Packers draft Eric Stokes in first round: The good, the bad, the grade

The 2021 NFL Draft will go down in history for the Green Bay Packers as the day they almost traded Aaron Rodgers. However, they also made a selection at the end of the first round and addressed one of their major needs heading into the night. With the 29th overall selection, they went with Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes.

For the first time in general manager Brian Gutekunst’s history calling the shots for the organization (four years), the Packers stayed put in the first round and drafted in their original position. This is likely because there were a number of good players falling to them at the end of the first and they ended up having their choice of stokes, wide receiver Elijah Moore, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins to name a few.

Ultimately, the Packers went with Stokes who has all the physical traits Green Bay loves. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the grade for the Packers’ top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Let’s grade the selection of cornerback Eric Stokes, the Green Bay Packers’ first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Packers first-round pick: The Good

Stokes’ athletic profile jumps off the page at you and it’s probably why Green Bay, who has a history of taking elite athletes, nabbed him in the first round. He has a Relative Athletic Score of 9.37 (it goes up to 10 and anything over 8 is considered elite) thanks to his blazing 4.29 40-yard dash, other elite speed times and 38.5-inch vertical leap.

Stokes also had four interceptions in his final season at Georgia which could turn into future success as a ballhawk in the NFL. Green Bay desperately needs a defensive back who can make plays on the ball. His other intriguing traits include his confidence, coachability and football intelligence.