Prospect for the Pack: Georgia CB Eric Stokes
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The Green Bay Packers will enter the 2021 NFL draft hoping to find a few more valuable pieces to add to an otherwise talented roster after winning 26 regular-season games and making the NFC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons under coach Matt LaFleur.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect capable of landing in Green Bay later this month.
Up next is Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes:
What he can do
– Speed is an elite trait. Ran 4.29 in the 40-yard dash. Recovery speed is apparent on tape. Terrific 10-yard split highlights explosiveness
– Lean athlete. Stands 6-0, but only 194 pounds
– Got his hands on 26 passes over 25 starts. Attacks the ball as it arrives, disrupting the catch point. Doesn’t have elite ball skills and might not be a big-time interception creator but possesses good sense of playing in rhythm with receivers and awareness of timing the ball’s arrival
– Tons of reps against NFL-caliber receivers over his 25 starts
– Looks capable of playing outside or in the slot, although he played mostly on the perimeter at Georiga. Has the speed to play vertically and the quick feet for matching routes inside. Played plenty of press coverage from the perimeter
– Hit 38.5″ in the vertical leap and has a 78″ wingspan. Length is a plus
– Might be a little too physical and handsy early in routes. Flagged plenty in college. NFL is more stingy on illegal contact. Needs to trust himself more
– Packers may be scared off by agility measurements. High RAS player, but scored low in the shuttle and three-cone, two important metrics at corner. However, tape doesn’t show obvious instances of struggling to handle shifty receivers
– Returned two interceptions for touchdowns in 2020, both partially a result of strong reps in press coverage. Strip-sack in 2019 created another touchdown. Blocked a punt and returned the ball for a touchdown in 2018
– Not a super physical corner
– Still learning the position. Didn’t start playing cornerback until senior season of high school. Might be plenty of room on development path
How he fits
The Packers’ needs at cornerback are well-documented. Although Kevin King and Chandon Sullivan are back, this position needs both short- and long-term help. Stokes, with his speed and length, could be competition for King in 2021 and a potential replacement in 2022. The Packers will like his combination of press ability and recovery speed, especially if he’s the replacement for King long-term.
NFL comp
Jamel Dean without the medical red flags. Like Dean, Stokes has high-level coverage experience at the SEC level and the coveted combination of speed and length at the cornerback position. Dean has been a quality perimeter cornerback for the Buccaneers over the last two seasons. Stokes has a similar ceiling.
Where Packers could get him
Opinions on Stokes range from the late first round to anywhere into the second round, complicating the projection for the Packers. He could be a trade-down candidate in the first round, or possibly even a trade-up candidate from the second round. He looks capable of coming off the board anywhere in the 30-60 range. The Packers would probably love an opportunity to get him at No. 62, although his profile certainly doesn’t rule out him becoming the pick at No. 29.
