With 11 picks overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers will almost certainly sign undrafted free agents as OTAs and training camp get near. But in 2024, which of these rookies will have the most influence on the team? To be safe, invest in Javon Bullard. Bullard, a former Georgia Bulldog, was selected by Green Bay in the second round, and he appears ready for a successful rookie campaign. Due to the Packers’ lack of depth at safety, Bullard—who played at Georgia alongside Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker—has a chance. Many Green Bay supporters recognised at the close of the season that the safety group was the weakest in the lineup. With Darnell Savage severing connections this summer and Adrian Amos leaving last offseason, Green Bay needed to make a significant move at safety. They succeeded in doing so by adding Xavier McKinney to the draft and filling the void. Bullard was selected to the AP All-SEC Second Team and played a significant role in Georgia’s two National Championship runs. In UGA’s 2022 championship victory over TCU, he pulled in two interceptions and was named defensive MVP. In 2023, he recorded ten tackles during the Bulldogs’ victory over Auburn. Bullard was the top safety going into the draft, according to ESPN, and the Packers chose him with pick No. 58. Tyler Nubin of Minnesota was the No. 2 safety in the class, but the 37th pick in the second round went to the New York Giants. Bullard is a “versatile player who gives enough scheme flexibility to play in both zone and man coverages,” according to Bleacher Report’s scouting report prior to the draft, and he “does a great job of playing from multiple levels and positions.” Bullard can stop the run closer to the line of scrimmage and retain decent coverage. He also possesses exceptional ball skills. He moves really quickly and physically. Bullard demonstrated his fast feet in coverage on film with his 4.47 40-yard sprint speed at the combine. When fast receivers break on a route, he has the burst to stay with them. If Bullard is the only safety playing deep coverage, he can quickly reach either sideline in the same amount of time as Xavier McKinney. Bullard can read the quarterback’s eyes and has a great football IQ. He has to be careful since the only negative outcome this may have is if the quarterback purposely looks him off to the side opposite where he will go with the ball. He is also a fantastic ball player. In order to make a play at the ideal moment, Bullard can highpoint the ball, follow its trajectory while it’s still in the air, and play it with his hands like a receiver. But when offences catch him out of position, he lacks the quickness to get back into place. He can, however, quicken his recovery rate with time and effort, and McKinney may assist him in improving his defence reading. He is also described by Bleacher Report as an inconsistent tackler who prefers to go down at the ankles and legs of opponents rather than wrapping up and driving. That’s presumably because of his small stature (5’11”, 198 lbs.), but it’s also not a major concern because he can get stronger with time and practice and become a better tackler.Ultimately, in 2021, Bullard, Devonte Wyatt, and Quay Walker all played at Georgia. They were all instrumental in securing a National Championship. Because Bullard had a former teammate at the other two key positions on the defence, their time at Georgia may have also contributed to their synergy. Walker covers the linebacking corps, Bullard assists with the secondary, and Wyatt manages the pass rush. Together, the three of them accomplished this with great success.Using their late-second-round selection, Green Bay could have selected no better player than Bullard. The defence will benefit greatly from their ability to capture Edgerrin Cooper and Bullard in the same round, as Cooper and Bullard could have been selected sooner. Bullard should be able to start right away because he was the best player available overall at that position.
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