One thing has become apparent after the Green Bay Packers’ first three selections in this year’s draft: Brian Gutekunst and Co. are attacking areas of immediate need. In doing so, sometimes you can reach, as some believe Green Bay did with the pick of cornerback Eric Stokes at No. 29 in Round 1. In Round 2, though, they prioritized another area of need and may have snagged an immediate starter as well.
Josh Myers is a 6’5″, 310 lb. center who paved the way for Ohio State’s offensive line for two years as a starter. The Packers lost All-Pro center Corey Linsley in free agency to the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason. Green Bay was heavily cap restricted and opted to re-sign Aaron Jones in a move that brought back the versatile running back, but assured that Linsley would not return.
Thankfully for Green Bay, Elgton Jenkins has emerged as a stud on the offensive line. He can quite literally play any position. While he profiles better on the outside, he has shown he can excel at center. The selection of Myers changes the dynamic on Green Bay’s o-line.
Myers will likely have every opportunity during training camp and the preseason to earn the starting center job. The ideal situation for Green Bay here is to kick Jenkins to the outside and have him and David Bakhtiari as the two tackles protecting whoever the hell is playing quarterback. If Myers can hold down the fort, he should start right away.
The Packers made a seamless transition from one Ohio State center to another. It’s something Myers is fully aware of.
The Packers’ selection of the big fella up front is one that seemed to be universally applauded.
The Packers addressed the cornerback position in the opening round. Jaire Alexander is a top-tier cornerback and arguably the best in football. The Kevin King re-signing in the offseason was a Band-Aid on a position that needed stitching up. Eric Stokes will hope to bring some stability.
Round 3 was cause for rejoicing. The Packers TRADED UP AND SELECTED A WIDE RECEIVER OMG FREAK OUT!
The fanbase has been pleading, begging, and whining for a wide receiver in the early rounds, and Gutekunst took a demon at the position in Amari Rodgers of Clemson. Cue the, “At least the Packers will have one ‘A. Rodgers’ in 2021,” jokes.
Rodgers said a couple of months ago that he wanted to be drafted by Green Bay. Not only that, his family repeatedly told him in the lead-up to the NFL Draft that he would be selected by the Packers. Talk about calling your shot and sitting back while watching it come to fruition. What a prediction.
Rodgers projects as a true slot receiver at 5’9″, with incredibly crisp route running and solid speed. He had a wildly productive career at Clemson. Packers fans are rightfully already drooling over him.
Rodgers is more than a gadget player. He has a legitimate shot to earn immediate snaps with the Packers early on. While that might not be the outside receiver on the opposite side of Davante Adams, Rodgers is a constant home-run threat who gives Matt LaFleur another option.
The Packers were so smitten by Amari Rodgers that they considered taking him with the No. 62 pick that they used on Josh Myers. Instead, Rodgers fell to No. 85; Green Bay couldn’t sit back any longer and traded up to get their guy.
At worst, Rodgers can have a Tyler Ervin-type role in the Packers’ offense. At best, he molds into a true slot receiver, a Randall Cobb type who can line up anywhere, including in the backfield. Rodgers had 86% of his targets at Clemson last year come from the slot. It’s hard to imagine him not flourishing in Green Bay’s offensive scheme. It appears to be a match made in heaven between Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Amari Rodgers, that is.
While his height may have some waffling on the pick, Rodgers is built like a running back below the waist and doesn’t shy away from contact. He’s the son of a coach who, interestingly enough, coached Randall Cobb at Kentucky.
Green Bay has made a clear effort to address immediate gaps on the roster, but they appear to have done so methodically and without overreaching or stretching themselves too thin to do so.
Eric Stokes has a chance to get major snaps early in 2021. Josh Myers might just be the starting center in Week 1. Amari Rodgers will have some sort of role, one would imagine, right out of the gate. We won’t know for a while, but for now, it’s hard to be anything other than pleased with how the Packers have attacked this draft.
