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Cheese Curds, 5/11: Packers players earn college diplomas, no delays for draft picks

As two veteran Packers graduate this weekend, all of the team’s draft picks should be eligible to participate in OTAs when they begin in a few weeks.

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NFL: Green Bay Packers at Carolina Panthers USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Colleges all across the country are holding their commencement ceremonies this month, and a few Green Bay Packers players are participating after completing their degree requirements. Typically, this would consist of draft picks or rookies who are earning their diplomas, but this year it is a pair of veteran Packers who are making news for earning their degrees in the offseason.

In recent years, however, the Packers have drafted players who were barred from participating in OTAs due to their schools being on the quarter system. This was especially common with draft picks from Pac-12 schools, which seem to use that schedule more than colleges in other parts of the country.

However, this year, the Packers have just two Pac-12 draft picks — guard Cole Madison and defensive end James Looney — and both of those schools are on the semester system, meaning there will be no delay in the players’ ability to practice during OTAs even if they had not yet graduated. All of the other draft picks also played at colleges on the semester system, so there will be no issues for any of those 11 players when practices begin on May 21st.

It’s an academics-themed batch of curds today on commencement weekend, so let’s congratulate all students, football players and otherwise, who are graduating this spring!

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