The Best Rookie Storylines Heading into Green Bay Packers' OTAs

The Green Bay Packers won't begin OTAs until May 27, but thanks to the rookie minicamp held in early May, we already have plenty of storylines to follow about the Packers' rookies.

Though we've learned more about Green Bay's eight drafted players since they were selected, the 18 undrafted free agents competing for a spot on the Packers roster are beginning to make headlines as well. 

Let's break down some of the most interesting storylines centering on Green Bay's rookies ahead of OTAs. 

CBs and Close Friends Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins Are Together Again

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First- and second-round draft picks Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins will be competing for snaps at cornerback come training camp, but for now they're just happy to be teammates after rooming together at the Senior Bowl.

"The one thing that I remember is I kept telling him, 'We're going to be on the same team.' I was really joking with him, but it just happened to come true," Randall said after the two were drafted back-to-back, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Randall and Rollins won't be competing for a spot on the 53-man roster—as first-and second-round picks, that's a given—but there are only so many snaps to go around. If Casey Hayward earns the starting outside job opposite Sam Shields, Randall, Rollins and Micah Hyde will be the prime candidates to earn snaps in the nickel and dime sub-packages. 

Still, with such similar backgrounds—neither played cornerback primarily in college and both have to get their technique down before they'll earn any snaps—the two can help each other and compete at the same time. That's a win-win for the Packers. 

FB Aaron Ripkowski Dreamed of Being a Packer

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It was somewhat of a surprise when general manager Ted Thompson drafted Oklahoma fullback Aaron Ripkowski in the sixth round—a welcome surprise for Ripkowski, who had his "heart set on" coming to Green Bay per Mike Spofford of Packers.com. 

Though Ripkowksi had only met with two teams prior to the draft, including Green Bay, he wasn't sure if he'd be drafted or signed as a priority free agent. 

"I didn’t know it was draft-worthy, but I knew they were interested, and if it came down to free agency, this is the place I would have picked," said Ripkowski, per Spofford. 

Studying Thompson's draft history and tendencies, however, maybe the pick isn't so surprising after all. John Kuhn signed what will likely be his last one-year deal with Green Bay this offseason. Ripkowski has a similar playing style, but is perhaps a better run-blocker than pass-catcher, which is the direction Green Bay's offense is moving with regard to the use of fullbacks. 

As Aaron Rodgers struggled with a calf injury toward the end of the 2014 season, the Packers turned to Eddie Lacy to carry more of the load—and to Kuhn to be his lead blocker. Meanwhile, Ripkowski blocked for a very successful Oklahoma rushing attack in 2014.

Ripkowski also scored three touchdowns on six rushing attempts in 2014 for the Sooners, suggesting he can also be a goal-line option for Green Bay. 

Is it a luxury for the Packers to carry two fullbacks on the 53-man roster in 2015? Yes, but Ripkowski can be a crucial special teams contributor as he prepares to take over the fullback role from Kuhn. 

UDFA C/G Matt Rotheram Accepted Less Money to Sign with Green Bay

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For the first time in his tenure in Green Bay, GM Ted Thompson did not draft an offensive lineman. 

That means undrafted free agent center/guard Matt Rotheram is a player to watch this offseason, as he competes to earn a chance to back up Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang. 

To do that, Rotheram will have to outplay Lane Taylor, who the Packers signed as an undrafted free agent in 2013. 

Green Bay worked Rotheram at guard during the rookie minicamp, per Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, but the rookie also thinks he could contribute at center. While that's less necessary with J.C. Tretter behind Corey Linsley, injuries do happen, and Rotheram's versatility is a bonus. 

Currently, Don Barclay can back up both guard spots as well as right tackle, and Tretter is Linsley's primary backup and could also move inside to guard. 

How good did Rotheram feel about his chances of making Green Bay's final roster before signing with the team? He was offered more money to sign elsewhere, but chose the Packers.

"I was offered more bonus money by a couple other teams," Rotheram said, per Dougherty. "But I turned that down to come here because I thought I had the best opportunity to make the 53-man roster here."

UDFA RB John Crockett Has Solid Chance to Make the Roster

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A roster spot with the Packers' running backs group behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks is open to the best player, and that could be undrafted rookie John Crockett out of North Dakota State. 

Crockett will compete with practice-squad holdover Rajion Neal and fellow undrafted rookie Alonzo Harris to earn that job. But it's clear given Lacy's bruising style and how frequently the Packers rotate him with Starks that a third player will earn meaningful snaps. 

In 2014, Crockett rushed for 1,994 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. He had three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons at North Dakota State. 

Crockett was projected to be drafted in Round 6 or 7 by NFL.com. He was a top performer among running back prospects at the NFL combine in the vertical jump (40 inches) and the broad jump (125 inches) and ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash. 

The rookie said about 20 teams tried to sign him after the draft, per Pete Dougherty of the Green-Bay Press Gazette. 

WR Ty Montgomery on His Way to Becoming Packers' Primary KR

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It's no secret Green Bay needs help on special teams, including but not limited to their return game. It's a big reason Stanford receiver Ty Montgomery was selected in Round 3. 

Though it's early on, Montgomery's history of production at Stanford and the comments head coach Mike McCarthy made about him during the rookie minicamp suggest that the rookie is on his way to winning a job as a return man. As special teams practices get underway at OTAs, this will definitely be a storyline to watch. 

Montgomery earned consensus All-American honors as a kick returner in 2013, averaging 30.3 yards per return, second-most in the nation, and two touchdowns.

After Day 1 of rookie minicamp, McCarthy shared how impressed he was with Montgomery's early performance. 

"Very impressed. Obviously he has a lot of explosion in his body," McCarthy said in a press conference. "I thought he definitely stood out there today."