Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes is ready to be fully healthy and make an impact in the secondary during the 2024 season. Stokes is in the final year of his contract.
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He was a first-round selection (29th overall pick) in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Georgia. The former Georgia Bulldogs cornerback has been riddled with injuries throughout his NFL career.
NFL Mock Draft Has Green Bay Packers Finding Eric Stokes Replacement
Even if Stokes were to have a good 2024 NFL season, the chances are that the Green Bay Packers are not going to re-sign him. Kyle Crabbs of the 33rdteam.com created a 2025 NFL Mock Draft before the start of the 2024 season. He has Green Bay in his mock draft selecting 31st overall..
With that pick, he has the Packers selecting cornerback Denzel Burke from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Crabbs said about this selection:
“Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst’s track record as an executive offers a robust resume of drafting defensive talent at the top of the draft. Why should they stop now?
Green Bay overhauled its safety room this offseason, and I expect it will pay dividends this year under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. But at cornerback, Green Bay declined Eric Stokes’ fifth-year option this spring, meaning he’s in a contract year.
Burke got his season off to a bang with a high-level interception against Akron on Saturday as he looks to put the finishing touches on an impressive career. With a strong campaign, he could sneak into the first round.”
It was surprising that the Green Bay Packers did not draft a cornerback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Instead, they selected offensive tackle Jordan Morgan from the Arizona Wildcats with the 25th overall pick.
Denzel Burke to start the season for the Ohio State Buckeyes recorded four tackles and one interception. He will continue to impress for Ohio State as the season progresses.
Not Deep At Cornerback
Green Bay is not deep at all at the cornerback position. Outside of Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, Carrington Valentine is the third starting cornerback. Valentine and Stokes were competing for one of the starting cornerback jobs in training camp.
If the Packers were to draft a cornerback like Denzel Burke from Ohio State in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, there is no doubt he would start for them. Burke could be a cornerback that will continue to climb up draft boards later in the year. Corey Ballentine and Keisean Nixon are also the other cornerbacks on the Green Bay Packers roster.
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