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The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft.
The 2025 NFL Draft boasts a talented group of interior defensive linemen. With a talented and deep group, general manager Brian Gutekunst could look to double tip at the position.
A potential Day 3 target could be CJ West. The Indiana defensive tackle checks in at No. 32 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A three-star recruit out of Illinois, West started his career at Kent State. During his final three seasons at Kent State, West recorded 19 tackles for loss and seven sacks. During his lone season with the Hoosiers, West recorded 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks.
"He spent the early part of the season easing in, which wasn’t surprising since, unlike a lot of the defensive transfers, he didn’t arrive until after spring practices," Zach Osterman, the IU reporter for the Indy Star, said. "But the defense went up a level when West broke meaningfully into the rotation, and Indiana paired him with Mikail Kamara. The Hoosiers wound up running a lot of two-man stuff (twists, stunts, etc.) through those two and it became the tip of the spear for a defense that was about as disruptive as any in the Big Ten."
West is a frenetic ball of energy. At 6-1, 316 pounds with sub-32 inch arms, he's a compact interior defender. The Hoosier defensive tackle plays with a motor that's always running and he's going to bring that level of intensity on each snap.
He's got good initial quickness off the snap and explodes upfield quickly to disrupt the action in the backfield. He's got the short-area twitch to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage. He plays with good leverage and has excellent balance through contact to shoot gaps. He has active hands to help him stay clean. He doesn't have the longest arms and that lack of length will lead to an occasional missed tackle. He just doesn't have the tackle radius to lasso ball carriers to the ground.
As a pass rusher, West wins with his off-the-snap quickness and bull rush. He has the power and pad level to drive offensive linemen backward. He has power in his hands. If he doesn't win initially, his go to move as a pass rusher was a push-pull. To go along with his two sacks, West recorded 25 pressures this past season.
West finished the season with a bang, recording 10 run stops, 11 pressures and four tackles for loss. Impressive numbers, considering West only played 24 snaps against Purdue.
"His measurables are obviously not eye popping, but he’s got good get off and explosion, and his pad level and leverage were consistently really good," Osterman said. "That and his footwork, which had to be quality, given how much Indiana asked him to move around. Which I guess makes what he did at the Combine make a lot more sense too."
West plays like his hair is on fire. He may not always have a plan, but he's going to do whatever he does at full speed. With his athletic profile and relentless motor, West could be high on Green Bay's board to start Day 3 of the draft.
"I only got to see him for one year, and more than that really only the bulk of one year because of his settling-in period," Osterman said. "But especially given he didn’t necessarily have dominant size to work with, I was impressed with how well he used his other physical tools to be effective. I thought he worked really well in a scheme that asked its defensive front to control the line of scrimmage a lot (which isn’t common for a place like Indiana). And like a lot of IU’s transfers last year, West made the step up from the MAC to the Big Ten without a ton of falloff. Couple that to some of his pre-draft numbers and it’s not hard to see why there’s rising appeal for him."
Kenny Clark is coming off the worst season of his career. Devonte Wyatt may or may not have his fifth-year option picked up and even if it's picked up will the Packers go beyond that and give him a second contract? Karl Brooks has shown he can be a valuable member of the rotation.
The Packers need to add bodies to that room, which is why defensive tackle has been a popular mock pick in the first round for the Packers.
West would provide quality depth along the interior. He's a fifth-round pick all day long. With his athleticism and motor, West could help Green Bay's front four cause more chaos.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 32, Indiana DT CJ West
Continue reading...
The 2025 NFL Draft boasts a talented group of interior defensive linemen. With a talented and deep group, general manager Brian Gutekunst could look to double tip at the position.
A potential Day 3 target could be CJ West. The Indiana defensive tackle checks in at No. 32 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A three-star recruit out of Illinois, West started his career at Kent State. During his final three seasons at Kent State, West recorded 19 tackles for loss and seven sacks. During his lone season with the Hoosiers, West recorded 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks.
"He spent the early part of the season easing in, which wasn’t surprising since, unlike a lot of the defensive transfers, he didn’t arrive until after spring practices," Zach Osterman, the IU reporter for the Indy Star, said. "But the defense went up a level when West broke meaningfully into the rotation, and Indiana paired him with Mikail Kamara. The Hoosiers wound up running a lot of two-man stuff (twists, stunts, etc.) through those two and it became the tip of the spear for a defense that was about as disruptive as any in the Big Ten."
West is a frenetic ball of energy. At 6-1, 316 pounds with sub-32 inch arms, he's a compact interior defender. The Hoosier defensive tackle plays with a motor that's always running and he's going to bring that level of intensity on each snap.
He's got good initial quickness off the snap and explodes upfield quickly to disrupt the action in the backfield. He's got the short-area twitch to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage. He plays with good leverage and has excellent balance through contact to shoot gaps. He has active hands to help him stay clean. He doesn't have the longest arms and that lack of length will lead to an occasional missed tackle. He just doesn't have the tackle radius to lasso ball carriers to the ground.
As a pass rusher, West wins with his off-the-snap quickness and bull rush. He has the power and pad level to drive offensive linemen backward. He has power in his hands. If he doesn't win initially, his go to move as a pass rusher was a push-pull. To go along with his two sacks, West recorded 25 pressures this past season.
West finished the season with a bang, recording 10 run stops, 11 pressures and four tackles for loss. Impressive numbers, considering West only played 24 snaps against Purdue.
"His measurables are obviously not eye popping, but he’s got good get off and explosion, and his pad level and leverage were consistently really good," Osterman said. "That and his footwork, which had to be quality, given how much Indiana asked him to move around. Which I guess makes what he did at the Combine make a lot more sense too."
Fit with the Packers
West plays like his hair is on fire. He may not always have a plan, but he's going to do whatever he does at full speed. With his athletic profile and relentless motor, West could be high on Green Bay's board to start Day 3 of the draft.
"I only got to see him for one year, and more than that really only the bulk of one year because of his settling-in period," Osterman said. "But especially given he didn’t necessarily have dominant size to work with, I was impressed with how well he used his other physical tools to be effective. I thought he worked really well in a scheme that asked its defensive front to control the line of scrimmage a lot (which isn’t common for a place like Indiana). And like a lot of IU’s transfers last year, West made the step up from the MAC to the Big Ten without a ton of falloff. Couple that to some of his pre-draft numbers and it’s not hard to see why there’s rising appeal for him."
Kenny Clark is coming off the worst season of his career. Devonte Wyatt may or may not have his fifth-year option picked up and even if it's picked up will the Packers go beyond that and give him a second contract? Karl Brooks has shown he can be a valuable member of the rotation.
The Packers need to add bodies to that room, which is why defensive tackle has been a popular mock pick in the first round for the Packers.
West would provide quality depth along the interior. He's a fifth-round pick all day long. With his athleticism and motor, West could help Green Bay's front four cause more chaos.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 32, Indiana DT CJ West
Continue reading...
