Packers Take Cornerback Who Had Predraft Visit in NFL.com Mock Draft

When healthy, East Carolina’s Shavon Revel would bring much needed size and talent to the Green Bay Packers’ secondary.

East Carolina CB Shavon Revel | Photo courtesy ECU Athletics

GREEN BAY, Wis. – East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel is a big fan of Jaire Alexander. Could he replace Alexander in the Green Bay Packers’ starting lineup?

In Lance Zierlein’s third mock draft at NFL.com, the Packers used their first-round pick on Revel.

“Revel is big, long and fast, with the ability to shrink catch space down the field or step downhill and support against the run,” he wrote. “Cornerbacks with size and speed typically get pushed up in the draft.”

Even cornerbacks coming off ACL surgery.

Revel, who a source said was scheduled to have a predraft visit with the Packers, burst onto the draft scene during a superb 2023 season. He turned down a lot of big-school NIL money to return to East Carolina for 2024. He intercepted two passes in the first three games but suffered a torn ACL at practice.

The bad news is it ended his season and prevented him from competing against big-school competition at the Senior Bowl or testing at the Scouting Combine. The good news is the injury happened so early in the season that he will be ready for the start of training camp.

Revel has elite size at 6-foot-1 7/8 and with 32 5/8-inch arms. Of the Packers’ cornerbacks who played on defense last season, none of them are even 6-foot tall. Carrington Valentine is 5-foot-11 5/8, free-agent addition Nate Hobbs is 5-foot-11 3/8 and Keisean Nixon is 5-foot-10 1/4. Javon Bullard, who manned the slot as a rookie second-round pick, is 5-foot-10 1/2.

Revel met with the Packers at the Scouting Combine. While some predraft visits are focused on medical rechecks, Revel was examined at the Combine.

“Everybody wanted to know my story,” Revel said when asked about the Packers. “So, it was kind of like they still trying to get to know me. I love the Packers. I mean, I love Jaire Alexander. He was a good cornerback that I look up to. I like how he pressed at the line of scrimmage and stuff like that. I feel like I carry the same attributes that he carried.”

According to Sports Info Solutions, Revel gave up catch rates of 46 percent in 2023 and 43 percent during his abbreviated 2024. He is a good tackler who should get better with experience.

In his NFL.com scouting report, Zierlein compared him to Benjamin St-Juste, who started 42 games for the Commanders the last three seasons and ranked fourth in the NFL with 17 passes defensed in 2023.

“He has ideal length and good vision from zone, and he should continue to improve in that coverage with more experience,” he wrote. “Revel suffered a torn ACL in September, but his measurables, explosiveness and upside give him a good chance to become an early starter.”

The Packers have a definite need at cornerback, with Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell exiting in free agency and only Hobbs added to the mix. While the expectation is the Packers eventually will trade or release Alexander, general manager Brian Gutekunst on Monday at the NFL owners meetings said they “absolutely” could bring back Alexander in 2025.

“We invested a lot in Jaire and want to make sure, if he's not going to be on our football team helping us win games, that we get something back for that investment,” Gutekunst said. “So, we'll see where it goes but, again, working with him [agent John Thornton] weekly and trying to figure out what’s best for both Jaire and the Packers.”