NFL Draft 2022 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
After taking Georgia linebacker Quay Walker with the No. 22 pick, the Packers double-dipped on front seven standouts from college football’s best defense in taking defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt with the No. 28 pick.
The Packers ranked last in the NFL in defensive total rush EPA (expected points added) and 30th in successful play rate on opposing team’s rushes, according to TruMedia. Opponents converted 60 percent of their third-down rushes into first downs, the fifth-worst clip in the league. The Packers also surrendered 4.7 yards per rush, the third-worst mark in the NFL. Their interior defensive linemen don’t pose much of a pass-rush threat either, aside from Kenny Clark occasionally sneaking into the backfield (his 11 percent pressure rate ranked 32nd among defensive linemen with at least 300 defensive snaps played in 2021, per TruMedia; Dean Lowry ranked 59th and newcomer Jarran Reed ranked 114th).
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The Athletic’s draft guru Dane Brugler writes of Wyatt, “(He) needs to play with better control and play recognition, but he fires off the ball and competes with the speed and effort to make an impact on all three downs. Wyatt has NFL starting skills and is the best three-technique tackle in this draft class.”
• Draft grades: Sheil Kapadia weighs in on the picks
• Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Big Board ranking: Wyatt ranked No. 23 in Brugler’s Top 300. Other players the Packers might’ve considered near Wyatt on Brugler’s board include fellow Georgia safety Lewis Cine, UConn defensive tackle Travis Jones, Houston defensive lineman Logan Hall and Penn State edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie.
Introduction (from Georgia beat writer Seth Emerson’s profile of Wyatt): As a Georgia freshman, Wyatt was a backup until the Sugar Bowl, when he was inserted into the lineup and blew up, notching seven tackles and two QB pressures against Texas. The next year he played a little more, then as a junior, he became a starter. And as a senior, he became a force on defense, teaming with fellow defensive linemen Jordan Davis and Travon Walker to make Georgia’s line dominant.
But Georgia’s run defense was dominant even before last season — top two in the nation each year since 2019 — and Wyatt was a part of that. He also always had good raw talent: Head coach Kirby Smart decided he needed to have Wyatt when he heard that Wyatt, then a 240-pound high school junior, ran the 100-yard dash at a track event, even though he wasn’t entered in the race, and still won.
Because he wasn’t a five-star recruit out of high school, and because he wasn’t named All-SEC or one of the biggest names on Georgia’s defense, Wyatt may seem a reach in the draft. But if his career upward trajectory carries into the NFL, the Packers will be glad they took the chance.
Breaking down the Packers' selection of Georgia LB Quay Walker at No. 22: https://t.co/RlUk10OexA
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 29, 2022
How he fits: For the last couple years, Clark has experienced few instances in which a fellow interior defensive lineman drew enough attention to free up space for him. That might change now, and vice versa in favor of Wyatt because of Clark. Wyatt played in a 3-4 base defense at Georgia, like Walker, under former defensive coordinator and current Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. He should fit in right away and add more interior push to a defensive line that badly needs it.
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Second guess? For those wanting the Packers to take a receiver in the first round, perhaps the Packers were considering Georgia wideout George Pickens at No. 28. Pickens is still on the board as likely the best wideout remaining, but the Packers don’t pick again until No. 53 and might have to trade up in the second round on Friday night to grab him.
Depth-chart impact: Wyatt should compete for starter’s snaps right away, perhaps even passing Lowry on the depth chart at some point this season. Clark is the unquestioned No. 1, but there’s no reason Wyatt shouldn’t start above Reed and eventually surpass Lowry.
Fast evaluation: The Packers have cut corners on the defensive line for the last several years. Aside from Clark, a two-time Pro Bowler in that span, they simply hoped for year-to-year improvements from the likes of Lowry, Tyler Lancaster and Kingsley Keke, among others. Those improvements hardly came. More so than the signing of Reed, this pick signifies an actual commitment to improving the defensive line, specifically the lackluster run defense, a promising sign for the future of the Packers.
(Photo of Devonte Wyatt: Steven Limentani / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
