2024 2nd Round Pick #58 Overall Javon Bullard

[Joemailman]

Overview
Bullard isn't a clean fit as a full-time nickel and might lack the length and range teams seek from a split safety, but he's a good football player with the field awareness teams are looking for. He's going to be a little tight with lateral movements, which will create some throwing windows and missed tackles from time to time, but his route recognition and angles of pursuit help to stabilize his play. There will be some challenging matchups, but Georgia's provided the blueprint by playing him as a big nickel with run support and modest man cover duties -- NFL teams would be wise to follow suit. With the right fit, Bullard should develop into a quality NFL starter.

Strengths
Plays with above-average football intelligence and instincts.
Patient in reading and reacting to wide receiver’s actions.
Spatial awareness helps navigate rub routes and pursuit angles.
Has the route anticipation to shadow breaks from off-man.
Attacks blockers with stiff punch to separate as run supporter.
Centers up and accelerates through the targets as tackler.

Weaknesses
Could struggle covering large patches of grass as a high safety.
Short strider lacking comeback speed once he’s beaten.
Very average burst to close creates limited playmaking range.
Needs to come to balance a little sooner as an alley runner.
Tightness in hips creates inconsistency as an open-field tackler.

[Joemailman]

[HarveyWallbangers]

I wasn't enamored with this pick, but a lot of people seem to like this pick. I'll take a wait and see on this guy.

[Vincenzo]

Is this our hidden gem pick, Joe the mailman?

[Frozen Tundra]

I wasn't enamored with this pick, but a lot of people seem to like this pick. I'll take a wait and see on this guy.

I think it may be a matter of context. I like the pick a lot, considering what other players there were at that draft slot and that specific position, because we needed help at safety and very few players in this draft class could have helped us more than he probably will. But there've been a lot of years I'd have felt cheated if he was the best safety we could have come away with, period.

So.... I'm really happy that in a year where we badly needed safety, we got one of the best safeties available. But I can't deny that I wish this were a year where we had some better safeties from whom to choose.

I think Gute saw this coming months ago, and that's why we pounced Xavier McKinney the minute he got out of bed that first morning. I think he knew we had critical needs at safety, but we were going to have very few options in the draft. So in anticipation of that, he made sure we were as strong at the position as we could possibly be - so that no matter how badly we might fall short in the draft, we wouldn't be totally vulnerable at that position for the entire season and post-season. We'd have one of the best safeties in the NFL to start with, and then we'd do the best we could to build a corps around him. And I'd bet he knew it would take more than the 2024 draft.

[Fritz]

Man, this is just one weird pick. He's not an elite athlete, it seems. He's a little small. He sure doesn't fit the Packer profile of loving great athletes.

It seems to me that Guter was not bullshitting about his defensive players needing to be versatile, because that seems to be this kid's selling point. He can play safety high, in the box, or nickel.

I still think Guter took a chance that DeJean would be there at his pick, and when the Iggles jumped him, he knew the game was up and so traded back. DeJean was also versatile but a better athlete, apparently, than this kid.

This one's a head-scratcher for me. I'm guessing they're going to take a couple of flyers in later rounds on a couple more safeties.

[King Friday]

I believe this is a solid pick because of two reasons. First, this kid was not a 5 star recruit coming out of high school, yet he went to Georgia and became a fixture in their secondary. That means he’s a hard worker off the field, which may have been the downfall of our more recent safety failures. Second, while he lacks high end elite speed he does possess exceptional quickness in short bursts and shows above average coverage techniques that should only improve with coaching. He’s probably never going to be a great single deep safety option, but that is fine because that is why we got X.

[Fritz]

Good points. Versatility is a big, big thing now in Green Bay, and this kid's got it.

To me, after watching Guter's presser, it would seem that Green Bay actually liked this kid better than DeJean, or at least they liked this kid and Edgerrin Cooper better than Dejean and some unknown other pick plus giving up a pick or two to get DeJean,

[King Friday]

I’m just not sold on Iowa defensive players. The Big Ten is a below average offensive league. Iowa defensive players often look fabulous in college, then don’t look nearly as good at the next level. They’ve had a ton of great college players there, but few have become great at the next level other than TEs.

[bobblehead]

Yep, after some time and review I like this pick where we made it. He is super instinctual. Some of the routes he jumped and almost picked off can't be taught. He is a football player. He may never be an all pro eraser, but I think he will be a pretty good pro.

[run pMc]

I like the pick.
Smart player, good enough athlete. Decent instincts. Played all over the back for UGA as a safety and even in the slot. He's a safety with versatility.
I think he'll pair well with McKinney, they can rock-n-roll each of them and keep offenses guessing. Also means they don't have to shift around like crazy pre-snap to respond to motioning receivers.

A little undersized at 5'10"+ but he's got enough density at 198. He's a slightly slower Savage with better instincts and tackling. He'd probably be a R3 pick in a draft class with better safeties, but he's still a solid Day 2 pick and not a reach IMO. Was the one of the top 3 safeties on most draftnik's boards, FWIW.

GB has drafted about 1/3 of the UGA CFB championship defense.

[bobblehead]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...684bf2a2&ei=72

Javon thread is dead already. Is it because no one loves or hates the pick? Either way I found this to be a nice article.

[George Cumby]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...684bf2a2&ei=72

Javon thread is dead already. Is it because no one loves or hates the pick? Either way I found this to be a nice article.

Here's why I like Bullard: Drew Fucking Rosenhaus is at the kid's house and is the second person to hug him, after his mom, when he gets the call. Drew. Fucking. Rosenhaus.

[Arctic Fox]

I think Bullard will be a great asset. I don't know much about him in making that determination. I'm just going off of what one sportwriter said. "He's just a stud football player."

[RashanGary]

8.25 RAS. He’s an above average physical talent for the position. Physically we’ll give him all B grade because he’s smaller and that lowers his score.

Everything I hear when it comes to instincts, intelligence, work ethic, football mindset, etc…. He’s an A+

We could be looking at a perennial probowler.

[run pMc]

Who knows if he'll be a probowler, but I think he'll at least be decent and a solid running mate for McKinney. Can play all over - box post, two shell, in the slot. Gute wanted versatility, and he's got it. Only knock is his size.

Out of the safeties this year, he was probably the best fit for what they wanted. Doesn't have the medical delays of Dejean or Nubin, or the testing of Kinchens. I liked Dejean but PHI grabbed him and he was a projection at safety. Bullard isn't.
I think there's not a lot of commentary on him in general because he's considered a solid, possibly even safe pick. I've heard him described as Darnell Savage but slower and with better instincts/tackling. If he gives up .1 on his 40 time but has football IQ and can tackle, I'm fine with it.

Gute basically did a full teardown and rebuild of the safety room. Should be improved.

[Fritz]

If his only knock is his size, then I'm on board.

Savage couldn't play. This kid sounds like he can PLAY.

I'll take it. Let's see how the young man does.

[RashanGary]

If his only knock is his size, then I'm on board.

Savage couldn't play. This kid sounds like he can PLAY.

I'll take it. Let's see how the young man does.

I have this image burnt in my mind that I sometimes see when I go to sleep or hear savages name, of the “guided missile” image you posted. Thanks for that.

But yes, there was zero talk about Savave being a gritty ball player. He came downhill fast once every other game and made a highlight reel play. He was a “guided missile” and he ran 4.39. That was his calling card. That’s it.

[Fritz]

When I think of “guided missile,” I think of someone like Brett Favre in his early, wild days, targeting local waitresses like a heat-seeking missile.

But I have come around on Bullard. After reading about him and hearing Guter speak about how the trade with N.O. went down, I do think they liked Bullard-the-safety better than DeJean-the-guy-you-have-to-teach-to-play-safety. Plus then you very likely don’t get Gary Cooper, plus you’d have had to trade an extra fourth or fifth to move up ahead of the Iggles.

Like I said, this kid’s size seems to be his only knock.

[ThunderDan]

When I think of “guided missile,” I think of someone like Brett Favre in his early, wild days, targeting local waitresses like a heat-seeking missile.

But I have come around on Bullard. After reading about him and hearing Guter speak about how the trade with N.O. went down, I do think they liked Bullard-the-safety better than DeJean-the-guy-you-have-to-teach-to-play-safety. Plus then you very likely don’t get Gary Cooper, plus you’d have had to trade an extra fourth or fifth to move up ahead of the Iggles.

Like I said, this kid’s size seems to be his only knock.

They said that about Jimmy Leonhard.