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The Green Bay Packers lost TJ Slaton in free agency this offseason. The former Florida Gator signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Slaton, a former fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, logged 1,136 snaps over the past two seasons and recorded 55 run stops. While he may not have been the flashiest of players, he did the dirty work up front.
Slaton's departure leaves the Packers "thin" on the interior of the defensive line and they'll likely be looking to add another space eater on Day 3 of the draft to replace him.
Luckily for Brian Gutekunst and the Packers, the strength of this year's draft class is at defensive tackle. There is no shortage of options for the Packers as they look to replace Slaton and his production.
Let's look at nine prospects who could be targets for the Packers on Day 3 as they look to replace Slaton.
At 6-2, and 332 pounds, Caldwell is a space eater. He has the mass and powerful base to anchor against double teams and clog up running lanes. He's not just there to take up space, though; the Houston transfer has the quickness and power to penetrate into the backfield and create havoc behind the line of scrimmage.
Along with his ability to two-gap, Caldwell has upside as an interior pass rusher. He has good initial burst off the line of scrimmage and recorded 25 pressures this past season. During his two seasons in Houston, Caldwell recorded 8.5 sacks 24 pressures.
It would not be surprising if the Packers drafted Caldwell's counterpart, Derrick Harmon in the first round and came back to the Oregon talent pool to take Caldwell in the fourth round.
Horsley was recruited to Boston College by Green Bay's defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. There is a strong chance that Hafley and his staff will be pounding the table for Horsley late on Day 3, and for good reason. Horsley may be one of the best run stoppers in the draft.
Horsley's calling card is his ability to two-gap. He's a roadblock against the run. He’s strong at the point of attack and rarely gets pushed off his spot. This past season he recorded a career-high 31 run stops.
A native of Marshall, Minnesota, Black set the Marshall High School program record for sacks. At Iowa, he made his name as a run stopper. At 6-6 and 335 pounds with long arms (35), Black is an imposing figure and difficult to move out of his gap. According to Pro Football Focus, he's recorded 58 run stops over the past two seasons. He's not the rangiest of athletes and is much more of a space eater than an actual disruptor. With his mass, he helps keep linebackers clean and his presence could help Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker unlock to new levels.
Tafuna is strong at the point of attack and has the makings of a player who could carve out a role as an early-down player. He has violent hands to disengage blocks and get his mitts on the ball carrier. He's got a strong anchor against double teams and rarely goes to the ground. The Utah defensive tackle plays with relentless energy and has good lateral quickness to be more than just a space eater. The former Pac-12 Defensive Freshman Of the Year has the tools to develop into a three-down player and showcased some of his pass-rush upside during Senior Bowl Week.
A former four-star recruit, Smith started 32 games during his time at Alabama. At 6-4, and 302 pounds, Smith has a powerful upper half and can be hard to displace. Over the past two seasons, he recorded 35 run stops. While he offers little to nothing as an interior pass rusher, Smith could carve out a role as a two-down defender and be part of Green Bay's rotation behind Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt.
Stackhouse is a brick house. The Georgia defensive tackle can be hard to uproot and eats up double teams. He has thunder in his hands to stun offensive linemen. While he may not always make the play he'll help keep linebackers clean to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Over the past three seasons, he's recorded 43 run stops.
He’s powerful at the point of attack and has the power to reset the line of scrimmage and stays balanced through contact. Unlike his teammate, Brinson isn't just a space heater. He has the upfield juice to make plays behind the line of scrimmage and the lateral quickness to chase down plays. While he's not as adept at eating up blocks as Stackhouse, he can be difficult to move off his spot. This past season he recorded a career high 18 run stops.
Why not replace a Gator with another Gator? Jackson is a mountain of a man. At 6-6 and 328 pounds with long arms, Jackson has size that you just can't teach. During his two seasons at Florida, the Memphis transfer recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and 41 run stops. He has the power and length to deconstruct blocks and stop run plays before they get started. With his size, strength and length he can be hard to move off his spot.
Biggers has the size (6-5, 321 pounds, 34-plus inch arms) that NFL teams are looking for in interior defensive linemen. With his strength and mass, Biggers is a boulder in the middle of the defensive line. He's willing to do the dirty work and take up space, while letting others around him clean up the mess. Over the past three seasons he's recorded 43 run stops.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 9 space eaters the Packers could target on Day 3 to replace TJ Slaton
Continue reading...
Slaton, a former fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, logged 1,136 snaps over the past two seasons and recorded 55 run stops. While he may not have been the flashiest of players, he did the dirty work up front.
Slaton's departure leaves the Packers "thin" on the interior of the defensive line and they'll likely be looking to add another space eater on Day 3 of the draft to replace him.
Luckily for Brian Gutekunst and the Packers, the strength of this year's draft class is at defensive tackle. There is no shortage of options for the Packers as they look to replace Slaton and his production.
Let's look at nine prospects who could be targets for the Packers on Day 3 as they look to replace Slaton.
Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon
At 6-2, and 332 pounds, Caldwell is a space eater. He has the mass and powerful base to anchor against double teams and clog up running lanes. He's not just there to take up space, though; the Houston transfer has the quickness and power to penetrate into the backfield and create havoc behind the line of scrimmage.
Along with his ability to two-gap, Caldwell has upside as an interior pass rusher. He has good initial burst off the line of scrimmage and recorded 25 pressures this past season. During his two seasons in Houston, Caldwell recorded 8.5 sacks 24 pressures.
It would not be surprising if the Packers drafted Caldwell's counterpart, Derrick Harmon in the first round and came back to the Oregon talent pool to take Caldwell in the fourth round.
Cam Horsley, Boston College
Horsley was recruited to Boston College by Green Bay's defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. There is a strong chance that Hafley and his staff will be pounding the table for Horsley late on Day 3, and for good reason. Horsley may be one of the best run stoppers in the draft.
Horsley's calling card is his ability to two-gap. He's a roadblock against the run. He’s strong at the point of attack and rarely gets pushed off his spot. This past season he recorded a career-high 31 run stops.
Yahya Black, Iowa
A native of Marshall, Minnesota, Black set the Marshall High School program record for sacks. At Iowa, he made his name as a run stopper. At 6-6 and 335 pounds with long arms (35), Black is an imposing figure and difficult to move out of his gap. According to Pro Football Focus, he's recorded 58 run stops over the past two seasons. He's not the rangiest of athletes and is much more of a space eater than an actual disruptor. With his mass, he helps keep linebackers clean and his presence could help Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker unlock to new levels.
Junior Tafuna, Utah
Tafuna is strong at the point of attack and has the makings of a player who could carve out a role as an early-down player. He has violent hands to disengage blocks and get his mitts on the ball carrier. He's got a strong anchor against double teams and rarely goes to the ground. The Utah defensive tackle plays with relentless energy and has good lateral quickness to be more than just a space eater. The former Pac-12 Defensive Freshman Of the Year has the tools to develop into a three-down player and showcased some of his pass-rush upside during Senior Bowl Week.
Tim Smith, Alabama
A former four-star recruit, Smith started 32 games during his time at Alabama. At 6-4, and 302 pounds, Smith has a powerful upper half and can be hard to displace. Over the past two seasons, he recorded 35 run stops. While he offers little to nothing as an interior pass rusher, Smith could carve out a role as a two-down defender and be part of Green Bay's rotation behind Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt.
Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
Stackhouse is a brick house. The Georgia defensive tackle can be hard to uproot and eats up double teams. He has thunder in his hands to stun offensive linemen. While he may not always make the play he'll help keep linebackers clean to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Over the past three seasons, he's recorded 43 run stops.
Warren Brinson, Georgia
He’s powerful at the point of attack and has the power to reset the line of scrimmage and stays balanced through contact. Unlike his teammate, Brinson isn't just a space heater. He has the upfield juice to make plays behind the line of scrimmage and the lateral quickness to chase down plays. While he's not as adept at eating up blocks as Stackhouse, he can be difficult to move off his spot. This past season he recorded a career high 18 run stops.
Cam Jackson, Florida
Why not replace a Gator with another Gator? Jackson is a mountain of a man. At 6-6 and 328 pounds with long arms, Jackson has size that you just can't teach. During his two seasons at Florida, the Memphis transfer recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and 41 run stops. He has the power and length to deconstruct blocks and stop run plays before they get started. With his size, strength and length he can be hard to move off his spot.
Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech
Biggers has the size (6-5, 321 pounds, 34-plus inch arms) that NFL teams are looking for in interior defensive linemen. With his strength and mass, Biggers is a boulder in the middle of the defensive line. He's willing to do the dirty work and take up space, while letting others around him clean up the mess. Over the past three seasons he's recorded 43 run stops.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 9 space eaters the Packers could target on Day 3 to replace TJ Slaton
Continue reading...
