The hype was perceived as premature for Romeo Doubs In the Packers training camp. Over and over the rookie receiver was making incredible catches in near succession, and drawing praise from nearly everyone who caught a glimpse of his ability.
After Sunday’s breakthrough performance, all of the hype seems to be coming to fruition, even if Green Bay was a shell of their first half selves in the second half in Tampa Bay.
Both franchises, the Packers and the Buccaneers alike were decimated by injuries, but the most impressive stat here is that the Buccaneer’s defense was at full strength; which makes the special game from Doubs stand out even more.
Doubs was targeted eight times against the Bucs and was able to come up with eight catches as well while adding a team-high 73 yards and a touchdown reception.
With Sammy Watkins sidelined and fellow rookie Christian Watson (who was selected higher in the 2022 draft than Doubs) both out with injury. All eyes were on the former Nevada product and he more than delivered.
All eyes were on Doubs on Sunday, and as fans and media pundits alike predicted this might finally be the game where the hype seems justified; everyone was significantly correct on this prediction. His route running and sticky hands provided the Packers with a first-half lead they were able to maintain up until the final whistle.
Whether getting open for screens and providing more yards with his underrated speed, or burning his man over the middle, Doubs was surely the biggest headache for the Bucs’ defense, making it more impressive that they were able to neutralize most of the other stars on the Packers offense.
A fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, Doubs was expected to add some depth to a wide receiver room that would seem to be reeling after the departure of star receiver Davante Adams in the offseason.
The criticism the Packers faced after an offseason that saw little movement in terms of adding veteran talent, was under an even bigger lens as the wide receiver core added very little outside of Sammy Watkins, and looked to add a bevy of youth to support quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
With two first-round selections, the Packers did not even address the wide receiver position until the second round. Watson was the perceived star of this rookie class as Green Bay traded up in the second round to get their man. So it is more impressive that Doubs is so far looking like the more accomplished receiver as he was selected a full two rounds later.
The scouting department for the Packers should be awarded a gold star for this uncovering of a gem. Besides draft analysts or draft junkies, it would have been very hard to find nearly anyone who had heard the name Romeo Doubs before the NFL draft.
Doubs was an accomplished receiver in his four seasons at the University of Nevada; in his last two seasons for the Wolf Pack, he went over 1,000 yards in each season while adding a total of 21 receiving touchdowns in that span. So he was no fluke, however, Nevada is not exactly a powerhouse in terms of college football.
Looking at the talented rookie on paper, the measurables are surely there; he is a big-bodied receiver who reportedly ran a 4.47 40-yard dash in a workout, but great workouts do not always end in a successful career.
It is still far too early to say that Doubs will be a star, or the heir apparent to the number one receiver spot left vacant by Adams, but the stars are aligning for this talented young receiver, and just maybe he has the potential to be the number one receiver the Packers set out for this offseason, even if he was not the assumed choice.
