Packers Sign First-Round Pick Stokes
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers first-round pick Eric Stokes had a great Wednesday.
First, he signed his first NFL contract. Then, he went on the practice field and had a strong day at the team's fifth organized team activity of the spring.
The four-year deal is projected to be worth about $11.93 million and include a signing bonus of just more than $6 million, according to Spotrac. As with all first-round picks, there will be a fifth-year team option.
With Stokes under contract, eight of the team’s nine draft picks have signed. The exception is third-round receiver Amari Rodgers.
Stokes, whose combination of size (6-foot 5/8), speed (4.29 in the 40) and production (four interceptions; 10 completions allowed vs. eight passes defended, according to Sports Info Solutions) made him the 29th pick of the draft, took his lumps in front of reporters last week but was one of the more impressive players on the field for Wednesday’s OTA practice.
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He was all over a couple of underneath routes, limiting a pair of completions to minimal gains. Later, quarterback Kurt Benkert went deep up the right sideline to returning receiver Reggie Begelton but Stokes was in Begelton’s hip pocket the whole way. With blanket coverage and no window for a completion, the ball sailed over the players’ heads for an incompletion.
“Over my career, I’ve been blessed to coach Trae Waynes, who’s pretty much the same way. Trae could run like 4.26,” Packers defensive backs coach Jerry Gray said last week. “You’re not afraid to put them out on the edge and leave them against fast wide receivers. The thing you have to do is teach them how to regulate their speed, because every play is not a go. These guys who can really run fast, you have to teach them how to regulate it and not get top speed every time, and then that way they can actually play better on the intermediate and underneath routes. My job is really to teach him how to regulate his speed.”
More Than 40 Stories on the Green Bay Packers’ Rookie Class
First round: Georgia CB Eric Stokes
More Stokes: Blown away by more than 40 time
More Stokes: Mixed message from scouts
Second round: Ohio State C Josh Myers
More Myers: Stands tall in strong center class
Third round: Clemson WR Amari Rodgers
More Rodgers: Gutekunst loses trade but wins player he coveted
More Rodgers: Short trend snapped
More Rodgers: What scouts said
More Rodgers: His amazing comeback from a torn ACL
Fourth round: Ole Miss OL Royce Newman
Fifth round: Florida DT Tedarrell Slaton
Fifth round: Appalachian State CB Shemar Jean-Charles
More Jean-Charles: In-Depth Stats
More Jean-Charles: What scouts said
Sixth round: Wisconsin OL Cole Van Lanen
More Van Lanen: In-Depth Stats
More Van Lanen: What sounds said
Sixth round: Boston College LB Isaiah McDuffie
More McDuffie: What sounds said
Seventh round: Mississippi State RB Kylin Hill
Undrafted: The biggest position steal in the league?
Undrafted: Scouting opinions on all seven signings
Undrafted: Wisconsin OL Jon Dietzen
Undrafted: San Jose State WR Bailey Gaither
Undrafted: San Diego State OL Jacob Capra
Undrafted: Michigan OLB Carlo Kemp
