Green Bay Packers 2022 NFL Draft/UDFA recap
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Walker, pictured, finished with 67 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss in 2021 for the 'Dawgs. The Packers selected him with the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Packers went into the draft with the apparent emphasis on upgrading a defensive front seven that finished right outside of the Top Ten in rush defense. The physical similarities between current DT Kenny Clark and new draft pick Devonte Wyatt are striking. Second-round pick Christian Watson has a chance to blossom with his ability to track the football down the field. He needs to replace the deep strike potential of former Packer Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Chiefs).
The Packers definitely upgraded the depth at linebacker and on the offensive line. It would have been hard to imagine getting Rasheed Walker in the seventh round just two seasons ago. Rhyan in the third round feels like a huge find as well, but where does he start off at, guard or tackle? Either way, the team has increased competition at all of the interior line spots.
The team did not get the immediate return on investment with Amari Rodgers returning kickoffs a year ago. This means that Watson, fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs or even UDFA Tyler Goodson could all get looks to provide competition.
| Green Bay Packers | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round, Selection, | Player | School | DN Big Board Rank/ Grade | ‘Nasty’ Take: | ||
| 1 (22) | Quay Walker | LB/Georgia | 49/2nd Round | Walker's combination of size and speed make the team's depth at linebacker now a strength defensively. | ||
| 1 (28) | Devonte Wyatt | DT/Georgia | 22/2nd Round | Devonte Wyatt could become a legitimate complement to Pro Bowler Kenny Clark. If not, then a rotation player who spells him in a rotation at times. | ||
| 2 (34) | Christian Watson | All-Purpose/North Dakota State | 23/2nd Round | Christian Watson's combination of body control and field speed make for a threat in a number of ways on the field. How will the team decide to employ him? | ||
| 3 (92) | Sean Rhyan | OL/UCLA | 36/2nd Round | Rhyan's run blocking prowess was supplemented with a technically-sound, yet quick-footed nature as a pass protector. If he moves to OG, he'll be battling two second-year starters for playing time. | ||
| 4 (132) | Romeo Doubs | All-Purpose (WR-Ret)/Nevada | 149/3rd Round | Doubs' skill as a punt returner was often overshadowed by his deep receiving skills. He has tracked a number of deep passes 50-to-60 yards down the field effectively. In addition, he proved to be more than just a deep threat the last two seasons. | ||
| 4 (140) | Zach Tom | C-OG/Wake Forest | 60/2nd Round | Tom's experience at left tackle only enhances his value. His film working at the center position in 2019 was impressive as well. He ranks as one of the better swing lineman in this year's class. | ||
| 5 (179) | Kingsley Enagbare | DE/South Carolina | 122/3rd Round | Enagbare's rare length (83 5/8" wingspan) could endear him on the edge as a depth piece for the team's outside linebacker position. Enagbare has stood up in school and he even played some LB on third downs. | ||
| 7 (228) | Tariq Carpenter | S-LB/Georgia Tech | 293/4th Round | Carpenter made the move to LB in the postseason and acquitted himself well. During his time in school, he was an active defender who made 41 career starts mostly at the safety position. | ||
| 7 (234) | Jonathan Ford | DT/Miami (Fla.) | 599/6th Round | Ford has the flex capability to align up-and-down the defensive front. Ford posted three quarterback sacks back in 2019. | ||
| 7 (249) | Rasheed Walker | OT/Penn State | 107/3rd Round | Two years ago, Walker had an opportunity to possibly be a higher pick. With that said, he could find a home as a third tackle for the Packers. . At the least, he increases their options during training camp. | ||
| 7 (258) | Samori Toure | WR/Nebraska, Montana | 134/3rd Round | Toure has the tools to be an effective WR in the cold of Green Bay after playing in Montana first (lows in the mid-twenties) and then Nebraska (mid-forties). Toure is smooth, but has to get stronger. | ||
| Packers 2022 UDFA signings | ||||||
| Rank | Player | Positions | School | Grade | Round | Nasty’ Take |
| 415 | Tyler Goodson | RB | Iowa | 5 | 5th Round | Goodson’s foot speed, hard-charging style and underrated receiving ability (the team often aligned him at the X-WR) could make him hard to get rid of in training camp. Can the 4.4 speedster returns kicks? |
| 678 | Caleb Jones | OT | Indiana | 3.84 | 7th Round | It will all come down to how Jones handles the speed aspect of the NFL game. At 6’8, 370 pounds, with nearly 37-inch arms, it is impossible to get around him if he measures up the opponent. |
| 686 | Akial Byers | DT | Missouri | 3.72 | 7th Round | Postseason workouts did him no favors, but Byers’ work in school indicated a player well worth the price of admission. Byers fights through angle blocks well and has a feel for the action working inside at 310 pounds. |
| 674 | Cole Schneider | OC-OG | UCF | 3.908 | 7th Round | Schneider competed with leverage, power and underrated athleticism despite being length-deficient in school. There are some similarities to former Packers OL Lane Taylor. |
| 220 | Chauncey Manac | DE-OLB | Louisiana-Lafayette, Georgia | 5.57 | 4th Round | Another former Georgia Bulldog in the 2022 draft class, Manac turned it on as a senior, finishing with 10 QB sacks and career-highs in tackles for losses. |
| 175 | Ellis Brooks | LB | Penn State | 5.68 | 4th Round | Brooks size, foot speed and overall athleticism may not get high marks, but he was the heartbeat of Penn State’s defense. |
| 372 | Tre Sterling | S | Oklahoma State | 5.11 | 5th Round | Sterling’s movement skills impress despite less than stellar workout numbers to match across the board. His change of direction drills match the smoothness you see from him. He missed a lot of time as a senior and that may have hurt his standing with NFL teams. |
| 547 | Keke Chism | WR | Missouri, Angelo State | 4.52 | 6th Round | Chism is a body control, jump ball specialist who doesn’t run extremely well until he builds to speed. His acrobatic TD catch in the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl is kind of what he brings to the table. |
| 508 | B.J. Baylor | RB | Oregon State | 4.65 | 6th Round | A one-year wonder at Oregon State, there is no shame in that label after leading the Pac-12 in rushing. He can make the slide cuts and crease defenses. Baylor has to improve in pass protection. |
| Hauati Pututau | DE | Utah | N/A | N/A | Pututau’s strength gets high marks, as does his size at over 6-foot-3, 310 pounds. | |
| Danny Davis | WR | Wisconsin | N/A | N/A | For a 6-foot receiver, he has range. Has made some incredible extension grabs on slant routes with range as a pass catcher (3rd and 7, 4th QTR/3:00, Penn State '21). Beat the man coverage of a longer CB on the play (Castro-Fields). | |
| Raleigh Texada | CB | Baylor | N/A | N/A | Can he match up outside consistently? Struggles to disengage off of stalk blockers on the perimeter (2nd QTR/4:59, Texas Tech '21). Positive feet and patience to squeeze routes from the outside-in when playing man coverage (Kansas State '21). Bail technique is clean, smooth and capable. | |
| Anthony Turner | WR | Grand View | N/A | N/A | The 6-foot-3-inch wideout has some suddenness and feel for the WR spot. Despite playing against a lower level of competition, the NAIA All-American’s twitch on video stood out. His size translates to the next level. |
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