Unpacking Future Packers: No. 13, Auburn edge Derick Hall

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Auburn edge rusher Derick Hall.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.

A priority for Brian Gutekunst this offseason is to bolster Green Bay’s pass rush. Even before Rashan Gary’s season-ending injury, Green Bay’s pass rush was stale. 

A player that Gutekunst could target in the 2023 NFL Draft is Derick Hall. The Auburn edge rusher checks in at No. 13 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

A four-star recruit out of Mississippi, Hall recorded four sacks during his sophomore season in 2020. In 2021, Hall recorded 52 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks. This past season, Hall recorded 60 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks.

“It was a frustrating season for the Tigers, but Hall still managed to come out with his best season in an Auburn uniform,” Taylor Jones, the editor of AuburnWire said. “He was seen as the leader of the defense, and he played the part well by making sure that his goals were met as well.”

Hall was a three-sport athlete at Gulfport High School. Aside from football, Hall played basketball and competed in track. At the combine, Hall showcased that track speed when he clocked a 4.55 40-yard dash. 

Hall is a long-armed edge rusher that is relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback. He has a quick first step and wins off the edge with his ability to convert speed to power. He has combative hands. Over the past two seasons, the Auburn edge rusher has recorded 100 pressures to go along with his 15.5 sacks.

“He does not have the ability to quit,” Jones said. “He is relentless at getting to the quarterback. He sets his sights on the quarterback from the beginning and is relentless in his pursuit until the job is done. One way that he does this is by using a solid swim move to beat his blocks. If an offensive lineman gives him an inch, he will take it and do the most.”

Hall is strong at the point of attack and can be tough to uproot against the run. He does a nice job of using his length to set the edge. With his wingspan, he has a large tackle radius. Hall plays with a motor that runs hot and hustles to make tackles away from the line of scrimmage.

“His rush defense was not as notable as his pass-rushing skill, but he still had a successful season in my opinion,” Jones said. “He, Owen Pappoe, and Colby Wooden were the best at stopping the run last season. If he finds ways to win more battles at the line of scrimmage, he could become a bigger problem for running backs as well as quarterbacks.”

Fit with the Packers

The Auburn edge rusher checks all of the boxes. He’s a long edge rusher with the edge quickness to win the corner. With his length, athleticism, and age (22) Hall could be a potential second-round target for the Packers. 

“Outside of his pass-rush abilities, his loyalty is what stands out to me the most,” Jones said. “He did not have the most successful time at Auburn as the Tigers never won more than nine games in a season. Despite that, he still works hard to be the best player that he can be. A player that plays intensely no matter the situation is what a team will get in Derick Hall.”

With Gary, Preston Smith, Justin Hollins, and Kingsley Enagbare, the Packers have an okay foundation in place. 

However, Smith will turn 31 in November. Hollins and Enagbare are solid rotational pieces. The Packers need to get a future running mate for Gary. Enter Hall, who checks all the boxes.

Green Bay’s pass rush needs more juice. According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers generated 256 pressures last season, which ranked third among the four teams in the NFC North. Drafting Hall would give Green Bay’s pass rush a much-needed shot in the arm.

The name of the game is to get after the quarterback and Hall did that consistently over the past two seasons for the Tigers. If the Packers miss out on an edge rusher in the first, Hall could be a nice consolation prize in the second round. 

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