The Green Bay Packers made eight picks in the 2019 NFL draft, starting with Michigan edge rusher Rashan Gary in the first round and finishing with TCU linebacker Ty Summers in the seventh round. Here’s a closer look at the Packers’ 2019 draft class: 1.12: OLB Rashan Gary, Michigan Breakdown: Former five-star recruit with unparalleled combination of size and athleticism. Ran 4.58 at 277 pounds, becoming the heaviest player ever to run under 4.6. Equal or better athlete as Jadeveon Clowney. Production never matched traits at Michigan. Labored through shoulder injury as a junior. Powerful at the point of attack but needs more tools to unlock pass-rushing potential. Packers believe he’ll be a versatile player along the defensive front, with the ability to play on the edge as an elephant outside linebacker or inside as an interior rusher. They said it: “If you watch the tape, he affected the passer. He affected the game. At times he wrecked it. He’s a premier athlete. He has an exceptional motor on the field. Really, since February, we’ve been locked in on him. Thought this guy could do some different things, add to our group.” – GM Brian Gutekunst 1.21: S Darnell Savage, Maryland Breakdown: Heat-seeking missile who seeks out contact and plays on the ball with blazing speed (4.36) and well-developed instincts. Former cornerback played all over Maryland’s secondary. Closing quickness and range are elite. Tough and fearless despite being undersized (5-11, 198). Team captain with special teams experience and 36 starts over his final three seasons. Intercepted eight passes and broke up 22 others. The Packers rated him as the best safety in the draft class. They said it: “He’s obviously a premier athlete. He’s been an impact player for Maryland for a number of years there. Certainly his football character was something that really attracted us. He’s able to close the gap from centerfield or the hash, really aggressive, physical player. Able to take the ball away. He really fit what we’re trying to do in the backend.” – GM Brian Gutekunst 2.44: OL Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State Breakdown: Highly versatile offensive line prospect with starts at four different positions. Started final 26 games at center. Packers like him as a guard but believe he can play anywhere along the line. Has enough length and athleticism to help at tackle. Faced all kinds of elite rushers in the SEC and had daily battles against first-round pick Jeffery Simmons. Allowed only one sack his final two seasons (to No. 3 overall pick Quinnen Williams) and will be ready to pass protect right away in the NFL. Comes highly recommended by new Packers quarterback coach Luke Getsy, his offensive coordinator at Mississippi State in 2018. They said it: “When you watch him, he has everything in his body. If he wants to be dominant, if he wants to control guys, he can do it. And he does it on a consistent basis. He’s powerful. We think he can control the line of scrimmage. … He’s smart, he’s intelligent. He just presents tremendous value for us with his versatility.” – Packers scout Charles Walls 3.75: TE Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M Breakdown: Transferred to Texas A&M after two years at Kansas and one at a community college. Blew up in 2018, catching 48 passes for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns, the most from an FBS tight end. Consensus All-American. Natural pass-catching tight end with the athleticism to create separation, the soft hands to finish plays and the body control and competitiveness to win after the catch. Consistently created big plays down the field. Willing as a blocker but needs work. Only started one season at Texas A&M. They said it: “He’s a smooth, fluid athlete. He’s got hands, he’s got ball skills. He can stop and start. He’s an ascending player. … He plays fast. When the ball is in his hands, he’s got really good run after the catch skills. Very good tempo in his routes. Gets in and out of his cuts with precision and quickness. He’s an athletic kid. ” – Director of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan 5.150: DL Kingsley Keke, Texas A&M Breakdown: Dropped weight and switched from nose tackle to defensive end in 2018, leading to a breakout season. Led Texas A&M in sacks (7.0) and tallied 11 tackles for losses. Playing at a lower weight unlocked his quickness and disruptive ability. Won the team’s Mr. Versatility Award after playing every spot along the defensive line. The Packers believe that versatility will transfer to the next level. Long-armed and athletic. Ran 4.95 at 288 pounds at the combine. Also tough and durable. Started 35 straight games. They said it: “This is a big guy who is athletic, can play across the front, he’s long, he’s got feet, hips and closing speed. Had production in the SEC. Another big guy with athleticism who adds versatility for us.” – Packers scout Charles Walls 6.185: CB Ka’dar Hollman, Toledo Breakdown: Three-year starter who took the long, hard path to college football success. Worked tirelessly for a chance and made the most of it. Good length and impressive speed (4.36) and jumping ability (38.5″ vertical), with requisite production making plays on the ball (29 pass breakups). Willing to mix it up at the line of scrimmage. Tough as nails and will likely earn a spot on the roster doing everything possible on special teams. They said it: “He’s a 6-foot guy who ran 4.3 for us. If you know his story, it’s one of determination and grit. We like his aggressiveness on the field, his ability to press and turn and run. We got him up here and got to know him a little bit, we feel he fits what we want to do.” – GM Brian Gutekunst 6.194: RB Dexter Williams, Notre Dame Breakdown: Classic zone runner with patience, vision and one-cut acceleration. Big-play machine at Notre Dame with seven rushing touchdowns over 30 yards. Explosive lower body with quick feet and balance. Talent as a pass-catcher but still learning how to block in pass pro and may take time before he’s a three-down player. Only had one year of production. Arrested for drug possession and was suspended four games in 2018. They said it: “He’s an aggressive downhill runner who can press the edge, stick his foot in the ground and get north and south. He had a lot of explosive plays and he was a finisher, once he hit that crease he finished. He’s got a nice build to him. His best football should be ahead of him.” – GM Brian Gutekunst 7.226: LB Ty Summers, TCU Breakdown: Started 32 games over four years and produced 319 total tackles. Elite-level athlete with the frame and mindset to play inside linebacker in the NFL. Played multiple positions and contributed on special teams at TCU. Flashed talent as a blitzer (10.5 sacks). History of shoulder injuries. Has the combination of traits and production that every team is looking for in the seventh round. They said it: “Obviously he’s exceptionally fast. He played inside and outside backer there. Really good special teams player as well. Really wired the way we want him. He’s all football. It’s really important to him. I think he’s going to be a good addition to the group.” – GM Brian Gutekunst<doc-sep>The Green Bay Packers made eight selections in the 2019 NFL draft. Of the eight picks, five were spent on defensive players, including both first-round picks (Rashan Gary, Darnell Savage). The Packers used both Day 2 picks on offense (Elgton Jenkins, Jace Sternberger) before taking three more defenders (Kingsley Keke, Ka’Dar Hollman, Ty Summers) and one offensive player (Dexter Williams) on Day 3. Who was your favorite pick in the class? Was it the highly athletic edge rusher with unlimited potential? Or the new heat-seeking missile at safety? Or the versatile offensive lineman? Or the big-play, pass-catching tight end? You get the picture. Vote below:<doc-sep>As the 2019 NFL Draft finishes, the bidding for undrafted free agents begins. Who should the Green Bay Packers target? The Green Bay Packers finished up their NFL Draft selections on Saturday in the seventh round, selecting linebacker Ty Summers out of TCU. Now the focus shifts to undrafted free agents, which gets very active immediately after the draft’s conclusion. Green Bay addressed some of their needs in the draft, but they still have some areas they can address with free agents. Let’s take a look at guys they could target in this hectic free agency race. Stanley Morgan Jr., WR, Nebraska The Packers didn’t take a wide receiver in the draft, and a need still exists there, especially when you look at the inexperience behind Davante Adams. Stanley Morgan Jr. is one of the best route runners in this class. He has the versatility to play in the slot and on the perimeter, and he could come in right away and compete for a starting job in Green Bay. Beau Benzschawel, OL, Wisconsin The Packers did select an offensive lineman early on day two of the draft in Elgton Jenkins, and he will provide great versatility. However, Green Bay should bring in more names to compete at the guard position. Beau Benzschawel has the pedigree as a Wisconsin Badger and has the power and length to make a run at a starting job. Mark Fields, CB, Clemson One of my favorite corners in the class, Mark Fields had an excellent Senior Bowl week, and projects nicely as a slot cornerback, something the Packers still need to find. He would provide immediate depth and allow Jaire Alexander to be a primary outside corner. Wyatt Ray, EDGE, Boston College The Packers like athletic players, and Wyatt Ray would be a nice add on the edge. He has a very quick first step and the burst/bend to win around the edge. The Packers have a powerful defensive front, but they could use some speed. Alex Bars, OL, Notre Dame Another offensive lineman to consider here, Bars has good versatility and is a strong player. He anchors well and does a good job recognizing stunts in pass protection, something the Packers should covet with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Penny Hart, WR, Georgia State Penny Hart is another Senior Bowl player who I thought elevated his stock during the week. He is a smaller player, which probably contributed to his fall, but he is extremely quick in and out of breaks, and has the speed to break away from defenders. Albert Huggins, DL, Clemson The Packers did add defensive line help in the fifth round with Kingsley Keke, but there’s no reason not to add more help, especially with Mike Daniels becoming a free agent in 2020. Huggins is strong at the point of attack and is a good gap penetrator. Karan Higdon, RB, Michigan Green Bay did add running back help with Dexter Williams, but Karan Higdon is a finisher with good top-end speed and vision. DaMarkus Lodge, WR, Mississippi DaMarkus Lodge is the forgotten man of the Mississippi wide receivers, but he has potential as a route runner and has a dynamic aspect to his game.<doc-sep>
Only the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints produced a more athletic class than the Green Bay Packers in the 2019 NFL draft. According to Relative Athletic Score (RAS), a measure created by Kent Lee Platte, the Packers draft class had an average RAS of 8.5 (out of 10), trailing only the Chargers (8.63) and Saints (8.61). RAS uses a combination of size and athletic testing numbers to produce a composite score for each player. The Packers prioritized finding high RAS players. Of the eight players selected by GM Brian Gutekunst, seven had a RAS of 8.0 or more (considered elite), while four had a RAS of 9.0 or more. Here’s a look: Pick Player College Ht Wt 40 Age RAS 1.12 OLB Rashan Gary Michigan 6-4 277 4.58 21 9.95 1.21 S Darnell Savage Maryland 5-11 198 4.36 21 8.35 2.44 OL Elgton Jenkins Miss. State 6-4 310 5.08 23 9.57 3.75 TE Jace Sternberger Texas A&M 6-4 251 4.75 22 5.25 5.150 DL Kingsley Keke Texas A&M 6-3 288 4.95 22 8.01 6.185 CB Ka’dar Hollman Toledo 5-11 196 4.36 23 9.21 6.194 RB Dexter Williams Notre Dame 5-11 212 4.57 22 8.17 7.226 LB Ty Summers TCU 6-1 241 4.51 23 9.7 Rashan Gary is one of the most athletic edge rushers ever drafted. At 277 pounds, he was the heaviest player to ever run the 40-yard dash in under 4.6 seconds. And he produced elite numbers in both speed and explosion metrics. Elgton Jenkins, Ka’dar Hollman and Ty Summers were all top-tier athletes at their respective positions, and Darnell Savage is a huge athletic upgrade on Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at safety. The only outlier here is Jace Sternberger, the Packers’ third-round tight end. He didn’t test well at the combine, but his tape shows a quick and explosive athlete, so there’s a chance he’s actually more athletic than his RAS suggests. The Packers picked several high RAS players in the 2018 draft, the first under Gutekunst, but the 2019 class is littered with top athletes at their positions. Clearly, the emphasis in Green Bay is to rebuild the roster with big, fast and explosive players.