Instant Takeaways from the Packers Selection of OL Zach Tom

With their second pick in the fourth round, the Green Bay Packers pick offensive lineman Zach Tom from Wake Forest–further bolstering their offensive line depth, which was a big need prior to the draft.

Instant takeaways from the Green Bay Packers selection of OL Zach Tom

– As I discussed when the Packers selected Sean Rhyan, depth along the offensive line is a concern. Bakhtiari and Nijman are, at the moment, the only healthy options at tackle — along with possibly Van Lanen — while the only interior backups before the draft were Van Lanen and two centers, Michal Menet and Jake Hanson.

– We know that Matt LaFleur and Co. covet versatility along the offensive line. Rhyan is an experienced tackle who will likely move inside, while Tom has experience at both left tackle and center.

– According to PFF ($$), Tom played 1,474 snaps as the left tackle for Wake Forest and another 1,156 at center. In the NFL, he will likely be best along the interior — specifically center — but he offers Green Bay another option at tackle if needed–and I won’t be surprised if we see him take some snaps there this summer.

– Tom measured in at 6’4″ – 304 pounds with 33.25″ arms. He posted a RAS of 9.59 with a 4.94-second 40-yard dash. He also posted elite broad and vertical jumps as well as elite 3-cone and shuttle times.

– For his career, which spanned 1,418 pass-blocking snaps, Tom allowed only four sacks and 35 total pressures over his four years. He also finished with the fourth-highest pass-blocking grade among offensive tackles in 2021.

– Tom also has 387 career special teams snaps from his time at Wake Forest.

– Doubs and Tom in the fourth-round are some excellent value picks for the Green Bay Packers–both can provide immediate help.

– With Rhyan and Tom, that offensive line depth that I mentioned above all of a sudden looks a bit better, and the competition along the interior this summer will be intense.

– The Green Bay Packers have four picks remaining ( one in Round 5 and three in Round 7) and at this stage of the draft it is more about upside than the position they play, but a few positions they could still target include tight end, safety, offensive line, receiver, and edge rusher.

– For more on Tom’s game, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in his scouting report:

"“Center prospect who spent the last two seasons at left tackle. Tom was extremely impressive in pass protection at tackle despite a lack of desired size or length, but he’s likely headed back to center in the pros. He plays with technique and plus body control, but his aggression level is a little lacking in the run game and his mass is below average. Tom could be a priority for teams with leaky interior protection. He has Day 3 value as an above-average backup with eventual starting potential.”"