Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Each Green Bay Packers Rookie
When it comes to the NFL draft, no team in the league relies on it any more than the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been a draft-and-develop team under general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy since 2006.
If you look at the current roster, the Packers drafted 41 players on the squad.
The team also has a number of players who were kept on as undrafted rookie free agents. Cornerback Sam Shields, offensive lineman Don Barclay and linebacker Jayrone Elliott are examples.
Looking at the 2015 draft class for the Packers, I'm going to lay out the best-case and worst-case scenarios for each player drafted for the upcoming season.
I'm also going to do the same with a couple of undrafted rookie free agents who I believe have a chance to make the team.
Defensive Back Damarious Randall
1 of 10
Best-case scenario
Damarious Randall is as productive as he was his last two years with the Arizona State Sun Devils. In that time as a safety, Randall had 135 solo tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, one sack, six interceptions (including two for touchdowns), 12 passes defended and four forced fumbles.
Randall also needs to show off his athleticism, as he demonstrated at the NFL Scouting Combine when he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and also excelled in both the three-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.
If all that happens, expect to see No. 23 on the field often.
Worst-case scenario
Randall struggles making the transition from safety to cornerback, plus he doesn't improve his tackling technique, which was an issue at times as a Sun Devil.
Defensive Back Quinten Rollins
2 of 10
Best-case scenario
Quinten Rollins shows that he was not a one-year wonder with the Miami RedHawks in 2014, when he had 72 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, seven interceptions (one for a touchdown), nine passes defended and one forced fumble in the only year he played football.
That performance led to Rollins being named the 2014 MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
If the quick evolution of Rollins continues, expect to see a lot of No. 24 in 2015.
Worst-case scenario
Rollins struggles in coverage due to issues with his perceived lack of speed, as he ran a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Also, the lack of experience playing football at a high level could come back to haunt Rollins.
Wide Receiver/Kick Returner Ty Montgomery
3 of 10
Best-case scenario
Ty Montgomery adds a big spark to the return game of the Packers on both kickoffs and punts.
As a Stanford Cardinal, Montgomery averaged 27.4 yards per return on kickoffs in his career and had three touchdowns. In 2014, he also returned punts (19.8 average), and he brought two of them back for touchdowns.
Montgomery also can supply some help offensively, both as a receiver and a running back at times. As a member of the Cardinal, he had 172 catches for 2,125 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver and rushed for 303 yards the past two years with three touchdowns.
Worst-case scenario
No. 88 struggles as a kick returner and also continues to show a tendency to drop passes like he did at times at Stanford.
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Linebacker Jake Ryan
4 of 10
Best-case scenario
Jake Ryan continues to play the same way he did as a Michigan Wolverine, as he had 267 tackles, 45.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, one interception, seven passes defended and seven forced fumbles in his career.
If that type of performance occurs, there is no doubt that Ryan will be one of the starters at inside linebacker in 2015.
Ryan also has a good chance to be the cover linebacker in passing situations for the Packers, as his workout at the combine demonstrated. He ran a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash and an 11.65 in the 60-yard shuttle.
Worst-case scenario
No. 47 has issues again with his knee, as he suffered an ACL tear at spring practice in 2013 for Michigan.
Quarterback Brett Hundley
5 of 10
Best-case scenario
Brett Hundley will be like a sponge while studying in the quarterback school that McCarthy, associate head coach Tom Clements, quarterbacks/wide receivers coach Alex Van Pelt and offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett have put together.
It will help that Hundley also will learn from starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has won two NFL MVP awards, one Super Bowl MVP award and is the highest-rated quarterback in the history of the NFL.
Hundley certainly has the talent to succeed, as he threw 75 touchdown passes versus 25 interceptions for 9,966 yards in his career as a UCLA Bruin. He also ran for 1,747 yards and scored 30 rushing touchdowns.
No. 7 showed off his athleticism at the combine, as he ran a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash and excelled in all the other drills, including showing off his arm strength.
Worst-case scenario
Hundley doesn't put in good study habits and struggles in training camp and in the preseason.
Fullback Aaron Ripkowski
6 of 10
Best-case scenario
Aaron Ripkowski continues to show the traits he demonstrated with the Oklahoma Sooners. He was a excellent lead blocker in the running game, plus he performed at a very high level on special teams.
Ripkowski will learn from one of the best fullbacks in the NFL in John Kuhn, who has gone to two Pro Bowls.
Worst-case scenario
No. 22 doesn't show the same effort and performance that he had as a Sooner, both at fullback and on special teams.
Defensive Lineman Christian Ringo
7 of 10
Best-case scenario
Christian Ringo continues to be an overachiever in the NFL, even with his lack of size (6'1", 298 lbs). In 2014 with the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, Ringo had 45 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks.
That type of production in the pros would make Ringo a regular part of the defensive line rotation with the Packers, especially on passing downs.
Worst-case scenario
His lack of size and the level of competition he played against in college will work against No. 77 in the NFL.
Tight End Kennard Backman
8 of 10
Best-case scenario
Kennard Backman will become the down-the-seam threat for the Packers at tight end. In his career with the UAB Blazers, he had 96 catches for 979 yards and nine touchdowns.
Backman showed he has the speed to be a threat down the field, as he ran a 4.66 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day.
Worst-case scenario
No. 86, much like former Packer Brandon Bostick, doesn't take advantage of the opportunity he has in Green Bay, both as a tight end and as a core special teams player.
Running Back John Crockett
9 of 10
Best-case scenario
John Crockett takes advantage of his opportunity with the Packers and becomes the third running back on the roster behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks.
Crockett certainly has the track record to succeed, as he rushed for 4,309 yards and 41 touchdowns for the North Dakota State Bison in his career. He also caught 43 passes for 485 yards and another score for the Bison.
The 6'0", 217-pound Crockett has nice size, and he ran a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash and had an outstanding 40-inch leap in the vertical jump at the combine.
Worst-case scenario
No. 38 fails to overtake Rajion Neal as the third back for the Packers.
Defensive Back Ladarius Gunter
10 of 10
Best-case scenario
Ladarius Gunter makes the team as an undrafted rookie defensive back, much like former Miami Hurricane Shields did in 2010 with the Packers.
In two years as a Hurricane, Gunter had 55 tackles, three picks and 13 passed defended.
The 6'2", 201-pound Gunter also had a good performance at the Senior Bowl.
Worst-case scenario
His lack of speed will hurt his chances of making the team. Gunter only ran a 4.69 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, but he was able to improve that time slightly at his pro day, running a 4.65.
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