Green Bay Reporter

 As early returns go, the Green Bay Packers like just about everything they see from their 2022 draft class.

While second-round star wideout Christian Watson undoubtedly rates as the darling of the class, team officials are convinced he isn’t the only gem they walked away with.

Tabbed in the fourth round out of Nevada, Watson’s new running mate Romeo Doubs has also turned heads in the early going, including being ranked by Pro Football Focus among the top six players taken on Day 3 of the draft who are “in the best position to produce in year one,” as quoted by CheeseheadTV.com.

While team officials are still raving about Doubs’ speed being “somewhere in the 4.5’s,” the speedster has been quick to reason it takes more than that to do what he does.

“It’s not just being fast, but making sure that you know the technique of just running a deep pattern, whether it’s a deep post up the middle, running a go ball, making sure you stack (defender), making sure you master the technique and fundamental work," Doubs told CheeseHead TV.com.  

On defense, the Packers grabbed linebacker Quay Walker with the 22nd pick overall and plan to team him with De’Vondre Campbell in what figures to line up as the team’s best tandem at the position in decades.

While Campbell was the team’s first All Pro inside linebacker in nearly three decades last season, the Packers didn’t hesitate in grabbing Walker, and coaches now envision pairing the two in what could be one of the league’s most talented units.

“Beyond just his size, which really meets the standard, I mean when you look at the fact that this guy could potentially be standing next to De'Vondre Campbell on defense, you see two twin towers out there that could really bring some athleticism to that position, it really is mind blowing,” sports analyst Wes Hodkiewicz said of Walker in a recent video tweet. “But it’s also what he did when he was out at practice I think, that one on one passing drill, you know he’s in trail coverage against that receiver, and yeah it’s just a one on one the quarterback has to throw it but the way he adjusts to the ball to get to the pick, I was really impressed by it.”

Coaches also note that while Walker has the size and build of a linebacker, his speed and athleticism are what separate him from most, including ranking him in the top 3.5% of prospects in NFL Scouting Combine history.