The Green Bay Packers attacked the biggest need position on their roster by trading up and taking arguably the most exciting safety prospect in the entire draft class.
Picking Maryland’s Darnell Savage at No. 21 overall will give the Packers a likely starter at safety with a complementing skill set to Adrian Amos, who the Packers signed to a four-year deal in free agency.
Together, Amos and Savage have completely rebuilt the backend of the Packers defense.
While lacking in size, Savage (5-11, 198) brings 4.36-second speed, impressive football intelligence and a tough, aggressive mindset to a position where the Packers desperately needed the help.
Savage is an elite athlete, with top-tier speed and lower-body explosiveness.
Some will mark the Packers down for trading up and taking Savage at No. 21, well above where many had him ranked. But Savage’s combination of athleticism and instincts made him the top safety on the Packers’ board, and when an opportunity to go get a starter on defense opened up, GM Brian Gutekunst pounced.
Savage is a former cornerback, and it shows. He played traditional safety roles at Maryland, including some as a single-high free safety, but he also played near the line of scrimmage and covered receivers and tight ends in the slot. He understands route combinations unfolding in front of him and has the explosive ability to go get the ball in the air.
In a perfect world, Savage would give defensive Mike Pettine a more athletic version of Micah Hyde, who had safety/slot cornerback versatility and the playmaking ability in coverage to create turnovers. The Packers just never gave Hyde enough opportunities to play safety. Once he left Green Bay and landed in Buffalo, Hyde blossomed as an All-Pro safety.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Savage. The Packers have the need at safety and will likely lean on Savage to play important snaps as a rookie. If his speed and instincts translate to the next level, Savage will give the Packers the playmaking defensive back they clearly needed next to Amos.
