3 Safeties The Green Bay Packers Can Target On Day 3 Of The NFL Draft

For the Green Bay Packers, safety is a huge position of need. Darnell Savage has been disappointing since his promising rookie season, and Adrian Amos is unlikely to return to the team. The other safeties on the roster are serviceable, but the Packers would like some more upside at the position. The issue is that this year’s safety class is very weak overall. Spending a premium pick on a top safety in this draft may be a waste. Green Bay should look for value in later rounds. Here are three safeties the Packers could target on day three of the NFL draft.

Packers DC Joe Berry – Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Safeties The Green Bay Packers Could Target In The NFL Draft

My goal is to stick to possible day-three picks. Brian Branch would be great to have on the team. I don’t love the Packers spending a first or second-round pick on him. If he’s there in the third round, great! But I don’t think he will fall that much. Other top safeties may be there on day two, but I still don’t love spending that high of draft capital. I would rather see the Packers take a swing on day three on a couple of prospects and wait for a better class down the road.

Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State

Ohio State is a program that has produced many great professional players and sometimes drafting on that pedigree is okay. Hickman is a bigger safety that can cover tight ends and even some slot receivers. His athleticism gives him good change-of-direction skills and he can cover a lot of ground quickly. The knock on Hickman is that he needs to develop a better understanding of what he is seeing on the field. If he recognizes the play, he can close quickly and disrupt the play but too often he does not recognize what is happening. This is something that can be coached by the Green Bay Packers staff. Look for him in the fourth round as a possibility.

Former Virginia Tech S Chamarri Connor (1) – Virginia Tech Athletics

Chamarri Connor, Virginia Tech

Connor has a good combination of length, speed, and quickness. He tested very well at the combine, and GM Brian Gutekunst tends to prioritize athleticism as a trait in his draft picks. Connor passes those qualifications, and his weaknesses aren’t a big concern for the team. He tends to play conservatively and gives too much cushion to receivers. The Green Bay Packers defense under Joe Barry gives massive cushions, so it would actually play well for Connor’s skill set. The Packers have a plethora of seventh-round picks, and it wouldn’t shock me if they focus on the safety position in that round.

Former Houston S Gervarrius Owens (2) – AP Photo/Michael Wyke

Gervarrius Owens, Houston

This is another pick that the Packers would make on athleticism alone. His drills at the combine and his pro day were above average. He is a good tackler who plays well in zone coverage. His hustle also sets him apart from many other players. Like so many day-three picks, he is a project. He needs to work on his angles in pursuit, but that can be taught. The seventh round is all about taking players with upside, and Owens definitely has some upside.

The Green Bay Packers are in an interesting position in the NFL draft. On the one hand, the roster is full of good veterans. On the other hand, the team needs to build young talent around Jordan Love. Gutekunst has proven he can find talent in the late rounds. Kingsley Enagbare was a fifth-rounder, and Samori Toure was a seventh-rounder in last year’s draft. Both of those players played significant roles for the team last season. If the team can find a safety on day three, it would go a long way in helping the defense.