Green Bay Packers stepped up to the podium at 29 with mostly house money. They had a buffet of options. Unlike in 2020 where the options were slim, they had a ton of different avenues to go down. Many expected Green Bay to go wide receiver to appease this disgruntled quarterback, but that didn’t happen. Rashod Bateman, their guy, went a pick before to the Baltimore Ravens. This is the second straight draft this has happened to Green Bay. Instead, Green Bay went the route of a cornerback. A position that they desperately needed more depth. Eric Stokes can push for a starting spot next season. And if not next year, 2022 is very possible for him.

When you see the numbers and the speed of Stokes, there is a thought that he is a workout warrior. I don’t think that’s the case. He runs a 4.25 40. The test numbers are off the charts. But there is more to his game. He is a smart player who gets after it. There is a unique blend of toughness, skill, speed, and ball-hawking ability that Stokes has in his game. Sure, there can be some rigidness where he might lose a receiver. But there are not a bunch of red flags with this kid. There is a reason for Packers’ fans to be excited about adding another talented corner to the secondary group.

When you watch Stokes’ highlight tape, there are so many more things that Joe Berry can do with him besides just be a corner. With that insane speed, he becomes a great option for the corner blitz or blitzing from almost a safety position. The hit against Tennessee was enough for me to see that this guy could frustrated NFL quarterbacks. Also, he can be a dynamite special teams player immediately. Obviously, this is not why you draft a first-round guy to do, but the ability to plug and play him in different spots is a huge plus for new coordinators.

We’ll see what Green Bay does tonight. My guess would be an offensive lineman and either wide receiver, linebacker, or cornerback in the third round. Packers need to get deep at the secondary position. The fact Tramon Williams had to come in late in the season tells you everything about where the Packers were with talented corners. They’ll go back to the well again.

Last thing for Stokes, can you not wear 27? Way too many bad T-Buck flashbacks.

Charlie.