New Packers defensive lineman Karl Brooks has a nasty streak to him
The Green Bay Packers had plenty of needs to address going into the 2023 NFL draft, including on the defensive line. They addressed that early with the addition of Lukas Van Ness and then again on day 3 with the selection of defensive tackle Karl Brooks.
The former Bowling Green standout is a raw prospect that has VERY intriguing traits and could develop into a star. And minutes after he was drafted, he delivered a message that will fire Packers fans up about how he likes to play the game.
Per Matt Schneidman, Brooks wants to be the ‘hammer and not the nail’ when he fires off the ball on the defensive line:
New Packers DT Karl Brooks, who had 30.5 TFLs the last two seasons at Bowling Green:
"My number one thing is to get off the ball and be the hammer, not the nail. I wanna attack offensive linemen. I wanna get off the ball first. I wanna strike and I wanna play in the backfield."
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 29, 2023
Personally, I love players like that.
The guys that want to go out and make a statement like that in the trenches are exactly the ones I would want on my defense. As noted, Brooks is a developmental guy but does offer those traits that make you believe he can turn into a legit player.
Here is what Lance Zierlein said about Brooks and his game in his scouting report:
The inclination to shrug off Brooks’ production based on level of competition — or because of questions about his positional fit — might be a mistake. Brooks’ snap quickness, footwork, hand usage and motor are all translatable play qualities. His movement and counters are intuitive, allowing for quick access into the backfield. Against the pass, he frequently beat tackles as a bull rusher off the edge. Brooks has the size of a three-technique but the versatility and athleticism to move around a defensive front. He flashes disruptive, three-down talent as a future starter in a one-gap scheme.
We cant wait to see Brooks on the field sooner than later in that Packers defense.