Packers select Jonathan Garvin with 242nd pick of 2020 NFL Draft

With the 242nd pick in the seventh round, the Green Bay Packers have selected Jonathan Garvin, an edge rusher from the University of Miami.

At 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds, Garvin projects as a 3-4 pass rusher on the edge for the Packers. Garvin had a monster 2018 season with 5.5 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss for the Hurricanes before an up-and-down senior season in which he compiled another five sacks and nine tackles for a loss.

Despite an unofficial 4.82 time at the NFL Combine, Garvin has gained some praise for his hand usage and initial and closing bursts. Although he played with inconsistent effort as a collegian and didn’t tally a lot of sacks, Garvin did get pressures with his ability to win on the edge. Garvin posseses 34-inch arms that will help him at the pro level and had a good blend of strength (23 bench reps) and explosion (36-inch vertical and 125-inch broad jump) to have a chance as a situational pass rusher for the Packers.

Landing Garvin, regarded by many as a top-four round talent, in the closing picks of the draft could ultimately prove to be a steal for Green Bay. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein even commented that “there might be gold to mine if a coach can get it out of him.”

In a year in which the Packers focused heavily on the offensive side of the ball, Green Bay turned its attention toward the defense in round seven and selected its only defensive lineman or edge rusher of the draft. With the Packers moving on from Kyler Fackrell, there is an opening for a player like Garvin to emerge in the edge-rushing outside linebacker room behind the Smith brothers and Rashan Gary.

Barring a surprise trade back into the draft, the pick of Garvin will conclude Green Bay’s 2020 NFL Draft class.