Green Bay Packers: One Stat to Know About Each Draft Pick

Royce Newman’s Versatility

A big reason behind the Green Bay Packers’ success on offense last season was their stellar offensive line play. And a big reason for the offensive line’s success was their versatility, as they battled numerous injuries throughout the season but rarely missed a beat. If you look at Green Bay’s roster, it’s clear that versatility among the offensive line unit is an area of emphasis, so naturally, Royce Newman is another player who fits that mold.

During his Ole Miss career, Newman had taken 79 snaps at left tackle, 758 at left guard, another 138 at right guard, and 902 at right tackle. Given how congested the interior offensive line position is in Green Bay, I believe Newman will get every opportunity to stick at tackle, but as Matt LaFleur has said in the past, he wants his best five offensive linemen on the field. And if that means Newman playing guard, then we are going to see Newman at guard.

TJ Slaton’s Size & Athleticism

I am a huge fan of this selection given what Slaton can potentially add to this Green Bay Packers’ defense and that the fact that he fills a much-needed role as a true nose tackle. Part of what makes Slaton such an intriguing player is his blend of size and athleticism. Standing 6’4″ and weighing 330 pounds — which is actually lighter than what he played at in college — Slaton is a massive individual, and according to Mock Draftable, he is in the 92nd percentile among all interior defensive linemen for weight.

But with that comes some real explosiveness. His 10-yard split in his 40-yard dash of 1.68 seconds scored 9.54 out of 10 on the RAS table, and that time ranks in the 85th percentile among interior defensive linemen. And that’s not only 330-pound interior defensive linemen but even the 3-tech players who may only weigh 295 pounds–regardless of size, that is an elite time.

That ability to get off at the snap coupled with his size and strength will allow him to push and — hopefully — control the line of scrimmage. And although early on he is likely going to primarily be a run defender, that athleticism also gives him upside as a pass-rusher if he continues to develop that part of his game.

Shemar Jean-Charles’ Ball Skills

What we saw from Shemar Jean-Charles this past season was someone who really has a nose for the football. In 2020, he tallied 16 pass-breakups, according to PFF ($$), and that was the most in college football that season. In fact, over his final two years, Jean-Charles would total 25 pass breakups, which was actually more than the number of games he played in.

Now, that unfortunately didn’t equate to turnovers, as he recorded only two interceptions during those two seasons, but nonetheless, those are some incredibly impressive pass-breakup totals. I’ll also mention that Jean-Charles was PFF’s eighth highest-graded cornerback in 2020 as well.