Under general manager Brian Gutekunst, the Green Bay Packers are drawn to elite athletes, particularly those selected early in the draft. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a cornerback for Missouri, might not be the best fit.
One of these guys stands out from the others for the Green Bay Packers, who will require a cornerback going into the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 0-to-10 Relative Athletic Score is a grading system that considers a player’s height, weight, and level of athleticism. Brian Gutekunst of Green Bay, like most general managers, is drawn to players with exceptional physical attributes.
Using a first-round selection in 2018, he selected cornerback Jaire Alexander. His RAS stood at 9.54. He selected cornerback Eric Stokes with the first overall pick in 2021. Stokes’ RAS with electric speed was 9.37. Josh Jackson, a 2018 second-round pick, had a 9.27 RAS even going forward. Last year’s seventh-round selection, Carrington Valentine, posted a 9.29 RAS.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a cornerback prospect from Missouri, was regarded as one of the best when he arrived at the Scouting Combine. He was ranked No. 3 at the position and No. 23 overall by NFL’s Daniel Jeremiah.
However, Rakessraw’s original RAS was 4.79 following a lackluster 40-yard dash on Friday. That will undoubtedly alter given that he used an unofficial 40-yard timing of 4.54 seconds instead of the official 4.51 seconds and that there are still events to be held. Besides, there’s always Missouri’s pro day to run the 40 again.
Still, it’s hard to imagine Gutekunst using a first-round pick on a cornerback who is only 5 feet 11 3/8 inches tall, has average height and quickness, and has only made one career interception despite sticky coverage.
A day ago, Rakestraw told reporters that the Combine has “a lot of gifted” cornerbacks.
In terms of appearance, he does not fit the mold.
Rakestraw is still capable of playing and succeeding in the NFL despite this.
In his last season at Missouri, he only gave up 18 passes out of a possible 28. Pro Football Focus reports that 112 FBS-caliber cornerbacks in this draft class will play more than 275 coverage snaps in 2023. In that group, he had the 31st-highest snaps per reception allowed (14.7).
In the previous three seasons, he missed only three tackles, compared to ten in the previous three. He showed flexibility in 2023, as evidenced by his 337 corner and 104 slot plays out of 465 total snaps.
“My physicality, tackling, and press-man skills at the line of scrimmage are what set me apart for teams,” he stated.
On Friday, eight cornerbacks in all broke 4.40 seconds.
Nate Wiggins of Clemson led the sprints with a lightning-fast time of 4.28 seconds. But weighing only 173 pounds, he was extremely skinny, which hurt his RAS (9.42).
Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo came in second at 4.33 seconds. Mitchell has mastered the predraft process after a stellar week at the Senior Bow. His height (6 feet 1/8), along with his exceptional athleticism (38 inches vertical), gave him a RAS of 9.75.
Though he was unable to beat his brother, Packers receiver Bo Melton, who set a record a few years ago in the 40, Rutgers’ Max Melton had an incredible day, ranking fourth in the 40.5-inch vertical jump and first in the 11-foot, 4-inch broad jump.His RAS stood at 9.65.
“You need to be able to strike as well as cover,” Melton told the media. There is no fear when playing defense. We like to say that it’s necessary for us to play on the dark side.
Kris Abrams-Draine, Rakestraw’s Missouri teammate, completed his 40 in 4.44 seconds. He began his career as a receiver and finished with 14 passes defensed and zero interceptions in 2022 and 13 passes defensed and four interceptions in 2023.
“I’m attempting to demonstrate that I’m among the top defensive backs in the draft, that I can compete with the best of them, that my technique has improved, and that I’m quick,” he stated.
Terrion Arnold of Alabama, who is most likely competing with Wiggins to be the first cornerback off the board, completed his 40-yard dash in 4.50 seconds and has an 8.37 RAS. He has an exceptional work ethic and is a great player.
“I want to associate roofing with football because my granddad was a roofer,” Arnold said to reporters. When I’m on that roof and it’s high pitch, walking up there, you’re slipping on the fiberglass, and you kind of get rocky and wobbly. My granddad always warned me on that roof that no one was coming to save you. You are aware that you will stumble and fall if you start to doubt yourself.
“The situation at cornerback is the same.”
Kool-Aid McKinstry, his Crimson Tide sidekick, is recovering from a Jones fracture to his foot. The NFL reports that he will forego the combine exams, participate in the pro day, and then undergo surgery. He ought to be prepared when training camp gets underway.
Looking farther down the draft rankings, some players had good days: Daequan Hardy of Penn State (4.38 40, 42.5-inch vertical), Jarrian James of Florida State (4.38 40, 39.5 vertical), Elijah Jones of Boston College (4.44 40, 42.5 vertical), and Andru Phillips of Kentucky (4.48 40, 42 vertical).
