2019 Packers 90-man roster ranking, 80-76: Manny Wilkins faces uphill battle for job

With veteran free agency essentially concluded and the 2019 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, Acme Packing Company will once again rank and break down the Green Bay Packers’ 90-man roster.

These rankings represent a composite of the individual selections from several APC contributors. Today, we reveal players 80 through 76, a group headlined by the first of the four quarterbacks on the Packers’ roster.

80: Javien Hamilton, CB

One of the numerous undrafted cornerback vying for a roster spot, Javien Hamilton doesn’t impress out in terms of stature. At 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, he ranks as the smallest corner currently on the Packers’ roster. However, Hamilton’s athletic gifts -- a 4.44 second 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical -- give him a fighting chance to earn a role on special teams and, perhaps in time, the secondary.

Though never a full-time starter at Ole Miss, Hamilton saw extensive action with the Rebels, appearing in all 24 games over the past two years. He will have to prove that, like some of Green Bay’s former undrafted corners, his pro career will prove more consistent than his college one.

79: Brady Sheldon, ILB

Brady Sheldon returns to Green Bay after spending the final two months of 2018 on the Packers’ practice squad. Sheldon has played regular-season snaps before, however, seeing action in multiple games with the Oakland Raiders in 2017. He also spent time on the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns.

Though Sheldon played outside at times during his previous NFL stops, he practiced with the inside linebackers during the Packers’ rookie minicamp earlier this year. From a numbers standpoint, he should fare better inside where the team returns just three players from last year’s 53-man roster and added only two rookies last month, neither early in the draft.

78: Chandon Sullivan, CB

A recent waiver acquisition, Chandon Sullivan saw NFL action with the injury-depleted Philadelphia Eagles secondary in 2018. To no one’s surprise, he struggled, giving up a reception each time an opposing quarterback targeted him, according to Pro Football Focus.

But the Packers didn’t claim Sullivan for his past performance. They brought him on board due to his physical tools and upside. The 5-foot-11, 194-pound corner ran a 4.48 second 40-yard dash during his pro day along with a 7 second 3-cone drill and 40-inch vertical. At just 22, he falls in the same age range as many of Green Bay’s recent UDFA signings. If Sullivan has gained something worthwhile from his NFL experience, he has a chance to find a job somewhere in the league.

77: Teo Redding, WR

Another practice-squad holdover, Teo Redding has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game. At just 176 pounds, he weighs in as the lightest receiver on the roster, not ideal for a team that has put a premium on size at the position. Redding’s college production doesn’t suggest a future NFL wideout either, accumulating a solid but not spectacular 94 catches for 1,328 yards and 14 touchdowns over four seasons at Bowling Green.

With the Packers returning seven wideouts who spent time on their 53-man roster, the opportunities for others at the position appear limited. Redding will have to overcome long odds to earn a job in Green Bay.

76: Manny Wilkins, QB

Each of the past two offseasons, the Packers have signed an undrafted quarterback that earned a spot on a 53-man roster. In 2017, they brought in BYU’s Taysom Hill, a dual threat who performed well enough in the preseason to convince the New Orleans Saints to claim him during final cuts. Tim Boyle followed in those footsteps last year, showing surprising poise and arm talent for a player with underwhelming college production at Eastern Kentucky and Connecticut. Rather than risk losing Boyle on waivers, Green Bay elected to keep him on their active roster all season, giving him a chance to develop his skills and compete for the No. 2 job in 2019.

Manny Wilkins looks to become the Packers’ next undrafted QB success story. A three-year starter at Arizona State, Wilkins demonstrated improvement each year, specifically his touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also established himself as a running threat, amassing over 1,000 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns during his college career. Wilkins will have to unseat one and perhaps two competitors at his position to earn a roster spot. Even if he doesn’t, Wilkins could show enough during training camp and the preseason to end up on some team’s practice squad.