The Green Bay Packers have a track record of giving undrafted rookies an opportunity. J. Michael Sturdivant could be next.
General manager Brian Gutekunst has pushed the door wide open at the wide receiver position, having let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency before trading away Dontayvion Wicks. The Packers signed Skyy Moore, although his primary role is on special teams, and didn't add another pass-catcher via the draft.
Enter Sturdivant, who enters OTAs with a golden opportunity to make an impact and put himself in the conversation for a roster spot later this summer.
J. Michael Sturdivant has the most to gain from Packers' OTAs
The Packers may believe less is more at wide receiver. Moving on from Doubs and Wicks solves the logjam at the position, but when breaking down who could make the 53-man roster, there is a real, genuine opportunity for Sturdivant.
Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden are the top three. Savion Williams is a roster lock. But then? Even if we assume Moore will take a spot as the WR5 and primary returner, there is still room for one more.
Perhaps Bo Melton shifts back to wide receiver full-time. Maybe not. Beyond that, Sturdivant is competing with Will Sheppard, Brenden Rice, Isaiah Neyor, and Jakobie Keeney-James. That's a battle he can absolutely win.
So, let's rewind for a moment. You may be wondering: Who is J. Michael Sturdivant?
The Florida product signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent, landing a guaranteed $200,000 in base salary and a $15,000 signing bonus. That's not nothing.
Sturdivant lacked consistent production last season and has a lot to work on, but it's easy to see why the Packers signed him. Sturdivant is 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, and posted elite testing numbers. His speed was on full display with an impressive 4.4-second 40-yard dash. It helped him earn a near-perfect Relative Athletic Score of 9.96 out of 10.
It's clear that Sturdivant has all the potential, but he failed to put it together in college. Last season, he caught just 27 passes for 406 yards and three touchdowns, although playing in a struggling offense didn't help. Still, you have to go back to 2022 for his most productive season while playing for California, where Sturdivant made 65 receptions for 755 yards and seven touchdowns.
Despite boasting the size, speed, and athleticism the Packers covet, it's surprising that Sturdivant didn't get drafted. Dane Brugler of The Athletic gave him a sixth-round grade.
"Sturdivant needs to introduce more urgency and nuance to his play, but he has juice for a bigger target and shows a decent feel for the position. He projects as an outside receiver at the back end of a roster who can contribute on special teams," Brugler wrote.
Sturdivant needs to put it all together, which is hardly a guarantee, but Brugler's final note there is important. He can contribute on special teams. That's the immediate pathway to a roster spot, especially if he can show flashes of potential at OTAs and into minicamp.
The Packers have made a habit of keeping undrafted receivers. Malik Heath came out of nowhere, as did Allen Lazard.
OTAs are more of a warmup for veteran players, but for a talented undrafted rookie like Sturdivant, it's the first real opportunity to prove himself.
The door to a roster spot is wide open.
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