Draft Review: Green Bay Packers

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Entering the draft, most expected the Packers to bolster their roster by way of big bodies on the offensive and defensive lines as well as in their linebacker corps and that’s exactly what they did.  Spending six of their seven picks on such positions, they only reserved one selection for the skill group, and that didn’t come until the fifth round.

On the surface, it doesn’t appear as if the Packers did much to help dynasty owners (outside of those who play IDP) but Green Bay has a reputation of giving unknown undrafted free agents an opportunity to crack the 53-man roster.  And with Aaron Rodgers at the helm and a history of being one of the top offenses in the league (last season notwithstanding,) it’s worth it to dynasty owners to get to know some of these names now so they’re on their radar later in the summer when one of them inevitably makes Green Bay’s roster.

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Trevor Davis, WR (Round 5, Pick 163 overall)

Davis didn’t post big numbers in college, either at Hawaii in his first two years or at Cal after he transferred.  His biggest season came as a senior in 2015, when he racked up 40 catches for 672 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears.

Although he didn’t put up eye popping stats in his time on campus, Davis did put up some pretty gaudy numbers at the scouting combine.  Posting the third fastest 40-time (4.42 seconds) among receivers, fourth best vertical jump (38.5 inches), second quickest three-cone drill (6.60 seconds) and second fastest 60-yard shuttle (10.94 seconds), he proved that the deep speed and explosiveness that he showed on film at Cal was no fluke.

Davis’ biggest asset is his speed, but he also has big hands (10-inches) and is incredibly tough.  He showed regularly while at Cal that he was willing to make tough catches in traffic, take a hit, and hold onto the ball.  Also showing a knack for tracking the ball downfield, he proved to be a quality deep threat for former Bear quarterback Jared Goff, which is something another former Golden Bear signal caller (Rodgers) could have used a year ago when defenses were stacking the line of scrimmage because the Packers didn’t have a deep threat to keep them honest.

The final thing Davis brings to the table is return ability.  He brought back a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as a junior, averaging 32.6 yards per return and ranking second in the nation.

Although Davis isn’t a sharp route runner and lacks the power to handle physical defensive backs at the line of scrimmage, he has blazing speed and landed in a place in desperate need of it and with perhaps the best quarterback on the planet throwing the ball.

As a fifth round pick, Davis is currently behind Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery on the depth chart, and will be fighting Davante Adams, Jeff Janis, Jared Abbrederis and some undrafted free agents for final receiver spots on the roster.

Davis may never become more than a special teams player but he has deep threat upside in Green Bay’s high-octane offense.  Currently going undrafted in most rookie drafts, he’s a name worth keeping in mind as the summer progresses and may even be worth your final roster spot in deep enough leagues to roster developmental players.

Don Jackson, RB (Undrafted Free Agent)

Jackson has a rocky past that includes getting kicked out of a couple high schools and a lot of dangerous behavior but had a solid final two seasons at Nevada following two quality years in junior college.  He scored 15 touchdowns over his two years as the Wolf Pack’s leading tailback and posted 1,079 yards on 228 carries (4.7 yard per carry) and eight of those scores as a senior.

With good measurables for an NFL runner (5’-10”, 205 pounds), Jackson reportedly ran a 4.47 40-time at his pro day.  Displaying good straight line burst, he hits holes quickly and has the ability to fend off tacklers with a stiff arm or make them miss with a slide step.  He also has good leg drive, always churning for extra yardage and falling forward for every inch.

Considering the Packers didn’t take a running back in the draft and signed only one other runner as UFA (Brandon Burks, Troy), Jackson may have a chance to make an impact.  After Eddie Lacy and James Starks, there is a wide open competition for the third running back spot in Green Bay.  John Crockett held that position for much of last year but he was an undrafted free agent a year ago and could be supplanted easily.

Jackson is a long shot to make a fantasy impact but with the regularity of injuries among tailbacks, his name is one to keep in the back of your mind as training camp gets going this summer.

Geronimo Allison, WR (Undrafted Free Agent)

Allison is an interesting prospect.  After not playing high school football until he was a senior, he went to Iowa Western Community College before going to Illinois so he’s still incredibly raw.  Nonetheless, he still posted 106 catches for 1,480 yards and eight touchdowns in his two season in Champaign.

Standing 6’-3” and weighing 196 pounds, he has the height that NFL teams (as well as many dynasty owners) covet, but while he’s good at a few things, he’s great at nothing.  A below average route runner that lacks speed (4.58 40-time at his pro day) and drops far too many passes, it’s unlikely he makes an impact in Green Bay’s deep receiving corps.

Herb Waters, WR (Undrafted Free Agent)

Waters was a solid player for Miami over his four years on campus, catching 99 passes for 1,534 yards and nine touchdowns in his career, but he never really became a regular playmaker for the Hurricanes.  In his lone season as a starter in 2015, he caught 41 passes for 624 yards and one touchdown.

At 5’-11” and 188 pounds, Waters ran a 4.50 40-yard dash and posted an impressive 38.5 inch vertical at his pro day but like Allison, he’ll have a hard time cracking the Packers’ roster due to his questionable route running and lack of big play ability.

Joe Callahan, QB (Undrafted Free Agent)

Callahan is another name unlikely to ever make an impact for dynasty owners but he’s worth mentioning as he set the NCAA division-III record for passing yards, averaging 389.5 yards per contest and posting a jaw-dropping 5,068 passing yards on the season as a senior at Wesley College in Dover, Delaware.  He also ran for 398 yards and tossed 55 touchdown passes (which is the second most in D-III history) while running for seven more.

Again, he shouldn’t be on any dynasty rosters but numbers like the one’s Callahan posted along with what one NFL scout called, “NFL caliber arm strength” and what has been reported as an unbelievable work ethic as well as great leadership abilities, he’s worth a couple paragraphs here.

Casey Pierce, TE (Undrafted Free Agent)

If there was a skill position for the Packers to address in the draft, it was likely tight end.  They chose to stick with Jared Cook and Richard Rodgers though, but added Pierce (after a rookie camp invite) as an undrafted free agent out of Kent State.  I don’t know much about Pierce but most scouting reports call him a great blocker with good hands and excellent work ethic.  That may help him latch on in Green Bay but despite the lack of playmaking talent at the position for the Packers, won’t help him become a factor for fantasy owners.

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