Packers meet projected first-round defensive lineman: Report – Home

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Getty Devonte Wyatt #95 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first quarter at Vanderbilt Stadium on September 25, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The wide receiver might be at the top of everyone’s 2022 NFL draft lists right now when it comes to the Green Bay Packers, but they certainly won’t be limited to four picks in the first two rounds.

According to Underdog Fantasy’s Josh Norris, the Packers hosted former Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt for a pre-draft visit on Friday, April 12. He is one of the most touted interior defensive linemen in the 2022 class and is currently projected to be a first-round draft pick, possibly before Green Bay drafts No. 22 overall.

Wyatt is coming off a breakout season for the Bulldogs in 2021 that finally saw him muster his wide range of pressure skills and impose his will as an interior threat. While he finished with a modest total of 39 tackles, seven for losses and 2.5 sacks on the year, his explosiveness and quick reflexes allowed him to consistently dominate the point of attack and often win his battles against opposing linemen.

Wyatt was also a knockout at the NFL Scouting Combine in March with the 304-pound running back running 4.77 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which he rated as the best among defensive tackles in the draft class. In addition, he posted a vertical jump of 29 inches (fifth-best) and a wide jump distance of 9 feet, 3 inches (third-best) to further showcase his athleticism to NFL scouts.

Wyatt is one of the top-rated prospects in ESPN and The Draft Network’s respective rankings for interior defensive linemen. For the Packers, he could be someone they’re looking at for their first draft pick at No. 22 overall or he could even be a potential trade target, depending on where he is on the front office draft board.

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Wyatt Projects as ‘rotational, gap finder’ DL

There are many traits of Wyatt’s career at Georgia that bode well for him when he projects for the NFL. He improved in each and every one of his four seasons with the Bulldogs and never let his effort falter as he struggled in the trenches. While there are some question marks and areas of his game that need to be better developed for the highest level, he could easily hit his ceiling and become a top-level disruptive force for any team that takes a chance on him later this month.

Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote about Wyatt in his pre-draft profile as he named Houston’s Maliek Collins as his pro comparison:

Very active defensive tackle with decent strength. Wyatt is made for movement and interruptions. He helped himself in 2021 with better tape against both the run and the passer. His lateral quickness comes in handy for beating zone blocks and sliding up front in a game-based pass rush. Wyatt has adequate strength but struggles to resist a second blocker. The traits are average, but the effort is constant and Wyatt should fit in nicely as a gap-seeking three-rotational tech with disruptive flashes.

The Packers have another big IL prospect on their radar.

The Packers also recently received former Oklahoma defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey for a pre-draft, according to Norris. The 6-foot-4, 303-pound player was a plug-n-play asset for the Sooners the past two seasons, who often moved to different positions on the defensive line. He also became a playmaker during his senior year in 2021, putting up 5.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in his 11 games and holding up well on the run.

Winfrey is ranked the No. 37 overall prospect in The Draft Network’s rankings and the fourth-best interior defensive lineman prospect. While it’s possible the Packers would target him with the No. 28 overall pick, he’d more likely be a candidate for them at No. 53 or No. 59, if he was still available. Like Wyatt, he has the potential to serve as a complementary weapon for Clark and strengthen his defense against the race in 2022.

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