The Green Bay Packers used two first-round draft picks to select defensive players from Georgia in linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt. They traded up in the second round to select wide receiver Christian Watson out of North Dakota State. The trio has all the potential in the world. But so far in training camp and the preseason, it’s the depth of the draft class that’s raising eyebrows.
Some have Watson tabbed to be one of Green Bay’s saviors at wideout following the departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. However, a knee operation kept Watson out of training camp early on. Only recently did they elevate him by taking him off the physically unable to perform list. Instead of the second-round wideout commanding the headlines early on, it’s been fourth-round selection Romeo Doubs getting all the attention.
Doubs has lived up to the early hype and then some in two preseason contests. If there’s a sliver of space for one of the unproven wideouts to wedge their way into favor with Aaron Rodgers and the offense, it’s undoubtedly Doubs who has the early leg up.
On Friday night against the New Orleans Saints, Doubs went up as if off a pogo stick and plucked a jump ball from Jordan Love on a fade route in the end zone for his second preseason touchdown. He finished the game with three receptions on five targets and has put himself in good position to earn plenty of reps right from Week 1.
Doubs took advantage of an early opportunity and ran with it. He’s not the only one.
The Packers took Zach Tom, an offensive lineman from Wake Forest, eight picks after they selected Doubs.
Green Bay had taken another offensive lineman one round and 48 picks earlier: Sean Rhyan out of UCLA. So far, advantage Tom. It hasn’t even been close.
Tom had the highest PFF grade of any player on the Packers’ offense who took at least 10 snaps against the Saints. He continues to impress in training camp, where the Packers have slotted him in at left tackle, left guard, and right tackle. In the absences of David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins, there were whispers that Tom could start Week 1. Now, with the possibility of both Bakhtiari and Jenkins being back by then — both are off the PUP list — it’s an outside shot for Green Bay to pencil Tom in somewhere. Still, that doesn’t take away from his tremendous start despite not being the first offensive lineman the Packers took in the draft.
And there’s been one more pleasant surprise to highlight the depth of Brian Gutekunst’s latest draft class.
The Packers scooped up Kingsley Enagbare in the fifth round. After a quiet camp, he exploded onto the scene in the preseason. Enagbare collected a sack and a couple of quarterback hits in the opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He followed it up with some dazzling reps against the Saints.
On one look, Enagbare used his burst to blow past first-round pick Trevor Penning on the left side of the line on Saturday night. Enagbare’s presence forced quarterback Ian Book to step up into the pocket and take off running.
It wasn’t even Enagbare’s most impressive play of the night.
Working later on over on the right side of the line, Enagbare somehow slid underneath the right tackle for the Saints and got right to Book, who had to work off-script again and try to make something happen with Enagbare breathing down his neck. It’s one of those highlights you watch dozens of times, and it still looks so smooth and effortless that it’s impossible not to be a little excited about Enagbare. He’s a fifth-round selection gathering up highlights by the bundle and looking better than some teammates selected even higher than him.
It’s very possible Walker, Wyatt, and Watson put forth incredible seasons and step up to the plate early on. I don’t mean to follow them around with a dark cloud. Instead, it shines a light on how lethal this draft class may be.
Walker, Wyatt, and Watson were the headliners. However, it’s the guys previously thought to be “secondary picks” — Doubs, Tom, and Enagbare — who have wowed early on, and consistently too.
Furthermore, undrafted free agent Tyler Goodson may have the inside track on the RB3 spot by the end of summer.
It’s still far too early to project what will become of these rookies. But early indications suggest this could be a draft class that produces a ton of depth —and even some stars — for Green Bay.
