Dairyland Talk: Green Bay Packers draft recap

Gage Bridgford and Brandon Carwile recap the Green Bay Packers 2019 NFL Draft and share their takeaways from this past weekend.

The Green Bay Packers made eight selections during the 2019 NFL draft. They made some noise on day one trading up for safety Darnell Savage, a rangy free safety out of Maryland. The Packers gave up their two fourth rounders to move up to 21 which was originally held by Seattle. Overall, Green Bay did very well addressing some of their needs and adding some developmental talent.

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Here is a look at each of their picks:

1st Round- Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan: We knew there would be plenty of talent left on the board at 12, but most of us were hoping it would include Ed Oliver. Unfortunately, he went to Buffalo at nine but the Brian Gutekunst said he had his eyes set on Gary all along. Gary has a great combine were he showcased supreme athleticism that had him in consideration as a top-10 pick. The team wasn’t worried about his spotty production as they believe what Gary provides doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet. Gary finished with only 3.5 sacks last year but consistently faced double teams and was still an effective player hurrying throws and pressuring the quarterback.

1st Round- Darnell Savage, S, Maryland: Gutekunst had a good feeling Savage wouldn’t be around at pick no. 30 so he decided to jump in front of teams possibly looking for a safety. The Packers will expect Savage to be a day one starter after Tramon Williams held down free safety duties following the trade of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Savage is a rangy centerfield type who can take throws away and isn’t afraid to make downhill tackle. Finally, the Green Bay Packers have an encouraging group of players on the backend.

2nd Round- Elgton Jenkins, IOL, Texas A&M: Plenty of receivers were left on the board, however, they prioritized protecting Aaron Rodgers rather than adding another weapon. Jenkins started at multiple positions including both guard spots as well as left and right tackle. Don’t be surprised if he pushes Lane Taylor for the starting left guard duties right away.

3rd Round- Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M: Finally, the Green Bay Packers used the draft instead of free agency to address tight end. Sternberger will be mentored by a receiving tight end and blocking specialist in Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis. He had a good year in 2018 catching 48 balls for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sternberger also showed promising traits of a solid in-line blocker and is comfortable lining up in the slot.

5th Round- Kingsley Keke, DL, Mississippi State: Keke is an athletic player for his size and is effective against the run or pass. He has the ceiling of a future starter and could potentially step in for Mike Daniels whose contract will be up after next season.

6th Round- Ka’Dar Hollman, CB, Toledo: Green Bay didn’t necessarily need to take a corner, but Hollman put on a show at his pro day. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash, recorded a 38-inch vertical, and flashed his change of direction abilities with a 6.81 three-cone. Hollman has all the physical traits to be a good corner but needs to translate it all to the field if he wants to last in the NFL.

6th Round- Dexter Williams, RB, Notre Dame: There’s no better time to take a running back than on day three. Williams is a power back with experience in an outside zone scheme that fits in well with Matt LaFleur’s style of running. At the very least, he is a low-risk selection with the upside as a solid rotational back or even a possible starter.

7th Round- Ty Summers, ILB, TCU: Super athletic tester that can’t seem to translate it to the field. His measurables blow Blake Martinez’s out of the water but he is nowhere near the same quality of linebacker. Summers has the chance to win a roster spot if he stands out on special teams.