Dairyland Express
Fansided

Green Bay Packers: Immediate Reactions to Royce Newman Selection

By Paul Bretl

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 16: Royce Newman #72 of the Mississippi Rebels in action during a game against the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 16: Royce Newman #72 of the Mississippi Rebels in action during a game against the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Green Bay Packers had just one selection in the fourth round after trading up yesterday to select Amari Rodgers in Round 3. And with that 142nd pick, they took Royce Newman, OT/OG from Ole Miss. Here are some immediate thoughts on the selection.

– I am happy to see that they addressed the tackle position; the Packers were lacking some serious depth. With David Bakhtiari out, that left Billy Turner, Elgton Jenkins, and Yosh Nijman as the only options on the roster–and I’m not sold that Yosh is ready for that role.

– Newman played right tackle for Ole Miss in 2020 but played both guard positions in 2019.

–  As a tackle, Newman allowed two sacks, 25 pressures and was called for five penalties over 430 pass-blocking snaps.

– At guard, Newman gave up just one sack and 10 pressures over 417 pass-blocking snaps.

– 62 percent of Newman’s career run-blocking snaps came in zone, which is what the Green Bay Packers utilize under Matt LaFleur. Drae Harris of The Draft Network believes that a zone blocking scheme is the best fit for Newman–which makes sense given the selection.

– While his versatility is a plus, given the depth along the interior, one would think that the Packers are going to give Newman every opportunity to stick at tackle. Director of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan says that he would “feel good about” playing him at tackle tomorrow.

– This wasn’t a flashy pick — not that addressing the OL ever is — but it was a necessary one. The game of football has changed over the years, but as we saw in the NFC Championship and in the Super Bowl, games are still won and lost in the trenches, and there is no such thing as too much offensive line depth.

– Newman will need time to develop — especially with only one year of tackle under his belt — but he provides immediate and necessary depth with the hope being that he could develop into the team’s right tackle of the future.

– The Green Bay Packers have had a lot of success over the years, finding offensive linemen in the fourth round. Will Newman be the next success story?

– For a closer look at Newman’s game, here is what else Drae Harris had to say in his pre-draft report:

"“Royce Newman demonstrates some athleticism on the edge in his body control and agility. In the run game, he is more of a positional blocker than a vertical mover. He doesn’t play with good in-line power, but has value in his versatility and movement skills. In the passing game, he demonstrates good footwork in his pass set. He lacks good power in his punch but demonstrates the lateral agility that affords him upside if moved inside to guard.”"

Home/Green Bay Packers