Packers: Drafting punter JK Scott was not a mistake

The Green Bay Packers drafted a punter, but it was a good decision.

With the 172nd pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected JK Scott, a punter from the University of Alabama.

It was pretty shocking to hear that the Packers took a punter in the draft this year. Even though Justin Vogel seemed like a lock for punting duties in 2018, the Packers decided to take the best punter in college football in 2017.

The last time the Packers drafted a punter was in 2004. That was when then-GM Mike Sherman decided to move up and select B.J. Sander in the third round. Sander would flop in the NFL. The pick was one of the worst in Packers history.

So, when Scott was taken in the fifth round of the draft, many fans had flashbacks to the ugly move that Sherman made 14 years ago.

However, Scott was one of, if not the best punters in college football last year. He was a finalist for the Ray Guy award two years in a row. While he never won the award, he was a consistent,  secret weapon for the Crimson Tide.

Special teams is an overlooked aspect of the game. The only time the unit gets mentioned is when they do wrong. Well, Scott rarely makes these mistakes.

Not only can he punt the ball, but he was the kickoff specialist for Alabama. He has a strong leg that, if given the opportunity, would take some pressure off Mason Crosby. It would allow Crosby to focus on field goal kicking.

Going back to Scott, he can really change the game in a way people don’t think about. For example, he was able to punt the ball 73 yards against Ohio St in the Sugar Bowl.

It will be interesting to see if Scott will beat out current punter Justin Vogel for punting duties in 2018 and beyond.

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It will definitely be a competition to watch come training camp, assuming both players make it that far in the offseason.