GREEN BAY, WI- (Wisconsin Radio Network) -For the first time in three years, Packer General Manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t trade up. Instead, he took Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes with the 29th pick. Stokes has good size at six-one and 194 pounds, but it’s his 40-yard time of four-point-25 seconds that gets a lot of attention.
“He is a strong, strong athlete,” Gutekunst said. “As we got to know him, we just felt that he was going to be a great fit for our program not only on the field but in the locker room.”
He said they had conversations about moving up and moving back, but said they did not want to pass on Stokes.
“He was just sticking out there like a sore thumb on our board.”
Gutekunst said they were not sure that he was going to be there at the 29th pick, but was glad when he was.
Stokes told Packer nation what they should expect from him.
“I was always the person that is more hungrier than others and I am just going to come in and do everything I can do and just keep improving as a player.”
He says he has a lot of respect for the Packer’s secondary roster.
“I am going to learn a lot from these guys and we can become a great secondary.”
The Packers have now picked a defensive player in 9 of their last 10 first-round picks.
Green Bay passed on several tempting wide receiver prospects, like Ole Miss slot receiver Elijah Moore. Gutekunst said their first-round board held up well.
The Packers have two picks tonight (Friday) in the second and third rounds of the 2021 N-F-L Draft.
“We have a lot of picks left to do some things.”
Comments