It was a tale of two seasons for Eric Stokes. After being the Green Bay Packers’ first-round pick in 2021, he had plenty of opportunities to play in his rookie year. By the end of the year, he was getting the toughest assignments on the field as Green Bay’s No. 1 corner due to Jaire Alexander’s injury. His disappointing, injury-riddled sophomore season ended with him on the sidelines. Now he’s just getting back on the practice field. What can we expect from Stokes going into Year 3?
Stokes showed amazing upside in his first season in green and gold. According to PFF, he was the second-highest-graded rookie corner in the league. Stokes allowed just over half of his targets to be completed, third among all rookies league-wide. He filled in when Alexander went down with an injury. Alexander only played four games, spending most of the season on injured reserve.
Stokes stepped up big and led a cornerback room that really needed it. He had 14 starts and led the team in passes defended with 14. He was tied for fifth in the NFL for targets and was 29th in receptions allowed during the regular season. It’s rare to find a guy with Stokes’ length who has the speed he does. Stokes ran a 4.25 at his Pro Day. The former Georgia Bulldog looked like a slam-dunk pick for Brian Gutekunst and the Packers.
However, there were some flaws in his game. Receivers often beat Stokes off the line, and he had to rely on his speed a lot to catch up to balls. His speed often did allow him to do that, but he was playing with fire. He found himself out of position in the zone a few times and was taken advantage of by blockers
Stokes struggles a bit when he’s not allowed to press or make contact with receivers at the line. He’s a very physical corner and likes to make contact early in the down. When he cannot do that, sometimes wideouts take advantage of him. But, ultimately, it was a great season for the rookie that left fans with high expectations for Year 2.
His second season did not go as planned. He suffered a torn meniscus in his knee in week nine in Chicago (the same week that Rashan Gary tore his ACL). That was the first significant injury that Stokes has suffered in his career. He only played in eight games and accrued 26 tackles with zero interceptions and not a single pass breakup. His PFF grades were way lower than they were in his rookie year, by a significant margin.
There is no exact date set for Stokes’ return to the field. The plan from the Packers’ coaching staff is to have Alexander and Douglas play on the boundary and Keisean Nixon play in the slot.
But there are reasons for optimism in Stokes’ third year.
His new defensive backs coach this year, Ryan Downard, has been around the team for six seasons, and the Packers promoted him internally. He’s familiar with Stokes and has been with him his entire time in Green Bay. Hopefully, Downard has a plan for Stokes so he can play more effective football this year. Stokes is familiar with the defensive system that Joe Barry runs. Therefore, he does not have a learning curve for the overall scheme of the defense, just his position coach, who could serve as a breath of fresh air.
Stokes’ athletic gifts should aid him in his recovery process and help his transition back to the field. His athletic score was in the 93rd percentile among cornerbacks drafted from 1987 to 2021. He’s special, athletically.
The Packers will need him. Rasul Douglas is solid but can be inconsistent. Teams generally have more than one receiving threat, and Alexander can only cover one guy at a time. Stokes will be needed to shut down the other options when guys like Nixon and Douglas falter.
It’s good to see Stokes bringing positive energy to camp, and he seems to be moving around well. He won’t let the injury or his subpar streak get him down. “My biggest thing is I’m going to keep my same attitude no matter what,” Stokes said.
When Stokes was on, he was great. Sticking with shiftier receivers in the press and off-coverage alike.
The Packers are expected to pick up Stokes’ fifth-year option. They clearly believe in his ability to bounce back from a major injury and return to the form he showed in his rookie year.
A sophomore slump is not that uncommon. Stokes certainly had one. But his positive attitude, athletic ability, and determination will get him back on the field and playing at a high level for the Green and Gold sooner than later.
All stats and data via ESPN or PFF.
