Analysis:

After a tumultuous afternoon where NFL headlines were dominated by the Green Bay Packers organization and Aaron Rodgers, management decided to look at things defensively in the first round. The Packers selected Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes with the 29th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Cleveland.

Stokes is a cornerback whose stock rose after a strong showing at his pro day earlier this season. Standing at 6 feet tall, he ran a 4.29 40-yard dash and was fast in his agility drills too.

His pure speed and athletic ability stands out to those who have watched him on tape. With four interceptions in the fall of his junior season, his strength is playing man-to-man coverage. But according to the CheeseheadTV Draft guide, he can be a bit grabby at the top of his routes.

With his lengthy frame and athletic ability, the Packers drafting Stokes means they trust in his high ceiling and potential.

Team Fit:

It’s no secret that outside of star cornerback Jaire Alexander, the Packers had their fair share of ups and downs at the defensive back position last season.

With Kevin King signing back to a one-year deal, Stokes will provide some security and depth to the position in 2021. It’s been well-documented that King hasn’t always been able to stay healthy and on the field, so Stokes could compete for – and potentially win – the CB2 position.

The most likely scenario is Stokes plays behind King for this season, occasionally filling in when King isn’t healthy and in certain defensive packages, all while sharpening his game to become a starter for the foreseeable future.

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Gunnar Davis is a lifelong Packers fan and a recent graduate of Simpson College, where he was a 3-year letterwinner on the offensive line and graduated with a degree in multimedia communications. You can follow him on Twitter at @Gunnar57Davis.

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