The Green Bay Packers have a conundrum at cornerback. Jaire Alexander is one of the best in the NFL when healthy. However, he hasn’t played an entire season since 2022 and only played seven games in each of his last two seasons.
GM Brian Gutenkunst recently noted that Alexander’s future with the team is uncertain. “We’re still working through that,” he said. “Obviously, a very good player for us, and we have some time to figure that out and see what’s best for him and for the organization.”
The Packers brought in Nate Hobbs this offseason to bolster the cornerback room. Still, they will likely need a No. 1 corner soon, depending on what they do with Alexander.
The Packers should prioritize cornerback in the first round of the draft. Shavon Revel from Eastern Carolina University seems like the kind of player they should target with pick 23.
Revel burst onto the scene with an impressive 2023 season, where he drew attention from the national media. He became a true shutdown cornerback for the Pirates while also contributing on special teams.
It seemed like Revel was almost a lock to be a top-15 pick in the draft until an unfortunate ACL tear during practice in September caused him to miss out on most of his senior season and slide down draft boards. Revel was off to a hot start in the 2024 season, recording two interceptions in three games (one of which he returned for a touchdown), doubling his total from the prior season.
At 6’2”, 194 lbs., Revel already has the size and length most defensive coordinators would love to see in a cornerback. However, it’s almost more impressive how Revel uses his length to his advantage, jamming receivers in press coverage and getting in passing lanes.
Revel seems content when playing press or man coverage against opposing wide receivers. He can match receivers stride for stride when they try to get vertical on him.
Even if he falls behind, Revel has excellent recovery speed, which, combined with his length, allows him to close the gap and make a play on the football. He frequently displays his blazing speed, making receivers uncomfortable at the point of attack.
Despite being a taller cornerback, Revel does an excellent job of staying fluid. He can drop his hips and stay with wide receivers when they change directions, which is typically an issue for many players his size.
Revel is good in man coverage, but he occasionally gets grabby. He can receiver with his speed but occasionally defaults to grabbing the opposing receiver instead of trying to make up the ground with his speed.
He gets aggressive, and opponents occasionally burn him when he guesses wrong on plays. Revel must learn to mitigate these sorts of mistakes at the next level.
Revel sometimes struggles to process his responsibilities in zone coverage. He has since developed a much more complete understanding of his responsibilities on the field. Still, his injury raises questions about his ability to play in the zone.
He’s a more than willing run defender. While we see some cornerbacks only play the pass, he relishes all the dirty work and looks to get to the ball carrier and use his large frame to bring them down.
He’s also a special teams ace who shows up in his snaps on the punt and field goal units. As a punt gunner, Revel uses his speed and physicality to get downfield and get to the return man as soon as they get the ball. The Packers have struggled with inconsistent special teams play recently. Therefore, they could add a player of Revel’s caliber who puts his full effort into those snaps.
There are concerns about Revel only having one elite season on tape. However, it would feel on-brand for the Packers to trust their coaching to keep those flashes more consistent. Look at what they have done in the past with drafting Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness in the first round based on potential overproduction.
Revel could be the answer to Green Bay’s need at cornerback in the first round, allowing them to get a special talent later on Day 1 due to an unfortunately timed injury.
