Zone Coverage: Green Bay’s Draft-Day Bet on Karl Brooks Is Paying Off Right Away
The Green Bay Packers defeated Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams on Sunday to finally get back to winning ways. On the weekend of Daylight Savings Time, the Packers not only ended their losing run, but we also witnessed the kind of improvement we’d expect to see from this young club.
Undoubtedly, this triumph was not without its errors. They attempted to steal defeat from the mouths of victory far too frequently. However, we were impressed by the 2023 draught class’s performance, particularly in defence, where Green Bay’s most recent draught class won handily.
I thought Karl Brooks stood out the most, although Lukas Van Ness, Cary Valentine, Colby Wooden, and Anthony Johnson Jr. were also noteworthy actors. The legend of Bowling Green State University continues to produce plays, but in terms of Green Bay’s drafting philosophy, he is an exception. Brooks is a ready-made wrecking machine whose supremacy in the Mid-American Conference sees him having an immediate impact, as opposed to an athletic monster who needed some polishing.
When it comes to selecting players, the Packers are undoubtedly a type. The good lord only created so many athletic big men, in the words of former general manager Ted Thompson. For many positions, the Packers have fairly tight size requirements, and they often look for highly athletic measures. The squad strives for high Relative Athletic Scores, even if they have their own measurements. The group has historically also been fond of Power Five team prospects. But recently, they have prioritised smaller-school possibilities in the first round.
The biggest draught busts for Green Bay typically don’t fit their athletic criteria. A few recent instances from the first three rounds are Joshua Deguara (6.66), Amari Rodgers (5.37), and Ace Sternberger (5.18). RAS does not ensure that a player will perform well. However, the Packers’ general belief is that while athletic talent cannot be taught, gifted athletes can be developed into stars.
Shahan Gary’s choice for 2019 is a prime illustration. Although Gary’s 9.95 score is amazing, his athleticism was not matched by his collegiate output. Nevertheless, Brian Gutekunst selected Gary over edge rushers who were “Day 1 ready,” concentrating on Gary’s potential ceiling. That choice has proven to be very profitable. Currently ranked among the league’s top pass-rushers is Gary.
Nine out of the 13 picks made by Green Bay in their 2023 draught class have RAS values above 8.0, and seven of those have RAS values above 9.0. By this measure, that class is extremely athletic.
Still, I could not help but notice the student who had the lowest grade. Even though Brooks only has a 5.87 rating, the BGSU product seems like a ready-made defender and consistently produces big plays.
Brooks’ status as a MAC giant helped him win over the analysts. He was a complete beast, not simply one of the better defenders in the conference. His game film demonstrated a defender prepared for elite-level competition.
After Brooks was chosen, director of player personnel Milt Hendrickson remarked, “The tape still is the tape.” “What he demonstrated, even in the face of a knock, is something you see on tape, and he’s a man among boys.”
Yes, any growth is wonderful since, for a Day 3 inside defender projected to play a rotational role, expectations aren’t going to be that high. On defence, though, Brooks has played 202 snaps, or 37.06% of the total. With more than a third of defensive snaps, the rookie is playing and making a lot of use of them.
According to pro-football-reference, Brooks has four passes defended, two sacks, seven solo tackles, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits on the season.
The stat sheet won’t display some of Brooks’ best plays, like the one below.
On Sunday, Brooks was a terror. He was consistently making big plays, like the one above or when he stopped Brett Rypien’s throws, even though PFF gave him a low score of 55.3. Even though it’s not his strongest suit, Brooks made several excellent plays against the run. Although he has performed better than anticipated against the run, Brooks is still best when he rushes the passer.
As the season enters the halfway point, Brooks appears to be an important rotational player for the Packers. Although the sample size is tiny, it is of high quality.
Will the Packers be more motivated as a result to look for guys that don’t fit their typical metrics? As previously indicated, when they stray from these parameters, their selections frequently fail. However, it makes sense to prepare a player for real contributions throughout their rookie deal. Some given chunks of clay have been shaped into star players by Green Bay. However, the process is time-consuming and sometimes doesn’t start until those inexpensive rookie years are almost done.
Green Bay’s draught strategies have largely produced positive outcomes. However, this team’s roster construction could need a more diverse approach. One strategy to make sure that key positions are filled right away is to bring in more players who are prepared to compete but may not have the most impressive athletic stats.
I’m a biassed BGSU grad, but I thought the Brooks choice was excellent. Should you have ever had a Pollyeyes breadstick or a legal joint drink from Brathaus, you would be ecstatic to see a small-town university represented in the league leagues. And this season, Brooks is undoubtedly becoming a player to keep an eye on.
