This is volume II of a VII part series ranking the impact the 2022 draft class will provide for the Green Bay Packers. In part I, we took a look at the potential impact a pair of seventh round picks may provide if they make the roster.
In Volume II we’ll take a look at two more seventh-round selections that could provide an immediate impact on special teams for the Packers.
9). Samori Toure, WR
The Packers selected the Nebraska wide receiver with the 258th overall pick, making him the third wide receiver that Brian Gutekunst selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Looking at Green Bay’s wide receiver depth chart it’s hard to see a path to playing time on offense for the former Montana wide receiver. Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Amari Rodgers and Romeo Doubs all seem like roster locks.
Toure’s pathway to the roster is special teams. Anything he offers on the offensive side of the ball will be gravy.
Toure has experience as a kick returner and has the speed (4.44 40-yard time) to carve out a role as a gunner.
“I’ve had special teams snaps throughout my career at Montana,” Toure said. “That’s something I can be really good at. I’m going to put a lot of focus towards it entering the NFL.”
WR Samori Toure with a strong outing last night – 2 nice TD catches but routinely first down on punt coverage units too! @ShrineBowl pic.twitter.com/ffLz4wDW0L
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) February 4, 2022
Prediction: With his ability to impact special teams, Toure will make it difficult for Green Bay to keep him off the 53-man roster.
On top of his special teams prowess, Toure checks the boxes as a wide receiver. He’s a big play threat. He’s a polished route runner and he has reliable hands.
“Physically, they definitely look the part,” Aaron Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show. “All three of the guys we drafted all have physical gifts. Obviously, the top two picks are bigger, but the seventh-rounder has a lot of stuff to him.”
Even though Rodgers didn’t mention Toure by name, it’s never a bad thing to have the reigning back-to-back MVP say nice things about you, unless you’re Jake Kumerow.
On top of that, it was reported prior to the draft that the Packers had interest in Toure. That’s not nothing. The Packers have never kept more than six wide receivers on the roster under Matt LaFleur. Toure may change that with his ability to impact special teams and his upside as a wide receiver.
Sources: Nebraska standout wide receiver Samori Toure drawing heavy interest from the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, and San Francisco 49ers @PFN365 @Huskers #Chiefs #Bengals #Packers #Colts #49ers https://t.co/z29QZdMCLY
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 5, 2022
8). Tariq Carpenter, LB/S
The Packers needed to get new special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia some hired guns and Gutekunst brought in a trained assassin by selecting Carpenter with the 228th overall pick.
Carpenter is a hybrid defender with the versatility to play safety or linebacker. Immediately following the draft Matt LaFleur said the Packers would slot him in at linebacker.
“We’re going to move him to the inside linebacker,” Green Bay’s head coach said. “He’s a big guy, but he can run.”
Where Carpenter is going to make his living his rookie season is on special teams. At 6-2, 230 pounds, Carpenter has 4.47 speed and is at his best coming downhill. With his size, speed and physical play style, Carpenter figures to be a four-phase special teamer.
“He’s really, really physical,” Brian Gutekunst said following the draft. “We’ll figure out exactly how he fits, whether he goes to the linebacker room or safety room at different times and what packages he plays in on defense, but certainly on special teams is one of the reasons we took him.”
Prediction: With his ability to impact the game on special teams, Carpenter seems like a lock to make the roster.
Couple that with the versatility that he’ll bring on defense and Carpenter seems like a safe bet to make Green Bay’s 53-man roster.
He may not see a ton of playing time on the defensive side of the ball as a rookie, but he’ll likely play a key role in helping Green Bay improve on special teams.
