, knocks on your door, and quietly asks you to bring your playbook to the head coach’s office to let you know you’re off the team), or have done enough to eliminate any doubt as to their veracity as starters in the league.

The clock is ticking, oxygen is getting thin, and it’s all about to be for real. Here are the under-the-radar players who did the most to advance their cases for themselves in Week 3 of the 2022 preseason. Since there were so many of them this week, we’re splitting the list into two parts. Here are the offensive Superstars, and we’ll have the defensive Superstars up presently.

Packers face tough decision with WR Samori Toure

The Green Bay Packers’ 2022 preseason is officially in the books, and after finishing with a 1-2 record, they now have to make some tough calls to get their roster down to 53 players by the August 30 deadline. When you’re a seventh-round draft pick …

The Green Bay Packers’ 2022 preseason is officially in the books, and after finishing with a 1-2 record, they now have to make some tough calls to get their roster down to 53 players by the August 30 deadline.  

When you’re a seventh-round draft pick fighting for a roster spot, it helps to go out with a bang. Luckily, that is exactly what Samori Toure did in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling six receptions for 83 yards.  

Toure was Green Bay’s leading receiver in the preseason, catching nine out of 13 targets for 125 yards, however, he still may be on the outside looking in when it comes to a spot on the roster.  

The Packers have their top three guys in Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins. They also spent two notable draft picks on Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who are locks to make the team. The same goes for last year’s third-round pick Amari Rodgers.   

Toure’s main competition is Juwann Winfree for the seventh and presumably last spot. Winfree finished with seven receptions and 75 yards in the preseason but has spent time moving between the practice squad and active roster in each of the last two seasons. Winfree’s experience probably gives him a slight edge over Toure, as does his special teams’ value and ability to run block. Toure was essentially absent from special teams in the preseason, which is a critical area for a fringe player.   

However, not for nothing, Toure did show flashes during training camp. He was one of the standouts on Family Night, being on the receiving end of a pair of touchdowns, including a 54-yarder from Jordan Love. He then followed it up with a productive preseason.   

But the question remains – has Toure shown enough to warrant a roster spot? 

Green Bay took a flyer on Toure in this year’s draft, seeing a player with size and upside. Toure is 6-1, 191 lbs, coming off a season at Nebraska where he led the Big Ten in yards per reception (19.5). While Toure did flash some big play potential, he really didn’t do enough to force the Packers to keep him.  

The fact of the matter is, Toure would not be a deep threat for the Packers next season. He would be lucky to dress on gameday, and not having vale on special teams puts him severely behind the eight ball. As a 258th overall pick, he is an ideal candidate for the practice squad. 

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Former Husker receiver talks about “living up to” Aaron Rodgers high standards

The NFL MVP was not happy about his receiver’s recent performance.

One day after ripping his receivers about their recent performance at practice, the NFL MVP had an early morning meeting to clean things up with the young group, which includes a former Husker. ESPN’s Rob Demosvky is reporting that Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers met with his wide receivers on Wednesday at 8:45 am along with the rest of the Packer’s QB room and key offensive staff members. Rodgers wanted to clear the air with the group and work on finding solutions for their recent struggles. The former Cal Bear met with the receiving corps after comments he made to the media following Tuesday’s practice. In those comments, he expressed frustration over the group’s recent play on the field.

“The young guys, especially the young receivers, we’ve got to be way more consistent. A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. So we’ve got to get better in that area.”

 

Packers rookie WR Samori Toure stands out at Family Night

Packers rookie Samori Toure was one of the standouts at the Family Night Scrimmage on Friday. “The arrow is pointing up on him.”

Green Bay Packers rookie receiver Samori Toure was one of the standouts of the team’s Family Night Scrimmage at Lambeau Field on Friday night.

“He did a lot of great things,” coach Matt LaFleur said.

While Romeo Doubs keeps making “wow” plays, the Packers’ seventh-round pick is making sure he’s not the forgotten man in the receiver room.

“He definitely made a step up tonight,” receiver Allen Lazard said.

Toure’s highlight play was a long touchdown from Jordan Love during team periods. He split the coverage with speed and was wide open behind Kiondre Thomas and Tariq Carpenter for the easy catch and score.

Big plays have been commonplace for Toure, who led the Big Ten in yards per reception (19.5) at Nebraska last season after averaging almost 17 yards per catch over three seasons at Montana.

Scoring a touchdown at Lambeau Field required a Lambeau Leap. Toure said he wasn’t planning on jumping into the stands but the fans were motioning for him to do a leap so he happily obliged.

“It felt good,” Toure said.

Toure’s best play of the night might have been this twisting catch in the end zone during the one-on-one phase:

Toure won at the line of scrimmage with an outside release and then made a terrific adjustment spinning back toward the sideline against the coverage of Innis Gaines.

“He’s got really good body control and body movement. He’s a smart kid that really works at it,” LaFleur said.

One final play. During a team red zone drill, Toure beat Kabion Ento and made a sliding catch on a pass from Love for another touchdown:

Stacking success will be key as Toure attempts to build momentum coming out of Family Night. The Packers open the preseason next Friday in San Francisco.

“I think the arrow is pointing up on him,” LaFleur said. “He’ll get an opportunity in these three preseason games to show everybody what he’s all about.”

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Packers rookie impact: A pair of special teams standouts

Can Samori Toure and Tariq Carpenter become special teams standouts as rookies in Green Bay?

This is volume II of a VII part series ranking the impact the 2022 draft class will provide for the Green Bay Packers. In part I, we took a look at the potential impact a pair of seventh round picks may provide if they make the roster. 

In Volume II we’ll take a look at two more seventh-round selections that could provide an immediate impact on special teams for the Packers.

9). Samori Toure, WR

The Packers selected the Nebraska wide receiver with the 258th overall pick, making him the third wide receiver that Brian Gutekunst selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Looking at Green Bay’s wide receiver depth chart it’s hard to see a path to playing time on offense for the former Montana wide receiver. Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Amari Rodgers and Romeo Doubs all seem like roster locks. 

Toure’s pathway to the roster is special teams. Anything he offers on the offensive side of the ball will be gravy. 

Toure has experience as a kick returner and has the speed (4.44 40-yard time) to carve out a role as a gunner. 

“I’ve had special teams snaps throughout my career at Montana,” Toure said. “That’s something I can be really good at. I’m going to put a lot of focus towards it entering the NFL.”

Prediction: With his ability to impact special teams, Toure will make it difficult for Green Bay to keep him off the 53-man roster. 

On top of his special teams prowess, Toure checks the boxes as a wide receiver. He’s a big play threat. He’s a polished route runner and he has reliable hands.

“Physically, they definitely look the part,” Aaron Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show. “All three of the guys we drafted all have physical gifts. Obviously, the top two picks are bigger, but the seventh-rounder has a lot of stuff to him.”

Even though Rodgers didn’t mention Toure by name, it’s never a bad thing to have the reigning back-to-back MVP say nice things about you, unless you’re Jake Kumerow.

On top of that, it was reported prior to the draft that the Packers had interest in Toure. That’s not nothing. The Packers have never kept more than six wide receivers on the roster under Matt LaFleur. Toure may change that with his ability to impact special teams and his upside as a wide receiver.

8). Tariq Carpenter, LB/S

The Packers needed to get new special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia some hired guns and Gutekunst brought in a trained assassin by selecting Carpenter with the 228th overall pick.

Carpenter is a hybrid defender with the versatility to play safety or linebacker. Immediately following the draft Matt LaFleur said the Packers would slot him in at linebacker.

“We’re going to move him to the inside linebacker,” Green Bay’s head coach said. “He’s a big guy, but he can run.”

Where Carpenter is going to make his living his rookie season is on special teams. At 6-2, 230 pounds, Carpenter has 4.47 speed and is at his best coming downhill. With his size, speed and physical play style, Carpenter figures to be a four-phase special teamer.

“He’s really, really physical,” Brian Gutekunst said following the draft. “We’ll figure out exactly how he fits, whether he goes to the linebacker room or safety room at different times and what packages he plays in on defense, but certainly on special teams is one of the reasons we took him.”

Prediction: With his ability to impact the game on special teams, Carpenter seems like a lock to make the roster. 

Couple that with the versatility that he’ll bring on defense and Carpenter seems like a safe bet to make Green Bay’s 53-man roster.

He may not see a ton of playing time on the defensive side of the ball as a rookie, but he’ll likely play a key role in helping Green Bay improve on special teams.

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Aaron Rodgers sees something in Samori Toure, Packers’ seventh-round WR

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is impressed by the physical makeup of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, but he sees something notable in Samori Toure, too.

After losing Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the same offseason, the Green Bay Packers added three wide receivers in this year’s NFL Draft. Everyone is most excited about Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who the Packers selected in the second and fourth rounds, respectively. However, during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Aaron Rodgers made an interesting comment about seventh-rounder Samori Toure.

“Physically, they definitely look the part,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “All three of the guys we drafted all have physical gifts. Obviously, the top two picks are bigger, but the seventh-rounder has a lot of stuff to him.”

Usually, when teams are drafting in the later rounds, they will look for certain traits. Toure possesses a nice blend of size and athleticism, which obviously attracted him to the Packers. At his pro day, he ran a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash and has decent size at 6-1, 190 pounds.

Toure began his college career at Montana. In 2019, he recorded 87 receptions and set the program record for receiving yards in a season (1,495). Toure later transferred to Nebraska for his final season in 2021. He appeared in 12 games for the Cornhuskers and caught 46 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns.

Rodgers saw Toure firsthand at mandatory minicamp even though the two had little work together. On the second day of minicamp, Toure had a spectacular day. He stood out during the two-minute period, catching multiple catches from backup Jordan Love.

Toure will need to continue to make plays in training camp and eventually the preseason if he hopes to make the roster. Right now, he might be the seventh or eighth receiver on the depth chart battling for one of the last remaining spots. Perhaps, his experience on special teams will give him a slight edge.

“I’ve had special teams snaps throughout my career at Montana,” Toure said. “That’s something I can be really good at it. I’m going to put a lot of focus towards it entering the NFL.”

As far as what exactly he will play on special teams, Toure is open to pretty much anything.

“I feel like I can contribute in a few different ways. I think I can run down on kickoff, I can return kicks, I can return punts if that’s where they want me,” he said in June. “I can get down there at the gunner spot on punt and also rush the punt on punt returns, so I feel like there’s a lot of different ways that I can impact the team.”

Toure will have to work harder than ever before when training camp starts on July 27. It will be an uphill battle to make Green Bay’s final 53-man roster but getting the attention of Rodgers is a good sign.

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