Packers draft NFL-high 8 players from the Senior Bowl
No team in the NFL selected more players from the Senior Bowl in the 2024 NFL draft than the Green Bay Packers, who took eight players from the annual pre-draft event.
A ninth player, linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper, was invited to the Senior Bowl but couldn’t attend due to injury. A 10th player, long snapper Peter Bowden, was signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent.
Even if we only count the nine, the Packers have drafted or signed 43 players from the Senior Bowl since Brian Gutekunst took over as general manager in 2018.
Gutekunst said the Packers don’t set out to take players from the Senior Bowl, but the event is hugely valuable in the evaluation process.
“Not by design, but I will say that Jim Nagy and his staff do such an amazing job of access and allowing us to scout those guys that go there. And it’s a such a really positive experience for the players. Not only the competition on the field, seeing really good players go against really good players in drills, but our ability to talk to them, interview them and be around them in that competitive environment, there’s really not a much better evaluation phase for us.”
Here’s Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, a former Packers scout, breaking down the picks for the Packers from the event:
Here's what #GoPackGo fans can expect from @seniorbowl rookies (prepare to scroll with 8 draft picks!);
🧀 T/G Jordan Morgan (Round 1, Pick 25)- Slam-dunk left tackle athlete jumps off tape. Has sweet feet, reactive mirror skills, & recovery quicks to compensate for lack of… pic.twitter.com/hCR81J3fC7
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) May 10, 2024
On Jordan Morgan: “Slam-dunk left tackle athlete jumps off tape. Has sweet feet, reactive mirror skills, & recovery quicks to compensate for lack of ideal length. Simply glides in pass pro. Functions easily laterally and at second-level. Should be even better next fall another year removed from ACL injury.”
On Javon Bullard: “Interchangeable FS/SS skill-set w/ nickel flex. Instinctive & competitive. Good eyes and trigger to make plays. Excelled during team periods in Mobile & helped himself with 4.47 time at Combine. Strapped together physically & more physical than measurables might suggest. Long-term building block in secondary.”
On MarShawn Lloyd: “Thought he was top RB in draft. He and Josh Jacobs give Pack one of best 1-2 RB rotations in NFL. Hard to handle in space. Elusive, explosive, & fun lateral cutter. Compact hard-to-wrap body type to bounce off contact. Way more dangerous in pass game than stats suggest. True 3-down back with high-end starter talent.”
On Evan Williams: “Many teams we’ve spoken with were targeting him early Day 3 where Pack took him. Falls into “good football player” bucket. Good centerfield skill-set. Fun tape loaded with cool range plays. Boosted stock with excellent Senior Bowl game performance. Gives coaches sub-downs options. Could see him at FS w/ Bullard moving to nickel in packages.”
On Kitan Oladapo: “Different than Bullard & Williams. Big, good-looking SS prospect who we could see Pack trying as dime-LB. Will be immediate factor in kicking game and good developmental depth piece behind X. McKinney.”
On Travis Glover: “Huge expansive human that scouting staff did nice job on. Was the only in-week addition to Senior Bowl and acquitted himself very well. Wasn’t overwhelmed by jump in level-of-comp. More than held his own in 1-on-1 drills. Long reach makes him hard to get around in pass pro. Pack has chance to hit on solid swing-OT in Year 2-3 window.”
On Michael Pratt: “Perhaps biggest surprise fall in entire draft. Most teams we spoke with had 3rd/4th grades. Elevated Tulane program. Plays QB position well. Accurate touch thrower, athletic enough to escape, & extremely tough. Had higher grade on Pratt than Clifford year ago. Solid No. 2 floor and wouldn’t shock us if he eventually became starter in right situation. Might be old-school Ron Wolf flip-for-higher-pick in a few years.”
On Kalen King: “Was in many way-too-early first round mocks this time last year. We thought ’22 tape was Day 2 level. Got tested early/often opposite Joey Porter Jr. as sophomore and responded but ’23 tape wasn’t same. Good athlete on tape but below average Combine testing didn’t help. Could be a steal if Pack coaching staff can help him regain confidence he played with two years ago.”
