Packers: Greg Newsome II is worth trading up for in draft
Greg Newsome II is one of the best cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’d be a great addition to the Green Bay Packers‘ secondary but might not be available when they are set to hit the clock at No. 29 overall.
Should the Packers consider trading up for Newsome? You bet.
In an interview with Stacey Dales of NFL Network, Newsome said he watches a lot of Jaire Alexander’s tape to learn. And it’s clear there are similarities between the two.
Now imagine them as teammates. Alexander impressed right away in his rookie season, and in year three, he became a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. Newsome, too, can make a fast start and develop into an excellent starting cornerback.
Like Alexander, Newsome is great at forcing incompletions and is tough to throw against. That’s especially true on third and fourth down. According to Pro Football Focus, on those two downs last season, Newsome allowed a passer rating of 0.0.
You may have to re-read that a couple of times but I promise it’s not a typo.
Newsome could develop into a Pro Bowl cornerback in the future, but importantly, he also has the talent to contribute right away. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah writes that he expects “Newsome to develop into a reliable starting cornerback very early in his NFL career”.
Newsome’s injury history could cause him to fall down the draft board somewhat, but there’s still a possibility he’ll be off the board before No. 29 overall. For him to be part of Green Bay’s secondary in 2021 and beyond, GM Brian Gutekunst may need to trade up.
The good news is that the Packers enter the draft with double-digit picks, giving them more flexibility to make moves. And Gutekunst is more than willing to jump up the order having done so three years in a row, starting in 2018 when he traded from No. 27 to No. 18 to draft Alexander.
Along with swapping first-round picks, the Packers sent the Seattle Seahawks a third- and sixth-rounder with a seventh-rounder received in return.
A similar trade may be required to get Newsome this year. But he’s absolutely worth it.