Headed into the 2019 NFL Draft, many NFL analysts and fans thought the Green Bay Packers would prioritize offense with the majority of their 10 draft picks to help out quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he gets older. However, drafting offensive players is not the only way to help Rodgers. The Packers and general manager Brian Gutekunst showed that in this draft, drafting five defensive players and only three offensive players.
With the 12th overall pick, the Packers drafted outside linebacker Rashan Gary out of Michigan. While at Michigan, Gary primarily played positions across the defensive line but he’s athletic enough to be a bigger outside linebacker. He’ll likely play as an outside linebacker and in the inside as an interior rusher. While his production as a pass rusher wasn’t great at Michigan, he was a disrupter and did many things that didn’t show up on the stat sheet.
Gutekunst spoke about Gary after drafting him and said, “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.”
The Packers had an additional first round pick at 30, acquired last year from the New Orleans Saints in a trade. The Packers traded up with the Seattle Seahawks and acquired the 21st pick in the first round. The Packers sent Seattle their 30th overall pick and two fourth-rounders. With the move, the Packers drafted safety Darnell Savage Jr. from Maryland.
Savage fills an immediate and huge need for the Packers as outside of free agent signee Adrian Amos, there isn’t a lot of confidence in the other safeties on the roster. Savage will likely get every opportunity to start alongside Amos. Savage is very athletic, has great speed and has good instincts. He’s also a willing and good tackler, which is increasingly important these days with the lack of padded practice time in the NFL.
With their second-round pick, the Packers selected offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins out of Mississippi State. Jenkins is a versatile and athletic prospect and has experience staring at four of the five offensive line positions. While he primarily played at center, the Packers view him more as a guard but believe that should injuries occur, they could plug him in at center or kick him out to tackle. And with the injuries the Packers have had on the offensive line the last few seasons, more depth and talent is always needed.
In the third round, the Packers selected tight end Jace Sternberger out of Texas A&M University. He’s an athletic, pass-catching tight end that creates mismatches all over the field. Combined with his soft hands, competitiveness and ability after the catch, he’s a dynamic player. He’s not the best blocker but he shows a willingness to do so. The Packers have struggled to find a consistent difference maker at tight end since perhaps Jermichael Finley back in 2013, but with Sternberger now, the Packers may have solved that problem.
With their fifth-round selection, the Packers drafted another player out of Texas A&M in defensive end Kingsley Keke. Last season, he lost weight and moved from defensive tackle to end and thrived. Losing that extra weight unlocked some of his potential and he was able to showcase his disruptive ability. He was one of the most versatile players at Texas A&M and the Packers believe the versatility will greatly aid them.
With the first of their two sixth round picks, the Packers selected cornerback Ka’dar Hollman from Toledo. He’s a tough, hard worker and was a three-year starter in college. He makes plays on the ball, as he had 29 pass breakups in college and he’s not afraid to be physical at the line of scrimmage. He’ll be able to contribute on special teams immediately.
In the sixth round, with their additional pick in this round, the Packers selected running back Dexter Williams out of Notre Dame. Williams is an explosive runner with a pertinacity for big plays down the field, with seven rushing touchdowns over 30 yards. As a runner, he has good vision, patience and great acceleration after making his first cut. He needs to improve as a pass blocker but with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams ahead of him on the depth chart, he’ll have some time.
With their seventh-round selection and final pick, the Packers selected linebacker Ty Summers from TCU. While in college, he played multiple positions and contributed on special teams and was very productive, with 319 total tackles. He’ll likely be more of an inside linebacker with the Packers because of his skill set and will have to contribute to special teams.
