Packers: Top five performers in Week 2 tie vs. Vikings
By Jesse Fry
4. JK Scott
JK Scott is showing why general manager Brian Gutekunst used a precious fifth-round draft pick on him back in April. In the first half, Scott flipped the field position twice, booming punts of 63 and 51 yards. Many, including myself, questioned the pick after Justin Vogel finished a strong rookie year.
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Scott’s strong leg and quick release allowed the Packers special teams to get the ball out, and with his high hang time have kept returns to a minimal.
On the day, Scott punted five times for 259 yards with a 51.8-yard average. He also placed two inside the 20 with only one touchback.
After some inconsistency during the preseason, Scott has been a solid contributor. The Packers will need him to continue down this trajectory. There will be games when the offense is going to struggle, and having a reliable punter to flip the field position and keep returners calling for fair catches can help win games.
There also hasn’t been any complications with holds on field goals and extra points.
It remains to be seen how Scott will fare when the weather turns later in the year. But for right now, he is looking like the second-best rookie after the next player on this list.