The University of Wisconsin has a pair of elite athletes at positions of need for the Green Bay Packers, suggesting both in-state prospects should be on the team’s draft radar this spring.
Linebacker Leo Chenal and defensive lineman Matt Henningsen both solidified their status as top athletes during Wisconsin’s pro day on Wednesday.
Chenal, who aced the combine in Indianapolis last week, completed the bench press and agility drills in Madison. He put up 34 reps on the bench and finished the three-cone drill in 6.84 seconds and the short shuttle in 3.94 seconds. There’s always the hometown timing advantage involved with pro days, but even with slight adjustments to each time, Chenal cemented his pre-draft profile as an elite athlete.
In fact, if using the agility numbers from the pro day, Chenal is entering the NFL draft as one of the most athletic linebackers ever:
Here is the updated RAS score for Wisconsin ILB Leo Chenal from @MathBomb link credit: #Steelers #NFL https://t.co/CEd2TksqK8 pic.twitter.com/regQLVdi0T
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) March 9, 2022
The Packers are entering free agency without knowing the future of All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who is an unrestricted free agent after a breakout season. If he departs, inside linebacker will become a top need in Green Bay. Chenal now has the playmaking ability and athletic testing numbers to tempt any team in need of help at linebacker to take him within the first two days of the draft.
“Chenal has a great blend of power and speed,” Packers draft analyst Brennen Rupp said. “He is a physical tone-setter against the run. He was a force in the middle of Wisconsin’s defense, recording 18.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He’s at his best coming down hill and could thrive playing behind a big man like Kenny Clark.”
Henningsen might have been the star of the show on Wednesday.
The Badger defensive lineman hit 37.5″ in the vertical and cleared 119″ in the broad jump, highlighting his explosive lower body. Like Chenal, he aced the agility drills, finishing the three-cone drill in 7.02 seconds and the short shuttle in 4.22 seconds. Again, the pro day caveat applies here.
Henningsen’s athletic profile at 6-3 and 289 pounds looks terrific:
Here’s #Wisconsin DL Matt Henningsen’s final RAS composite scores.
99th+ percentile in jumps, 99th+ percentile in agility drills #ShrineBowl pic.twitter.com/35xDDpwUoF
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) March 9, 2022
The Packers have a perpetual need for help along the defensive line. Henningsen doesn’t have great length, but he’s built similarly to Kingsley Keke, a fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2019. Green Bay should be looking for athletes like Henningsen to plug in next to Clark.
“Henningsen reminds me of a more athletic Dean Lowry. A grab your hard hat and lunch box and go to work type player. The former walk-on plays with a lot of power and gives you everything he has snap-to-snap,” Rupp said.
The Packers have drafted three Wisconsin players since 2014, including offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen last April. The team hasn’t drafted a pair of Badgers in the same year since 1985. Could this be the year the Packers use the in-state pipeline to address a pair of needs on defense?
