This is part two of a six-part series going in-depth on Brian Gutekunst’s draft classes. Part One (2018 Draft Class) can be found here. Gute had a pretty underwhelming first draft class, other than Jaire Alexander. Marquez Valdes-Scantling contributed, but only Alexander was given a second contract with the team. It seems as though Gute has struck gold with his last two drafts, drafting 11 potential starters. If these two draft classes can live up to their potential, it can jumpstart the Packers’ retooling. With that said, let’s look back at the Packers’ 2019 draft class.
Overall Draft Grade 2019: B-
The 2019 draft class was much better than Gute’s 2018 draft class. The 2019 draft class is headlined by Rashan Gary and Elgton Jenkins, both among the tops at their positions. The hope is Gary will return to form and help lead the Packers’ pass rusher this season. Doing this will earn Gary a very rich contract extension.
Darnell Savage Jr. is a tough player to grade. He played very well his first two seasons but has been almost unplayable his last two seasons in Green Bay. He will have one more season to prove he belongs in Green Bay before the Packers are forced to move on.
Elgton Jenkins is one of the biggest steals of the 2019 draft. Jenkins can play at a Pro Bowl level at any position on the offensive line. His versatility is probably one of the reasons he hasn’t received an All-Pro nod yet because the Associated Press doesn’t know where to put him.
Jace Sternberger is just another 3rd round pick that turned into nothing.
Kingsley Keke showed flashes of potential but, due to a disagreement with the coaching staff, did not return to the team in 2022. Kadar Hollman and Dexter Williams were just depth guys that, unfortunately, didn’t amount to much. Ty Summers became a staple on the special teams but did not earn a second contract with the Packers.
Rashan Gary: A-
Rashan Gary was Gute’s first selection in the 2019 NFL draft. This pick was greatly scrutinized as the Packers had just signed Za’darius Smith and Preston Smith. Gary was also viewed as a project player, not someone who could help the Packers win immediately.
Gary has significantly improved each year he has played. His snap count raised about 200 each season. In Gary’s first season as a full-time starter (his 3rd season), he amassed 9 sacks, 47 tackles, 8 TFLs, 20 stops, 81 pressures, and cemented himself to be one of the best edge rushers in the league. What’s crazy about those stats is that Gary only played 68% of the defensive stats, showing that he could have had even greater stats.
In Gary’s fourth season, he was on pace to have the best season of his career before it got cut short due to an ACL tear. Gary had amassed 6 sacks, 32 tackles, 7 TFLs, 25 stops, and 38 pressures in 9 games. Throughout an entire season, Gary would’ve had 11 sacks, 60 tackles, 13 TFLs, 47 stops, and 71 pressures.
The Packers’ pass rush was not the same once Gary went down. The Packers’ picked up Gary’s 5th-year option, and he will be a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season. All signs point to him starting week 1, but even if he doesn’t, Lukas Van Ness can fill in until Gary is at 100%.
Darnell Savage Jr.: C+
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Darnell Savage Jr. is an enigma. He came into the league hot, playing very well in his first two seasons. He totaled 6 interceptions, 17 passes defended, 98 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, and 38 stops. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Savage allowed only 56.5% completion when in coverage, to go along with a 67.2 passer rating allowed.
His last two seasons in Green Bay were less than stellar. He hauled in 3 interceptions, 14 passes defended, 91 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 12 stops. The most notable decrease was his allowing 66.3% completion and a 120-passer rating.
Savage’s first season could be considered a B+, but his last two seasons are borderline Fs. He’s been unplayable at times. The Packers picked up Savage’s 5th-year option. If Savage can play like he did his first two seasons, he could earn a contract extension, but it’s not looking for the kid out of Maryland.
Elgton Jenkins: A
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Jenkins joins Jaire Alexander as one of the best selections Gute has ever made. Since he was drafted, Jenkins has been a staple on the offensive line. The Packers’ offensive line is one of the best when Jenkins plays. Jenkins is the first player from the 2019 draft class to earn a contract extension, and it is a steal of a contract. Jenkins is a top-10 guard (who can play any position), but he only has the 14th-highest cap hit for the 2023 season.
In his four seasons with the Packers, Jenkins has earned himself 2 Pro Bowl appearances, which could’ve been 3 if he didn’t get hurt in 2021. Jenkins has also only allowed 6 sacks over his 3,457 snaps.
Jace Sternberger: F
Sternberger continued the 3rd round curse. Sternberger has his rookie season start late after an ankle injury in the preseason made him miss the first 8 games of the season. Even once he came back, Sternberger didn’t produce a single catch. There were high hopes for Sternberger in his sophomore season, but he could only produce 12 catches for 114 yards and 1 TD.
Sternberger was suspended for the first two games of the 2021 season and was waived by the Packers once his suspension was over. Sternberger last played for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Kingsley Keke: C
Kingsley Keke was a tough player to grade. He didn’t play much in his rookie year, but he earned his spot on the defensive line for his 2nd and 3rd seasons, even starting 17 games over those two seasons.
Keke showed much promise in his second season, with 21 tackles, 3 TFLs, 14 stops, 4 sacks, and 22 total pressures. He had a slight dip in production in his 3rd season, but that could be attributed to him playing 3 fewer games.
The Packers waived Keke at the end of the 2021-22 season due to disagreements with the coaching staff. The Arizona Cardinals signed Keke before the 2022-23 season, but he did not survive the roster cuts.
Ka’dar Hollman: D
Hollman primarily played on special teams but came into the defensive lineup a few times, even starting one game in his sophomore year. Hollman was serviceable for the Packers but quickly fell out of the depth chart.
He showed promise, allowing only 41.2% completion and a 51.8 passer rating on 17 targets (per Pro-Football-Reference). Hollman most recently signed a futures/reserve contract with the Texans this past January.
Dexter Williams: F
There’s not much to say about Dexter Williams. He was a 6th round running back and would never get much playing time with Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, and AJ Dillon ahead of him. Williams played 17 offensive snaps over his two years with the Packers. He totaled 7 carries for 19 yards, which averages out to 2.7 yards/ carry.
Williams found his way back to Green Bay going into the 2022-23 season, but he was released as the team was reducing its roster size to 53.
Ty Summers: C
Summers was a strong special team player for the Packers, which is all you can really ask of a 7th-round pick. Summers totaled 52 tackles over his 3-year career with the Packers. When put into the lineup, Summers struggled mightily.
Summers last played for the Saints last season after being signed off the Jaguars practice squad. The Saints re-signed Summers this past offseason on a one-year deal.
Final Thoughts
Gute followed up his second draft by drafting three players who helped the team immediately. Jenkins and Savage slotted in right away as starters in their rookie years, both playing very well. Gary became a starter later down the line as the Smith Bros headlined the Packers’ edge rushers in 2019.
Many people at the time probably wanted the Packers to take Brian Burns or an offensive player, but Gary has become one of the better players from the 2019 draft. A strong return for Gary could put him in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, which is good and bad for the Packers. Good, the Packers have one of the best defenders in the league. Bad, the Packers will have to make Gary the highest-paid edge rusher in NFL (like they did with Jaire when they made him the highest-paid CB).
Besides the first three picks, none of the 2019 draft class remains on the roster.
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