Welcome to the first in a pre-2023-NFL Draft series identifying the prospects who hit the athletic thresholds to be drafted by the Packers, based on the team’s previous draft picks under Brian Gutekunst.
First up is running backs. Gutekunst has drafted three backs in his time as Green Bay’s GM: A.J. Dillon, Dexter Williams and Kylin Hill.
In the traditional pre-draft drills, they all achieved at least the following results (Note: A.J. Dillon did not complete the shuttle):
- Height: 5’10.4”
- Weight: 208
- 40 time: 4.57
- 10-yard split: 1.64
- Vertical jump: 36’
- Broad jump: 10’2”
- Shuttle: 4.35
- 3-cone: 7.20
The broad jump is an interesting measurable when it comes to the Packers, as the 10’2” mark is especially high. A running back with a 10’2” broad jump ranks in the 83rd percentile all-time compared to their positional peers.
Green Bay drafting three consecutive running backs who hit this mark is notable, but the possible importance of this test goes even further back.
The previous three running backs drafted by Ted Thompson also achieved a 10’2” broad (Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, Devante Mays). But that’s not all.
Tyler Goodson and Patrick Taylor, undrafted players who are currently on Green Bay’s roster, hit the mark as well, as did relatively recent Packer Tyler Ervin.
Nine running backs since 2017 would certainly seem like a trend. If the Packers select a running back in the 2023 NFL Draft, there’s a good chance he will have aced the broad jump.
Moving on, let’s get to the list of players in the upcoming draft who are perfect fits for Green Bay’s draft board…
…there aren’t any. Not exactly, anyway.
There are however multiple players who came very close, or who passed the test in the drills they completed, but simply didn’t do every drill.
For example, Bijan Robinson, the consensus top running back in the class, aced every test but did not complete the agility drills.
Given that the Packers used a premium pick on Dillon, who didn’t complete the shuttle drill, it’s not likely this would stop Gutekunst from drafting Robinson. It’s safe to assume he will be on Green Bay’s board.
Here are the other prospects who are likely to be in play for the Packers based on their testing:
Israel Abanikanda – Pittsburgh
Abanikanda is the closest you’ll get to a perfect Packer at the running back position in this year’s class.
The only area in which he falls short of the running backs drafted by Gutekunst is height. He is 5’10.1”, which is 0.3 of an inch below the shortest RB Gute has selected.
However, he’s still taller than Aaron Jones, so this shouldn’t be an issue.
After posting an exceptional 9.61 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) compared to previously drafted running backs on a 0-10 scale, including elite scores for speed and explosion, Abanikanda is a strong candidate to be drafted by Green Bay, perhaps as early as round three.
Chase Brown – Illinois
Brown is also shorter than the three backs the Packers have drafted under Gutekunst, but is the same height as Jones at 5’9.4”.
He did not complete the agility tests, but as previously mentioned, this probably isn’t a dealbreaker.
The RAS for Brown checked in at 9.8 (although this is incomplete due to the lack of agility testing). He could be a day two option for Green Bay.
Zach Charbonnet – UCLA
Charbonnet performed very poorly in the shuttle, scoring in just the 25th percentile. Again, the question is whether the Packers actually care about this.
He posted an 8.71 RAS and could be another day 2 target for Green Bay.
Here are some more potential day 3 options for the Packers:
Xazavian Valladay – Arizona State (9.46 RAS)
Valladay passed every athletic test but is 204lbs, 4lbs lighter than any Packers running back drafted under Gutekunst.
You may think “what does 4lbs matter? He can put that on easily” and while that’s true, Green Bay hasn’t drafted a running back who weighs less than 205lbs since De’Mond Parker in 1999.
Deneric Prince – Tulsa (9.57 RAS)
Prince was half an inch below the 36” vert which was hit by Dillon, Dexter Williams and Hill. Green Bay drafted a running back with a poor 30” vert as recently as 2017 in Jamaal Williams.
Evan Hull – Northwestern (9.32 RAS)
Hull is below the height mark at 5’10.1” and was slow on the shuttle drill, but he’s taller than Jones and agility tests may not be a problem for Green Bay.
The Packers had Hull in for a ‘top-30’ visit recently.
Tyler Hoosman – North Dakota (7.96 RAS)
Hoosman was an inch short on the vert at 35”.
Lew Nichols III – Central Michigan (N/A RAS)
Nichols is a shorter back, but is once again taller than Jones at 5’9.6”.
He only completed one athletic test, the vertical jump, in which he cleared the 36” mark.
The Packers hosted Nichols on a ‘top-30’ visit.
Keaton Mitchell – East Carolina (6.17 RAS)
A reminder that there will always be players teams are happy to break the mould for.
Mitchell is undersized at 5’7.7” and 179lbs. He posted a pedestrian 3-cone in the 18th percentile, but the Packers used one of their ‘top-30’ visits on him, indicating at least some level of interest.
