The Ultimate Packers Draft Preview: Quarterbacks
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Here’s a look at the Green Bay Packers’ quarterback situation ahead of the NFL Draft, including pertinent history and seven potential draft picks.
State of the Packers
With Aaron Rodgers, the Packers have their quarterback. General manager Brian Gutekunst has said he wouldn’t pass up a quarterback. Even in the first round. Even with Rodgers under contract for four more seasons. Even with there being notable holes on a roster that was good enough to get to the NFC Championship Game last season. A pair of former undrafted free agents, Tim Boyle (no meaningful snaps last year) and Manny Wilkins (practice squad) are the other quarterbacks on the roster.
Based on History, Maybe You Can Forget …
Hand size matters, especially when you’re the Packers and you’re destined to play two or more cold-weather games at the end of the season. In the 15 drafts run by Ted Thompson and Gutekunst, Green Bay has drafted six quarterbacks. Their hand sizes: Rodgers (2005), 10 1/8 inches; Ingle Martin (2006), 9 1/2; Brian Brohm (2008), 9 3/4; Matt Flynn (2008), 9 1/4; B.J. Coleman (2012), 10 3/8; and Brett Hundley (2015), 10 1/2. Plus, let’s throw in DeShone Kizer (9 7/8), whom the Packers acquired in 2018, Boyle (9 5/8) and Wilkins (9 5/8). That’s nine quarterbacks, with the smallest hands being Flynn’s 9 1/4 inches and the other eight having at least 9 1/2-inch hands. Also of note, Rodgers is the shortest at 6-foot-2 right on the nose and Coleman easily the slowest (4.94 in the 40).
Based on those numbers, big-name quarterbacks such as LSU’s Joe Burrow (9-inch hands), Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (6-foot), Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts (6-foot-1) and Georgia’s Jake Fromm (8 7/8 hands; 5.01 in the 40) could be out. Same goes for late-round prospects such as Oregon State’s Jake Luton (5.06 40), Utah’s Tyler Huntley (6-foot 5/8), Princeton’s Kevin Davidson (8 1/4 hands), Michigan’s Shea Patterson (6-0 7/8) and North Texas’ Mason Fine (5-foot-9 3/4).
Potential Draft Fits
First Round
Jordan Love, Utah State: With Burrow, Tua Tagovaiola and Justin Herbert perhaps poised to go in the first five picks, the wild card of the draft is Love. Love could go early, too, based on his obvious skill-set. Or, Love could tumble after he chucked 17 interceptions last season. In 2005, Thompson pounced on Rodgers after he tumbled through the first round. Gutekunst learned well from his predecessor. What if Love tumbles to the Packers’ spot at No. 30? Barring an injury, Love wouldn’t do a darned thing to get the Packers back to another Super Bowl. But, if he turns out to be brilliant and not a bust – no guarantee at any position but especially so at quarterback – the Packers would be poised to remain contenders into the 2030s.
“The most important thing to be is to be more consistent,” he said at the Scouting Combine. “You watch my film, there are some plays where I make an incredible throw, and the next thing you know, I miss a swing route on a checkdown. Being more consistent in all my throws, my footwork, in the pocket, under center, doing dropbacks and things like that. It’s something I’ve practiced since the season ended.”
Second and Third Rounds
Jacob Eason, Washington: Having lost the job at Georgia to Fromm, Eason completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 3,132 yards with 23 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions in his lone season with the Huskies. “I put it all on tape. People out there nitpick us here and there, and our job is to go out there and compete and show what we can do.” And what do people nitpick? “There are several things, whether it’s the speed or the pocket awareness, footwork, all that type of things. There are several things to work on and there is always room for improvement and I’m always looking to improve.”
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma: We’ll keep Hurts on the board with his winning history at Alabama and Oklahoma, intangibles, speed (4.59), hands (9 3/4), accuracy (70 percent last season) and overall production (9,483 passing yards, 3,670 rushing yards and 124 total touchdowns). Among quarterbacks in this draft class, Hurts’ on-target rate of 81 percent ranks third, according to Sports Info Solutions. He wasn’t just a dink-and-dunker, though. He completed 50 percent of his deep passes and ranked seventh in the nation with 1,234 yards on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus. “I’ve been a part of so many great offensive minds. Six different coaches in my college career and they’ve all been very pivotal in my development as a quarterback and I hold that in high regards.”
Fourth and Fifth Rounds
James Morgan, Florida International: Morgan, who grew up just down the road from Lambeau Field, spent three years at Bowling Green before going to Florida International for his final two seasons. He threw for 5,312 yards with 40 touchdowns vs. 12 interceptions at FIU. He grew up wearing Brett Favre’s No. 4 before switching to Rodgers’ No. 12 for high school and college. “Bowling Green is more of an Air Raid, Texas Tech. FIU is more pro-style even though we were in a lot of spread sets. The difference for me was accountability for the quarterback. You talk about protections and read progressions and hots and all that stuff, that really appealed to me detail-wise, and I’d say definitely prepared me.”
Anthony Gordon, Washington State: Gordon replaced Gardner Minshew and became the latest Mike Leach-coached Air Raid legend. In his lone season as the starter, Gordon completed 71.6 percent of his passes for 5,579 yards with 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. His on-target rate of 80 percent ranks fourth in the draft class, though he completed just 53.2 percent of his passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield. “Coach Leach instills a lot of trust in his quarterbacks, and I was very thankful to earn that trust. You know, he just doesn't give it to anyone. He allowed the quarterback free range to check to whatever we felt like was the best play.”
Sixth and Seventh Rounds
Steven Montez, Colorado: In four seasons, Montez threw for 9,710 yards and 63 touchdowns vs. 33 interceptions. Montez ranked seventh in the draft class with an on-target rate of 76 percent but had a career passer rating of just 64.4 when under pressure.
Cole McDonald, Hawaii: Guiding a run-and-shoot offense, McDonald threw for 8,010 yards and 69 touchdowns during his final two seasons. He’s a tremendous athlete but crumbled under pressure and needs a retooling of his fundamentals.
Going Deep at Quarterback
No. 2: Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa
No. 3: Oregon’s Justin Herbert
