Green Bay Packers: Grades for each draft pick halfway through the preseason
3. LB Oren Burks
Grade- A-
Burks was forced to start in replace of the injured Jake Ryan, but so far its been hard to notice. The late third-round pick leads the team this preseason with 12 tackles, 11 of them solo.
Clearly, Burks is more athletic than Ryan and his impact in the run game was felt against the Steelers. He shot through the backfield to stop running back Fitzgerald Toussaint for a three-yard loss. Ryan, primarily known as a run-stopper, would have a tough time standing out in comparison to Burks’ explosiveness.
The moment doesn’t appear too big for Burks as he’s arguably been the most impressive Packers rookie to date. There’s no reason to believe he won’t start beside Blake Martinez in the base defense Week one.