Draft Could Breathe Life Into Packers Putrid Retur
GREEN BAY, Wis. A kick returner with legit breakaway ability is like the rising tide that lifts all boats. Not only can a great kick returner make a would-be tackler mi s or simply run away from the competition, but the belief that he can take it to the house at any moment tends to bring the best out of his blockers.The Packers havent had a returner like that in years. In 2021, they finished 21st in return average on punts and 30th on kickoffs. Their cumulative ranking of 51 was fourth-to-last in the league. In 2020, they ranked 30th in punt returns and 31st in kickoff returns, their cumulative ranking of 61 by far the worst in the NFL as the only team in the bottom 10 in both categories. In 2019, they finished 31st in punt returns and 25th in kickoff returns, their cumulative ranking of 56 being third-worst in the league. Theyre one of five teams without a touchdown on a kickoff return or punt return during coach Matt LaFleurs three-year tenure.After three pathetic seasons on special teams, in general, and returns, in particular, LaFleur hired veteran Rich Bisaccia to run his special teams. Coaching is great but theres no substitute for talent. General manager Brian Gutekunst gave Bisaccia a veteran punter with the addition of Pat ODonnell. Maybe he can use one of his 11 draft picks to give Bisaccia a legit returner to lift the rest of the special teams. Scroll to ContinueTwo receivers who Fred Warner Jersey are first-round options for the Packers are Penn States Jahan Dotson and North Dakota States Christian Watson. In four seasons, Dotson averaged 13.5 yards per punt return with one touchdown. In four seasons, Watson averaged 26.4 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns.Looking to Day 2, Day 3 and priority free agency, here are some other return options in the 2022 NFL Draft.Here are some of the top return prospects Frank Gore Jersey in the NFL Draft, listed in predicted draft order. CB Marcus Jones, HoustonJones won the Paul Hornung Award as the nations most versatile player as a senior and is one of the great returners in NCAA history. For his career, he averaged 28.4 yards per kickoff return with six touchdowns and 14.0 yards per punt return with three touchdowns. As a senior, he led the nation with a 34.0-yard average on kickoff returns and was fourth with a 14.4-yard average on punt returns. He scored two touchdowns in each phase. He added five interceptions on defense and 10 receptions as a receiver. A potential Day 2 prospect, he probably wont be a consideration for the Packers because hes merely 5-foot-8.This award means a lot to me, Jones said of winning an award named after a Packers legend. Ive been undersized and overlooked a lot in my life. I just kept my head down and focused on controlling the controllable. Any way I can help the team, I was down for it whether it was extra time spent in meetings or putting in the physical work on the practice field. WR Velus Jones, Tenne seeWith USC from 2017 through 2019 and Tenne see from 2020 through 2021, Jones averaged 24.4 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns. He returned punts for the first time in 2021 and averaged 15. San Francisco 49Ers Golf Sporting Goods 1 yards per runback. One of the fastest players in the draft but a sturdy 204 pounds, . He should go during the first half of Day 3 of the draft. Id say my playmaking ability in different phases of the game when it comes to punt return, kickoff return, and playing receiver and having the ability to make plays out of the backfield as well, Jones said at the Scouting Combine. When it comes to me, I feel Im four players in one. I can make plays in any phase of the game. S Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia TechA three-year starting safety for the Yellow Jackets, he had one interception in each of his four seasons and broke up a career-high seven pa ses as a senior. So, Thomas can provide some depth in the defensive backfield and return kickoffs. He took back two for touchdowns as a freshman. He did not return punts. At 6-foot 3/4, he ran his 40 in 4.55 seconds. CB Mykael Wright, OregonA two-year starting cornerback for the Ducks, he also handled kickoff returns all three seasons. He was superb with two touchdowns in 2019 and a 27.7-yard average in 2021. He did not return punts. At 5-foot-10 1/2 and with 4.57 speed, his return ability could make him a late-round selection. RB Trestan Ebner, BaylorThe Bears No. 2 back rushed for 1,690 yards, caught 127 pa ses for 1,515 yards and scored 20 total touchdowns in five seasons. He returned kicks his final two seasons, closing his career with a 25.3-yard average and three touchdowns on kickoff returns and 6.8 yards with one touchdown on punt returns. He was the Big 12s Special Teams Player of the Year in 2021 and a second-team All-American as a returner in 2020. For me, its just a chance to change the game, . If I can help us cro s the 50 yard line , that just increases our chances of scoring on offense.At 5-foot-10 3/4 and 206 pounds, he flashed 4.43 speed at the Combine. WR Britain Covey, UtahCovey San Francisco 49Ers T Shirts burst onto the scene as a freshman way back in 2015, when he caught 43 pa ses and averaged 11.7 yards per punt return. And he put a stamp on his outstanding career when he returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Ohio State in the Rose. As a senior, he averaged 14.2 yards with two touchdowns on punt returns and 30.0 yards with one touchdown on kickoff returns. In five seasons he spent 2016 and 2017 on a mi sion to Chile he caught 184 pa ses for 2,011 yards and 11 touchdowns and returned five kicks for touchdowns. At 5-foot-8 and 169 pounds, history suggests he wont be a consideration but maybe Bisaccia will hold some sway on personnel moves. , its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog.My initial step and peripheral awarene s, . There is no hesitation in my initial step from my understanding of where the threats are coming. My highlight film is full of plays where my initial step is put on display. I also helped draw up the punt return schemes with my special teams coach the last two years of my career. San Francisco 49Ers Jackets Jalen Virgil, Appalachian StateVirgil, a four-time member of Bruce Feldmans annual Freaks list for , caught 98 pa ses for 1,436 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense and averaged 30.1 yards on kickoff returns with three more scores. He did not return punts. At 6-foot and 207 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.37 seconds. The return ability could get him drafted. CB Dallis Flowers, Pittsburg StateIn his one season for the Division II Gorillas, Flowers averaged 33.7 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns while also intercepting four pa ses. It was Flowers fourth school; he averaged 38.1 yards per kickoff return and 11.1 yards per punt return in 2019 with Grand View, where he was a two-time NAIA All-American. At 6-foot-1, he ran his 40 in 4.40 seconds.DI supposedly has the best players in the country, . Some of that mig