Packers Host Potential Starting Cornerback on Predraft Visit

The Green Bay Packers hosted a physical cornerback who allowed a 42.5 percent completion rate in 2022.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Apr 14, 2023 12:59 PM EDT
Original:
Apr 14, 2023

In this story:

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers hosted University of Miami cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on a predraft visit last Friday, a source said in confirming a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Stevenson is a potential Day 2 cornerback with a floor of the fourth round. He started 25 games during his collegiate career, with 20 of those coming during his two seasons at Miami. In 2022, he set career highs with two interceptions and nine passes defensed to earn third-team all-ACC honors.

Stevenson started his career at Georgia, with a total of four starts in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, most of his work came from the slot. With the Hurricanes, most of his work came as an outside corner. He was outstanding in 2022, allowing just 17 receptions in 40 targets – a 42.5 percent completion rate that ranked among the best in the nation.

On some media draft boards, Stevenson among cornerbacks is 10th at NFL Draft Bible, 10th at ESPN, 17th at The 33rd Team, seventh at Pro Football Focus and 14th at NFL.com.

“Overall, Stevenson is a future boundary cornerback who has good size, speed and excels in man coverage,” reads a snippet of his Draft Bible scouting report. “Coaches will love how Stevenson contributes in the run game and is a willing tackler. He doesn’t have the difference-making ability but Stevenson projects as a good starting cornerback at the next level.”

At 6-foot 3/8 and 198 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.45 seconds with a 38.5-inch vertical. His Relative Athletic Score is 8.93 on a 0-to-10 scale.

Stevenson is a Miami native. He chose Georgia to get away from Miami. He returned to Miami because he missed his family and wanted to play in a more pass-centric collegiate conference.

“Me and my mom came to a mutual agreement,” he told The Sun Sentinel. “She felt it would be better if I got out of the surroundings of Miami. I grew up here, and I know how things go down here. I’m not from a really safe neighborhood. We both came to a mutual agreement, like maybe me just stepping out would be the best move for me.”

The “surroundings” of Miami wouldn’t be an issue, he told his mom. He had bigger things to focus on.

“I explained to my mom that I’m at this point where not too many things can distract me, and I’m not going to let things distract me.”

Stevenson played at about 207 pounds at Miami but was down about 10 pounds at the Combine. A man-to-man, perimeter corner at Miami, he said teams have also discussed him playing in the slot or even safety to take advantage of his physicality. With Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and Eric Stokes, the Packers are set on the perimeter. Stevenson, though, could be a big help if he can re-acclimate to the slot.

“I’ve been putting in the work for so long,’’ Stevenson said at pro day. “I just love the game of football. Whatever selection I get picked with...once I’m in the door, I’m just going to give my all.”

While Stevenson’s career benefitted from transferring, he missed out on the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships.

“They’re still my brothers,” Stevenson, former Georgia teammates with Packers players Stokes, Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker, said at the Scouting Combine. “I’m still in the group chat. It’s never no love (lost) there. Just seeing them boys win, I still cry. I still cry because I knew what it takes to get there. I knew the type of work ethic that they put in and I knew how hard they worked to get there. So I just cried like I was still there.”