#291 Packers Unscripted: First impressions

coming into the Packers roster. I know a lot of fans wondering, Okay, so what are the first impressions of these top two picks JR. Alexander Josh Jackson, the two cornerbacks the Packers took in the first two rounds. What were your impressions, Yinging Yang, We're the first thing that came to mind when I saw these two guys. It just seems like they complement each other really well. And I know it's a conversation you and I had over

the weekend to just looking at JayR. Alexander, big personality, very extroverted, outgoing free you know, uh, it seems like a fun loving individual A bit I think as everybody's talked about numerous times now a shorter back. But I'll tell you this, I wouldn't call him small. I mean, he's a he's a pretty stack guy. He looks like he's gonna hold up in the NFL. And obviously the playmaking goes without saying. Then you look at a guy like Josh Jackson, much more reserved, much more business like.

Uh And really, as far as the styles are concerned, compliments Alexander really, well, he's a taller guy, made a lot of plays as well in college, but did it in a different way. So I think the exciting thing about these two defense and backs of the Packers God is they're just they have such contrasting personalities and such contrasting styles. But on the field, you know, you and I got to see it on Friday, Joe Witt coaching

them up. I mean, this is already they're they're ripping and rolling, and you know they're on their way now towards trying to help this team in two thousand eighteen. Yeah, and in that first practice that we got to look at, it definitely stood out how often Alexander and Jackson both got their hands on passes. Now, obviously these are not passes being thrown by Aaron Rodgers by any means, but um,

their playmakers, they go after the ball. I mean, I know ball hawk is kind of a cliche term, but it really does kind of fit these guys, and when you look at it, you know, his best season, Alexander had five interceptions, Jackson had eight last season for the Iowa Hawkeyes and UM. But it also, as you mentioned, the personalities are different because when asked about it afterwards, Alexander's comment was, well, those are going to turn into

picks pretty soon. That's an idea of his outgoing personality, whereas Jackson is commenting on the fact that it's not used to so many cameras coming from the University of Iowa. So that gives you a little bit of a flavor of these two guys. But they seem to get along really well. They actually met at the scouting combine, um Alexander saying he went up to Jackson and kind of complimented him on his game and said, hey, I thought

you should have won the Thorpe Award. The Jim Thorpe Ward is the given annually to the nation's top defensive back. They kind of hit it off from there, and um and lo and behold they both end up in Green Bay. Yeah. It was funny too because one of the things we heard during the conference calls the first day of the Packers draft Alexanders that he's a talker. And we actually heard that on the practice field on Friday too when

we were out there. I mean, there was a couple of times where he batted balls, another time where he thought he should have the interception. He was already talking about it, you know, in terms of, you know, sort of just a pep talk to himself. Um, you get his personality. And I think one of the things that was funny too, I went up and introduced myself to him,

and he said, Hey, you know, I'm Jayre. You probably already knew that though, you know, just based on all the attention he's been getting in the media, interviews and whatnot. So I thought it was funny too. He did a social media Twitter Q and A with fans with our social media manager Ryan Hartwig and somebody that has to what was it like or what how did you react when you got your phone call that you've been drafted. He actually got his cell phone out and started reenacting

exactly what he did. I mean, that's the kind of personality he is. Uh. And I think the thing that is exciting though, is that, you know, you look at Joe witz track record with these guys, He's had a lot of different guys from a lot of different walks of life. Perennial pro bowler, Heisman Trophy winner like Charles Woodson. He's had an undrafted free agent off a practice squad like Tremont Williams. So many different guys have come through

his room. And regardless of your background, regardless of your personality, regardless of your skill set, they've been able to have success in Green Bay. That's what the Packers are looking now from both Alexander and Jackson. And to have the fact, you know, to add in the fact that there is a little bit of a relationship there in a history, I think is only going to make that bond that

much stronger. Yeah. Well, and from a schematic standpoint, it will be interesting to see just how new defensive coordinator Mike Petton wants to use these guys. There's certainly not being pigeonholed by any means right away, because in the practice that we witnessed, we saw them both lining up as a boundary corner, lining up as a slot corner. They've had some snaps and press man some other snaps and sort of off the ball are off the line of scrimmage type of coverage. So really just just an

introduction and whatnot. But I think Mike Petton is probably going to use O. T. A S in particular and maybe even the early stages of training camp to really figure out, Okay, what are these guys going to be

able to do best as rookies at this level. Because as much as the Packers obviously want to develop them and bring them along and neither one of them is a finished product, they also need to find what they do best right now because the Packers are going to need them as rookies and this is this is not the time for red shirts with these guys. Yeah, and in that nature that position, you and I have talked

about it so many times. When you look down the list of guys, Casey Hayward, Mike a hide uh and if you look at the defensive of the back end, you know how h Clinton dis these guys have had to play early and often just based on the nature of the position and how many guys you need in your sub packages. So while you do have Tremon Williams and Kevin King and Devon House and the list goes on and on of guys who are returning, more often than not, these rookies are pressed into action at some point.

So having that versatility and also that experience in the secondary is really going to benefit them in the long run. The big question now, though, you know, we'll see what happens in the offseason program Packers. You know, they take their course with that, but come training camp, that's when the competition really starts. Yeah, no doubt A bought it. With that, we'll go to a breakback with more on Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted.

Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes Hodko. It's in that one was a little bit of news over rookie Orientation

weekend that we certainly need to discuss. Doesn't happen very often at this early stage of the off season, but the Packer's release punter Justin Vogel essentially for now handing the job to fifth round draft pick and rookie j k sk an interesting development and that the Packers, I think wanted there to be a competition for the job, but by all accounts, that sounded like Justin Vogel kind of asked for his release, feeling like he'd have a

better opportunity to compete somewhere else, feeling the Packers would be pretty well committed to Scott with the investment they made in the draft. Pick Yeah, and Scott, you look at his skill set, where he comes from, had a record breaking run at Alabama. I said last week on the show, I thought I was really excited to see the competition for my money. Over the last twenty five years, I don't think the Packers have had one quite like it.

But whatever situation played out, they're gonna run with J. K. Scott. Now here's the thing. And you look at where he comes from and his skill set and what he offers in terms of his physical ability. Uh, you know, I made this case in the story I wrote on Saturday. Historically, the Packers haven't had a lot of punting competitions. They find their guy, they stick with their guy, and that's

really that they did it. Even in two thousand, I want to say, fourteen or fifteen, when they had both Tim mass Day and Mandeln Camp, who was also a punter at Alabama. Right, they made that decision early in camp. There was basically one year with mass d and Peter Mortell where they went through the first three weeks of training camp before started to narrow things down, and then

after that they went with Jacob Schum. So when you look on paper with what J. K. Scott offers, now you need to be able to put paper to reality. But he does seem like the kind of guy that if you are going to proceed with just one option there into the summer, this is a guy that's going to be able to handle that opportunity and get the

extra reps that come along with it. Right. And the Packers certainly didn't have to grant Justin Vogel's request to be released, but I think the fact that they did one it speaks to what they talked about in terms of really being fair to him, but also that they are comfortable enough with Scott, and I think that comes from the fact that he played at Alabama. He's played in National championship games, SEC games under the lights. You

know all of that. You can't you can't play in any or I should say, punt in any bigger pressure situations than J K. Scott has through his career. Yeah, the NFL all is not going to be a you know, a deer in the headlights kind of thing for Scott. I mean, when you play in the SEC, in the caliber and importance of games that you know, the Crimson Tide play in, uh, the NFL. I'm not saying it's it's like not comparable, but I mean I think he's

ready for that moment. The thing that's gonna be interesting though, in terms of where he's at and where he needs to get to, is that, you know, you don't have Mason Crosby here yet, so he's gonna have to work with him and obviously the holding responsibilities that go with that. He does have. His two long snappers were here the last weekend, including you know, Hunter Bradley, who was the seventh round pick, So there's a chance to start building

some report there as well. But as we get through this offseason program and getting into training camp, the thing I'm gonna be keeping the biggest eye on is trying to form that battery with those specialists because Mason Crosby has had to go through so many changes here the last three four years, really now between the long snappers he's worked with, the punters that have held for him,

they want to get that that cohesiveness down. So while Scott has a remarkable record as a punter, and and you know, the lights are not going to be too bright from in that regard, there is more components to this and that's gonna be something that he's gonna have to try developing now in these months to come. Yeah, and he was the holder at Alabama, so it's not as though he has to completely learn this with the

with the duty being thrust upon him. But uh, from a style standpoint, be interesting to watch him as well and something maybe for Packers fans to adjust to. He has a essentially a straight two step delivery and his plant leg does not come off the ground. Now, I'm a little older than you are, West. When I was growing up, there was a punter from the University of Iowa named Reggie Roby, and he spent a good portion of his career I believe it was with the Miami

Dolphins in the NFL. He was one of the first punters like that anybody had seen in the NFL whose plant leg did not come off the ground when he kicked. It was a really big deal at the time that he was so successful and yet he didn't have you know that that you know, that full leg swing where where the whole body comes up off the ground. J K. Scott. You look at him. We talked about him when we kind of saw him in person for the first time. He's not only tall at six ft five, he's got

long legs. I mean the swing of his leg I can only imagine the power that it generates. And it makes sense from the standpoint that with that long a lever so to speak, kicking the ball, that he can generate enough leverage and enough power without having to leave the ground. It's a style that works for him and he's sticking with it. Yeah, and if he wanted to, I'll tell you this right now, he would have been a heck of a high jumper. You can just see

he's got the perfect building. It's different. You just you just can't be six six and be a really good high jumper. But you can see that he's the son of a guy that that did it at a high level in the Big Tenant at Wisconsin. Because with those

long legs, his calves are just so strong. I mean you get those calves that almost look like thighs, and now you know you've got something to work with their the people who might not know at home, though, Mike, what is the advantage to not leaving the ground on that on the punt, because I know that's a big thing we talked about this past week. But where does that advantage live for for a punter and being able to just you know, have that all in one fluid motion.

I think it comes in with consistency, that just everything about their everything about their approach, their delivery, can be more consistent because in a sense, you're removing one of the moving parts of the of the process. And and uh, you know, you look at Scott's numbers throughout his college career, he has been pretty darn consistent and in just the continual growth that he made at Alabama, I mean, he was pretty much a finished product in terms of the

collegiate sense by the time he left Tuscaloosa. Alright, with that, we're going to go to another break back with more on Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford here, West Hodku, It's all the way over there. All right West. The Packers drafted three wide receivers as well, and one whose story Um, I guess you'd say going back to high school particularly interesting and you addressed it in a nice piece on our website. Marquez Felda's scantling

from the University of South Florida. As a high schooler, he was not only teammates with Shatt Griffin, the one armed linebacker from Central Florida who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks, but they ran a was it state championship really on a state championship team? Yeah? They yeah in in uh in a sprint, right, yeah, sprint relay for undered me to relay. Really interesting thing. And you mentioned high school. I mean these two have known each other.

He's known Saquil and Sachem Griffin, Shakeem Griffin going all the way back to basic when they were in pre k uh in and you know, competed on the same little league teams and football teams and then ran on the state championship track team for Lakewood High School in in Florida. And if you know anything about that school, they've just turned out NFL player after NFL player. And it was interesting talking to him about act because it's the thing about it is he's known him for so long.

He knew him when he still had both of his hands, and in one of the questions was asked to him like, just how traumatic was that for him at four years old having that amputated if you know his story with the with the the disorder that he had, I mean basically was trying to, you know, do it himself because just how much pain he had. And then the parents finally agreed to get it amputated and he said no, but you know, it did not stop him at all, mentally, physically, anything.

And he credits that to a family that basically told him that you're no different than anybody else. You don't ask for sympathy, you don't ask for any handouts. You just go and be the player that you are, be

the student, be the individual that you are. And you know, he even said, when this novelty of it nationally, everybody you know the stories, which was amazing, But he's sort of numb to it because he's just known him overcoming those odds for so long, silencing the doubters and critics for so long, um and to be able to get drafted with him in the same round on the same day. A very special moment for him and really the whole

community of St. Petersburg. Yeah, and as much as Velda's Scantling said, he's numb to it because it sort of just became part of obviously their friendship and and you know,

being teammates and whatnot, he's still inspired by it. When when you when you grow up with that all the way along and you i mean you talk about you know, I mean all those you know whatever, the dog days of high school when it's just like, you know, I don't really don't want to go to practice today, or you know this, or that you just distracted by other things.

He's I mean, here's a guy, you know, one of his best friends and teammates is absolutely not slowing down for anything or anybody with with a significant disability to to have to deal with. And that that's something that it sounds like to me that that it's inspired Marquez all the way along. Yeah, it really has. And he said, you have to understand where they come from too. I mean, the community that they they're raised in, it's not it's

not the best. The neighborhood is not the best. They grew up about five minutes away from each other in terms of you know, their houses, and you know, it's where you really rely on the people around you to kind of get through those circumstances. And you know, he said, I mean you can go back and look too. I mean, the the numbers that Shack put up in track and field and football and baseball. I mean, it's remarkable what he accomplished in and of itself, regardless of you know,

the situation he was put in. But to be able to get through that to go to UCF and and as a lot of people said, it was mostly in in some terms, schools are recruiting him because they wanted to get his brother, his twin brother, Shaquil. So as him being sort of the I don't want to say the the the add on, I mean, he's every bit as much a part of this as as his brother was.

And for them, and they were all incredibly fast, you know, he said, uh, you know, he ran the final leg of their relay team, but he took the baton pass from Shack, his brother usually being the second person. And if you know anything about those foreign and relays, there's so much that goes into that timing and technique that

you you don't have. You don't want to lose speed, you don't want to lose the baton, and they had such a fluid system down, and I think it says a lot about all three of them now that they've been able to to get to this level. Yeah. You and I we both covered a lot of high school which included covering high school track and the state track meeting stuff. And I'll admit I was not necessarily a

big fan of high school track. But if there's one thing that I really enjoyed watching at the state track meet, it was that four by one to relay because of the baton pass, and you'd you'd see the teams that really had had their timing and their system down and just how smooth everything could be, you know, basically one full lap around the track with the four guys, you know, I mean I saw guys like you know, Michael Bennett and b J. Tucker, these you know, stars, eventual stars

for Wisconsin Badgers who made their way into the NFL. These guys were running that relay in lacrosse at the Wisconsin State track Meet. It's always fun to watch. Yeah, And the other thing too, is It's like if you think about Shack doing it with only having one arm. I mean, there's has to be you have to be so far up on your technique because there is no room for error. You can't miss that pass because then

you're gonna be disqualified. So just it is, it's a really we need story now for Velde Scantling being in Green Bay. He knows there's a long way to go yet, but having that background is something that's really pushing him now that he's in Green Bay. Yeah, definitely. With that, we're going to go to a break back with more and Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted.

Mike Spofford alongside West hod Kowitz West. Two other receivers the Packers drafted we certainly should talk about here as well, Jamon Moore from Missouri, an Equinymius st. Brown from Notre Dame, and people wondering with Valdi Scantling there in the middle as the as the fifth round pick of the three one and the fourth one and the fifth one the six what's the difference between the three They all you know, similar height, they're all that six three to six five range.

The thing that stood out to me when I saw them all in the practice field for the first time, is um really just how much thicker I think in the upper body just the body build in general that Jamon more is. I could see from a physical standpoint just looking at him why he was the fourth round pick and the other guys were drafted a little bit later. Yeah, I mean he has a full I think the word I use when we were watching practices is he's so

fully developed and and and it's really balanced throughout his body. Uh. To be honest with you and take this for what it's worth to me, he was sort of that Friday rookie camp m v p uh in my estimation, just because he made a lot of nice plays. Uh. The one that stands out to me the most was that over the top. It was a one on one route, So do you always take that with a grain of salt, But he showed, I mean, one of the big things, even though he ran that four six at the combine,

is his explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. His first two steps are really quick, and also how he finishes off roads. And he said it's a sneaky, you know, deceptive move that he has at the end to really gain that extra separation on you know, go routes and stuff down the field, and he did that against JayR L Alexander. The pass ended up being a little overthrown, but otherwise he was right there. He had the separation

needed to pull it in. And that's what stands out to me the most with him specifically, is just with looking at his body type. He's a big physical receiver, but also he still has an explosiveness down the field to get separation. Yeah, and people are going to be watching him closely because the word coming out, you know, through the draft. And perhaps one of the reasons he lasted till the fourth round was because of the drops.

There were some lapses in concentration and whatnot. And I tell you what you look at, and again this is just in first first impression, but you look at his physical build. You mentioned kind of the the burst that he could show even after he caught the ball, you know, trying to get the yards after the catch. If he works on that concentration part and and makes catches more consistently, we certainly didn't see him drop any like right in front of us or anything. But if he makes catches

more consistently. I mean, this guy back to back thousand yards seasons in the SEC and what kind of numbers would he have put up if he hadn't had the issues with the drops. That's what you have to start to think about. And uh, you know with certainly with Aaron Rodgers thrown in the ball, that ball is gonna be on target way more often than not. Absolutely needed to catch it. And he said, you know, he did a lot of stuff to work on his focus in concentration.

I think one of them was he actually wore gardening gloves during some of his drills to be able to just not have the advantage of you know, having your regular sticky glove receiver gloves something he's really using. And yeah, it's gonna be a great competition, you know, Valdez Scantling said it to Those three guys are really gonna be

pushing each other throughout the whole offseason. Now. Yeah, and st Brown from Notre Dame six ft five, you know, not an easy guy to match up against, doesn't necessarily have the blazing speed you know this and that, but but a guy that you know, the packers are really curious to see what happens like the term was used body beautiful. I mean he looks like an NFL receiver and have a chance to prove it this summer. Alright, with that, we will sign off on this edition of

Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot com on Twitter. He's at west Hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in every luddy. We'll see you next time. H m hmm.