Tom Starts at Center, Carpenter at Safety

Fourth-round draft pick Zach Tom has set an audacious goal, but how do the Packers make sure he's not just a jack of all trades but master of none?

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Is Zach Tom a center, guard or tackle?

Is Tariq Carpenter a safety or a linebacker?

That might depend on the day of the week as two of the Green Bay Packers’ versatile draft picks adjust to life in the NFL.

At Wake Forest, Tom started at center in 2019 and at left tackle in 2020 and 2021. He excelled at both positions. On Friday, a couple hours before practicing for the first time since being selected by Green Bay in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Tom spoke of being a high-quality player at all five offensive line positions.

From that perspective, Tom should fit right in. Versatility has been a bedrock of Green Bay’s offensive lines. Elgton Jenkins was a Pro Bowl left guard in 2020 who thrived at left tackle in 2021 until tearing his ACL. He could start at right tackle this season after starting at center at Mississippi State. Billy Turner and Lucas Patrick, both of whom were among the team’s offseason departures, were three-position starters.

“I know about Elgton,” said Tom, who spent most of his first practice at center. “I know he can play all five positions. … I want to be somebody who can play all five positions at a high level. That’s the goal. That’s my main goal for offseason, through camp. I want to be somebody who can go out there at any position and you can rely on to perform at a high level.”

Under coach Matt LaFleur, the goal has been to get the best five linemen on the field and not necessarily insert the next player on the depth chart. Thus, the unit’s sixth man could be one snap away from playing regardless of which starter is unavailable.

“The more you can do, the better chance it is that you’re going to get on the field,” Tom said. “That’s my goal. It’s not really as much pride as it’s just I want to get on the field. I want to be able to do as much as I can.”

That would be great, but how does LaFleur and new offensive line coach Luke Butkus make sure Tom is good at one position and not bad at all five?

“That’s just something you feel out as you go, and you’re going to give him as much as he can handle,” LaFleur said before practice. “He is a smart guy, and he’s going to have to prove it. So, we’ll give him a little bit at a time, and some of it could be just do on a day-to-day basis in terms of who’s available to go out there and practice. We’ve got a couple guys coming off major injuries, and we’ll see where they’re at. Sometimes it’s just filling in where the hole is.”

The same could be true of Carpenter, who spent his first practice at safety. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, he’s got the body to play linebacker. With 4.47 speed in the 40, he’s got the speed to play safety – where he played at Georgia Tech.

Asked what position he views himself, Carpenter said, “I’m going to leave that to coach. Of course, I’ve played safety my whole life, but I don’t have a problem with playing LB. I came in here playing safety today. I’m ready for whatever. Coach told me I was playing safety. It is what it is, but I know I will be playing some LB, as well. I feel like I will be moved around a lot.”

Between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Carpenter had surgery on both wrists. In the process, he said his weight ballooned from 215 to 250 pounds. He wound up dropping most of those extra pounds and staying at safety, but that’s when he first considered a potential move to linebacker.

With Green Bay, Carpenter believes he’s got the ability to “change the game” in what could be a specialized role.

“This weight, I’ve still got to get used to it but I can play. I feel like I can,” he said. “That just benefits me. That’s going to help me play more positions at the end of the day. Playing different positions doesn’t bother me, honestly. I’m just trying to play football. I’m just happy to be a Green Bay Packer at the end of the day. I don’t care what position I’m playing.”

First Impressions of All 11 Packers Draft Picks

First Round: LB Quay Walker

He’s huge and athletic. In other words, exactly as advertised. At Georgia, Walker started for the first time as a senior. In 15 games, he broke up three passes and had zero interceptions. It was unimpressive ball production. On Friday, he had one interception and an additional pass defensed during a one-on-one period. The interception came on a deep ball when he ran stride for stride with running back Tyler Goodson, who was a big-time receiving threat at Iowa. Walker just covers so much ground. During a run-game drill, he seemed a bit tentative at times.

First Round: DT Devonte Wyatt

It’s hard to glean too much from the big guys in the trenches when they’re not wearing pads and they’re not going full tilt. During a run-game drill, though, he burst through a double team. On another step, he pushed the blocker a few yards into the backfield.

Second Round: WR Christian Watson

Watson was on the receiving end of one of the big plays of the day. Lining up in the right slot, he streaked straight down the field and caught a deep pass from first-year quarterback Danny Etling. Watson did have one drop and, depending on who was doing the grading, might have had another on a wobbler that was thrown behind him and almost intercepted. Hands were the knock on him coming out of North Dakota State. But he is big and fast and should be an immediate asset.

Third Round: OL Sean Rhyan

Rhyan, a three-year starting left tackle at UCLA, moved around a bit on Day 1. One rep that stood out came when he was at right tackle Undrafted outside linebacker Kobe Jones tried to set up a move on Rhyan but Rhyan wasn’t taking the bait. He patiently waited for Jones to arrive, then easily kept him from the passer.

Fourth Round: WR Romeo Doubs

According to Pro Football Focus, Doubs had 15 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield during his final two seasons at Nevada. That was No. 1 in the nation. Doubs had three deep catches on Friday. To be sure, there might not have been an NFL cornerback on the field but, at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, he’s got a nice blend of size and speed. He flashed some really good hands; his 10-inchers are a big advantage.

Fourth Round: OL Zach Tom

Tom wants to be Elgton Jenkins 2.0, a player capable of lining up and playing high-level football at all five spots. He spent most of the day at center and showed a lot of quickness off the ball. He scored an impressive win against Wyatt in the one-on-ones.

Fifth Round: OLB Kingsley Enagbare

Enagbare ran his 40 at the Scouting Combine in 4.87 seconds. That’s slow. At pro day, he ran his 40 in 4.96 seconds. That’s even slower. You wouldn’t know it, though. Maybe his 40-yard time isn’t fast but there’s nothing wrong with his first 5 yards, which is what it takes to get to the quarterback.

Seventh Round: S Tariq Carpenter

At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Carpenter ran his 40 in 4.47 seconds. In other words, he’s got the size of a linebacker but the speed of a safety – his position at Georgia Tech. Playing safety, he was a day late and a dollar short for most of his first practice, though.

Seventh Round: DT Jonathan Ford

Ford measured 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds at the Scouting Combine and was 5 pounds heavier at pro day. Ford is a big man but it doesn’t appear that it’s a lot of bad weight. During the one-on-ones, he beat Tom with a nifty spin move – not exactly what you’d expect from a 338-pounder who hasn’t had a sack since 2019. On one snap during a run-game drill, he simply refused to be budged by the blocker.

Seventh Round: OT Rasheed Walker

Walker was one of two players who didn’t participate.

Seventh Round: WR Samori Toure

Maybe it was the subpar quality of cornerbacks, but Toure routinely got himself open. He was billed as an excellent route-runner before the draft and that’s what he showed in his debut. Really, the early impressions on all three drafted receivers – not to mention undrafted free agent Danny Davis of Wisconsin and tryout player Keke Chism of Missouri – were positive.