Packers 2017 Draft Picks: Examining each player’s best skills

Our boy Teddy T came through, guys.

The man who faced heavy criticism for his lack of spending in free agency and seemed to have lost his touch in the draft came through with what could be a class for the ages for the Green Bay Packers.

He traded back out of the first round, and added a pick to start the 4th round, and later traded back a few spots in the 5th and picked up an extra 7th. #InTedWeTrust

While adding ten talented players is all well and good and all that fun stuff, let’s take a look at some of the ways that the players drafted excel, and what their best abilities are looking forward to how they’ll play with the 13 time-world champions.

Kevin King, CB, Washington - 6’3” 200

This play has everything that enticed NFL teams about King. He’s long, and an impressive athlete. You can see right before the snap he’s hyper aggressive, hopping forward in an attempt to anticipate the snap. While some of King’s aggression will have to be dialed back for the sake of his technique (he can get a bit grabby), you’d rather have to lessen someone’s aggression than try to develop it.

King will play press a lot in GB, where his length is optimized. Obviously, the ball skills here are encouraging. While I don’t think that King will be as immediate a contributor as many are projecting, he’ll provide the secondary with some versatility, and as the season goes along I expect his role to increase.

Josh Jones, S, North Carolina State - 6’1” 220

While this play isn’t overly impressive, above all, Jones plays #BullyBall, which I fully endorse and want in GB.

It does speak to Jones’ versatility, though. During this Miami game he plays strong safety, single high safety, linebacker, and slot corner. Jones will be a chess piece for Dom Capers, and might have a better chance at a role immediately due to his ability to play multiple positions. Jones plays with an attitude, so welcome to Green Bay young man.

Montravius Adams, DL, Auburn - 6’4” 304

This play does a good job of showing some good and some bad of Adams. First of all, it’s an incredible play. Guys that big shouldn’t be able to move that quickly. Adams beats his man off the line with a swim move. He beats him so bad the guard grabs onto his leg. Adams then is able to adjust and corral Chad Kelly, Mr. Irrelevant, before he can reach the 1st down.

However, after the swim move, Adams is standing nearly straight up, which is one of his main issues. However, with some NFL coaching, Adams has some pretty high upside. Plus it’s scientifically proven that defensive linemen who wear single digit numbers are better. Can’t argue with science, folks.

Vince Biegel, LB, Wisconsin - 6’4” 246

Biegel is at the bottom of the screen, and makes quick work of the offensive tackle. Biegel was well coached at Wisconsin by former NFL defensive coach Tim Tibesar, and I expect his learning curve to be fairly short for a rookie in the Capers system due to his experience in a 3-4 front in Madison.

Biegel’s motor is always running white hot, and you can see it here. He’s all effort from the snap of the ball, and while he doesn’t get the sack, he get a pressure and forces a bad throw from the quarterback. Biegel doesn’t project to be a big sack number guy, he wasn’t for the Badgers either, but he could be a 6-7 sack per year guy, as well as play some inside linebacker.

Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU - 6’0” 212

Jamaal Williams is probably my favorite pick in this whole class. As I mentioned earlier, I am pro #BullyBall, and while Williams isn’t all power, he’s no-nonsense as a rusher. He bounces off of arm tackles and, though he won’t win any track meets, he’s no plodder, and can make the defense pay for over-pursuing as Arizona does here.

I expect the Packers to run some split zone concepts on offense. For one, newly signed tight end Lance Kendricks is an especially effective blocker coming across the formation as a wing, and secondly, Williams showed a propensity to have success using the concept. He get’s north/south in a hurry, and the horizontal pursuit of the defense can’t adjust quick enough.

DeAngelo Yancey, WR, Purdue - 6’1” 220

Yancey is a thick, physical wide out who makes defenders work to take him down. Though he’s a bit stiff in the hips, he’ll fit in immediately in the Packers offense as an after the catch threat.

Yancey’s effort also isn’t a question. Playing for Purdue, often times the Boilermakers were outmatched, yet Yancey produced. He’s a load to bring down in the open field, and Aaron Rodgers will enjoy having him on the field.

Aaron Jones, RB, UTEP - 5’10” 208

Aaron Jones is a home run hitter. Eliot Wolf mentioned that he believed that Jones plays faster than his time in Indianapolis (4.56). You can see that once he’s in the open-field he’s not going to be caught. He’s a definite change of pace from Williams, who tested similarly in Indy, but doesn’t play as fast.

Jones could be a potential 3rd down back in Green Bay, but isn’t limited to that, as he joins Williams as better natural runners than Ty Montgomery. He’ll fit in nicely as the 3rd back for the green and gold.

Kofi Amichia, OG, South Florida - 6’3” 290

Amichia’s testing numbers make him the most athletic guard in this class.

Here’s a highlight:

On this play, you can see the athleticism on display. Moving to the second level under control, he shows the ability to bend at the knees, rather than the waist to get leverage on the defender. He’s then able to sustain his block throughout the play. Amichia is an athletic project, but he was solid at left tackle for South Florida.

Amichia will likely provide depth early, but Lane Taylor is a free agent after 2017 and Jahri Evans is 33 years old. He could be in line to play in 2018, and it would likely be at guard.

Devante Mays, RB, Utah State - 5’11” 230

To be honest, I knew nothing about Mays prior to the draft, other than that the Packers brought him in for a visit. Without much tape of him available, this is what I’ve found.

Mays is a power back, through and through. While he only registered 37 carries in 2016, he ran a 4.5 and registered a 40.5” vertical. He’s very explosive, but he’ll likely be on the practice squad, at least initially. He’s definitely a different type of back than Williams and Jones, which helps add to his value.

Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU - 6’3” 196

#Dupresus.

While I understand it’s tough to get too excited about a 7th round pick, hear me out. Dupre was a 5* recruit out of HS in Louisiana. He was a state champion in the long jump, triple jump, and the high jump, as evidenced by his 39.5” vert in Indianapolis.

He’s a bit linear as an athlete, but he was mostly handcuffed by poor quarterback play. (I apologize for showing you two former Purdue quarterbacks in this article.) Dupre fell to the 7th round for a reason, but there is some serious upside with him, and going from Brandon Harris/Danny Etling to Aaron Rodgers will be like going from a Geo Metro to a Lamborghini.

This class has the chance to be special, and the Packers will likely need it to be in order to help win a Super Bowl. Let us enjoy, Packer fans.

Only 3 months to football.