Green Bay Packers: Post 2021 NFL Draft Superlatives

The 2021 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, so let’s take a look back at the Green Bay Packers’ class through the lens of a few superlatives–I always enjoy putting articles like this together. Be sure to share your answers in the comment section or find us on Twitter at @DairylandXpress.

Best Pick: Amari Rodgers

How each of us defines “best” is going to be different, but I chose Amari Rodgers for two main reasons. One, I thought landing him at pick 85 was a very good value selection. And two, he is tailormade for this Matt LaFleur offense.

Rodgers fills the role of slot/gadget receiver, giving the Green Bay Packers an element that they didn’t have a season ago. He is the first true slot receiver that Green Bay has really had since Randall Cobb left, he can win in all parts of the field, and he will be perfect as the pre-snap motion man and getting the ball on those designed touches.

Head scratcher: Josh Myers

I wasn’t incredibly surprised to see the Green Bay Packers take an interior lineman in the second round; I did rank that position as a top-5 need entering the draft. However, I was more so expecting Green Bay to address the offensive tackle position at this point, and on top of that, if the Packers were going to take a center, I for sure thought it would be Creed Humphrey over Josh Myers.

Now to be clear, I don’t really have any issues with the selection, but in the moment, I was left scratching my head. Tackle was a bigger need in my book, and Humphrey was considered by most the top center in this class–and it wasn’t particularly close. With that said, Myers has much more experience as a zone blocker, and of course, fit is everything.

Favorite Selection: TJ Slaton

I love what TJ Slaton can add to this Green Bay Packers defense in their endeavor to get Kenny Clark some help–even if it might not be right away as he develops. Slaton is a true nose tackle — exactly what this defense needed — which will allow the Packers more flexibility to move Clark to 4-tech, where he should experience fewer double-teams.

He’s a run-stuffer with some upside as a pass-rusher, given his athleticism, and his presence will not only help Clark and the run defense but the edge rushers and linebackers as well. This is the exact type of interior lineman that I was hoping Green Bay would land.

Day 3 Contributor: Shemar Jean-Charles

Expecting a Day 3 draft pick to step on the field and have an immediate impact can lead to disappointment. That, of course, doesn’t mean that they can’t or won’t ever assume a large role, but that shouldn’t be the early expectation. So in choosing Shemar Jean-Charles for this category, I did so because of what he can add to this Green Bay Packers special teams unit.

As we all know, this unit has struggled for years, and you could tell with several of Green Bay’s selections, there was an emphasis on the special teams unit. Jean-Charles has 331 career special teams snaps, according to PFF ($$), including six tackles in 2020, which was the fifth-highest total in college football. Jordan Reid of The Draft Network referred to Jean-Charles as a “special teams ace” in his pre-draft report, and he has the potential to provide this unit with a much-needed spark right away.

Player(s) you wish the Packers had gotten: An early OT

I don’t really have a specific player, although Teven Jenkins and Liam Eichenberg come to mind, but I would have liked to have seen Green Bay address the offensive tackle position earlier than what they did. As I mentioned above, I thought that this need was right up there with the cornerback position given the lack of options on the roster at the time, but also, the Packers are still in need of finding their right tackle of the future. Not to mention that landing an immediate starter gives them an incredible amount of flexibility.

While I was glad to see them add Royce Newman and Cole Van Lanen on Day 3, both of those players could end up being better interior players. The Packers were able to improve their depth, but as Day 3 picks with some unknowns and development needed, I’m not sure that Green Bay found immediate help, and there is no guarantee that Newman or Van Lanen stick at tackle.

Looking at players like Jenkins and Eichenberg, those are two tackles that can start from Day 1 and be your right tackle for the next decade.

UDFA that will make roster push: Christian Uphoff

Will Redmond, Vernon Scott, and Henry Black will be battling for the third and fourth safety spots on this roster and I’m also going to throw Christian Uphoff into that mix. He has just one year of starting experience (2019) but displayed his versatility, taking 238 snaps from the box, another 460 as free safety, and 234 in the slot. He’s a very sound tackler, came away with two interceptions and eight pass breakups while allowing a completion rate of 51 percent on 39 targets.

Describe the Green Bay Packers draft in 3 words or less: Safe but Effective

Especially for those who don’t follow the Green Bay Packers as closely, this likely isn’t a draft that will make many say, “wow!” But for Green Bay, this is exactly what they needed to do. They checked off a number of their biggest needs, adding three offensive linemen, two cornerbacks, a slot/gadget receiver, along with running back and linebacker depth, and help inside with Slaton.

They would also find immediate help with their first three selections–all three should see a decent amount of playing time right away, and special teams was an area of emphasis as well. Overall I really was a fan of this draft class. It wasn’t flashy by any means, but it was what the Packers needed.