Last weekend’s rookie minicamp allowed only a short look at defensive back Javon Bullard and the new draft picks for the Green Bay Packers, but an opportunity for the first-year players to absorb information and translate it to the practice field over two days provided a chance for Bullard to impress his new coaches, including defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
As much as rookie minicamp is for showing off physical skills, the mental side can also shine through.
“The best part of it is, you don’t really know what you’re getting until you get into a meeting room with him. He’s a sharp guy,” Hafley said Monday. “His ability to learn and process during those two days was impressive. When you get a guy who can play that fast and can take what he learned in the meeting room and bring it out onto the field, he’s got a chance. Small little glimpse of what we’re going to get when they get here, but excited to have him.”
The Packers took Bullard with the 58th overall pick in the draft. At Georgia, Bullard played in the slot, deep as a safety and in the box for an NFL-style defense, giving Hafley another versatile, interchangeable defensive back to pair with Xavier McKinney.
An ability to digest information is vital to a rookie. Bullard will be learning a brand new defense in Green Bay, and if he’s a starter at safety — like many expect — he’ll need to know not only his own responsibilities on every play but the jobs of many others in the secondary. To play fast is to play without hesitation.
Hafley, now the Packers’ first-year defensive coordinator after a stint as the head coach of Boston College, recruited Bullard coming out of high school. He’s seeing many of the same things he saw on his high school and college film.
“Loved his tape,” Hafley said. “Loved the way he played, loved the playstyle. Loved the versatility. He’s a physical guy. He can run. He can cover. He can play deep. He can play in the slot. He can blitz. He’s bigger when you see him. He’s thick, strong.”
