We’re heavy with NFL Draft news today, and we’re not apologizing for that.
The pick came in late last night and the choice surprised some NFL Draft observers. The pre-draft hype had the Packers selecting a premium cornerback. But keep in mind, sometimes teams feed that hype to help ensure the player they are targeting remains on the board by the time their selection comes around.
Packers address key objective in NFL Draft’s first round with Jordan Morgan: ‘Protect your quarterback’ | Packers.com
Brian Gutekunst said it a few different ways in discussing his first-round draft pick, Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, with the media late Thursday night.
“Just our kind of guy.”
“The right kind of guy for our locker room.”
“Jordan just fit us.”
Why he feels that way about the 6-5, 311-pound Morgan is pretty clear.
He’s as experienced as they get coming out of college, with 37 career starts at left tackle. He’s a leader, as a two-time team captain. He’s versatile enough to play possibly “four positions,” according to Gutekunst, meaning either tackle or either guard spot.
He’s plenty athletic, nearly cracking 5.0 seconds in the 40 as a prototypical big guy. And he’s proven he can overcome adversity, returning from a torn ACL late in the 2022 season to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2023.
That last one might sound strange, given the serious nature of ACL injuries as a potential medical red flag, but the Packers studied it closely and liked what they saw.
Here’s a little bit more about the newest member of the Pack.
Green Bay Packers pick Arizona OL Jordan Morgan in Round 1 of 2024 NFL draft. What to know | USA Today
Jordan Morgan height, weight
Morgan, who is from Marana, Arizona and went to Marana High School, is 6-foot-5 and 311-pounds.
Jordan Morgan college stats
Morgan appeared in all 12 games for the Wildcats last season, allowing just two sacks in 787 snaps. The Wildcats had the fifth best red zone offense in college football, converting 93% of the time.
There are a ton of opinions from so-called experts with every draft pick. Of course, we won’t know the overall success of the draft for several seasons, but this seemed to be a reasoned analysis:
Splashy? No, but adding depth to offensive line made the Packers better | Wisconsin State Journal
There’s a pretty good chance Morgan won’t crack the starting lineup as a rookie. Neither did edge rusher Lukas Van Ness, the Packers’ first-round pick in 2023 out of Iowa.
What Gutekunst did then, and now, is take a player at a premium position. And a versatile one, too. Morgan played left tackle in college, starting 37 games, but could end up as a guard with the Packers.
Green Bay has its quarterback of the present and future in Jordan Love. This was a move to add depth to the group that protects him.
That’s a wrap for today’s update. On Monday, we’ll include a review of the rest of the Packers’ draft, but we’ll also have a round up of non-NFL news, too.
Have a great weekend.
