Green Bay Packers: 5 possible Day 3 picks in NFL Draft
By Joe Kipp
5. Ade Aruna, EDGE, Tulane
The Packers have yet to address their pass rush situation, despite the cry from many fans concerning the issue. Ade Aruna is a suitable candidate to alleviate that problem. Aruna is an immigrant from Nigeria who originally came to the United States to play basketball. As a senior in high school, he played his first season of football.
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Aruna has elite size and athletic traits, which allowed him to get several looks during the pre-draft process. He comes in at 6-foot-5, 262 lbs, with long 34 inch arms – all prototypical measurements for an edge defender. Aruna had a great combine as well (4.6 40, 18 bench reps, 38.5″ vertical leap).
One thing he struggles with is stiff hips and lack of agility, as demonstrated by his 7.53 seconds in the 3-cone drill. He also lacks the ‘bend’ that many scouts look for in a pass rusher. However, based on athletic traits, Aruna may find himself on an NFL roster. Look for him to come off the board between the fifth and sixth rounds.
Gutekunst stated in Friday night’s press conference that the Packers will be counting on second-year players Vince Biegel and Reggie Gilbert to step up. Does this mean they won’t be looking for a pass rusher later in the draft?