The Green Bay Packers pulled off an absolute heist by snagging Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton at No. 120 overall. After using their first two selections at cornerback and defensive tackle, they could hardly count on stumbling into that kind of value at edge rusher late in the fourth round.
The fact that they did just upped the stakes for second-year pass rushers Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, who will now contend with Dennis-Sutton for reps.
For Oliver in particular, the pick constitutes a blunt challenge. After missing most of last season with a hamstring injury, he'll have to prove he can provide the production and upside to keep his place on the depth chart. Even as a rookie, DDS won't make it easy.
Dani Dennis-Sutton selection will challenge Collin Oliver to prove himself in Year 2
The Packers were wise to invest in an edge rusher in the draft. Micah Parsons will likely begin the year hurt, leaving a rotation led by Oliver, Sorrell, and Lukas Van Ness. Adding Dennis-Sutton to the mix offers a bigger boost than expected.
While his fall to 120th may indicate that he was overvalued ahead of the draft, getting a player mocked to Green Bay at No. 52 feels like a massive win. Pro Football Network's consensus board ranked Dennis-Sutton 73rd among all prospects. Pro Football Focus had him 67th.
The Packers landed a steal.
Even where he was actually drafted, DDS went higher than either Sorrell (124th) or Oliver (159th). Whereas Sorrell was able to get his feet wet as a rookie, Oliver missed basically the whole year hurt. He finally took the field in Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings, but it's hard to make much of his season.
It doesn't help that a foot injury ended Oliver's senior year in college after two games. He hasn't had the chance to accumulate much live-game tape since his junior season at Oklahoma State. The promise is there; without the injury, he would have gone much higher in the draft. Still, he is unproven as a pro.
Listed at over 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds, Dennis-Sutton is a physical specimen whose size and length should bother offensive linemen off the bat. Over his last two seasons at Penn State, he recorded 17 sacks, 25 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles. He earned a PFF pass-rush grade of 79.3, just shy of the 87th percentile. His 77.1 grade in run defense came near an 83rd-percentile rank.
Packers fans are justifiably excited for what Sorrell and Oliver can bring in Year 2, ogling clips of the pair working out under the gaze of Parsons' trainer. No doubt everyone who bleeds Green and Gold is also amped for the Dennis-Sutton pick. Regardless of who comes out on top, the competition that plays out over summer camp will be a narrative worth watching. With Parsons out early, there should be an opportunity for anyone who earns it.
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