Dean Lowry Jersey White , something that will be critical as the zone-blocking scheme kicks in."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football Advicemakes him a perfect fit for Matt LaFleur’s offenseNew,49commentsThe second-round pick has great movement skills for his size, something that will be critical as the zone-blocking scheme kicks in.CDTShareTweetShareSharePackers draft pick Elgton Jenkins’ athleticism makes him a perfect fit for Matt LaFleur’s offenseChuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsThe refrain about the Green Bay Packers for years has been that they don’t draft college interior offensive linemen. While that was a trend, it’s fair to call it a preference rather than a hard and fast rule. Corey Linsley was one of the first players to break that tendency back in 2014, but the door is wide open now in 2019.Through that door walks Elgton Jenkins, an All-SEC center from Mississippi State. While Linsley is manning the center position, the Packers view Jenkins as a guard on day one, with the ability to back up several positions — center among them. But while the interior is where he played in recent years, Jenkins’ time as a college tackle does give him a leg up on some other interior players in this year’s class, and it appeared to factor into the Packers’ evaluation on the player who became the 44th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft on Friday night.Packers area scout Charles Walls discussed the Jenkins pick shortly after the card came in, and he used some words that would become a common refrain about Jenkins right away. “=We took him as a guard,” Walls said, “but with a guy with that size and athleticism http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-jake-ryan-jersey , if you watch the tape, you’d feel comfortable putting him anywhere you need him to be.” Later, general manager Brian Gutekunst gave a little more clarity to the role he sees for Jenkins to start out: “I think he’s ideally suited inside, and that’s what we drafted him as,” Gutekunst said, “but I think if he had to get you out of a game at tackle, I think he could do that.” Those comments suggest that they do not see Jenkins competing for a starting tackle job or even perhaps a primary backup job, but rather that he can be called upon on the outside in an emergency.Starting tackle ability or not, with “off the charts” athleticism, Jenkins becomes an instant fit for the Packers’ zone-blocking run game under Matt LaFleur. “In this scheme that we’re gonna run, that’s gonna be a premium for us,” Walls said. “His ability not only to control the line of scrimmage but get up on the second level, get up on third level Womens Oren Burks Jersey , cover up guys in space, he’s unique at that. And he’s smart, he’s intelligent.”Jenkins the man is just as impressive as Jenkins the player as well. The Packers have a member of the organization who got a first-hand look at Jenkins for two years in Starkville and could vouch for him. Luke Getsy, who returned to the Packers this offseason as quarterbacks coach, spent those two seasons as Mississippi State’s offensive coordinator. Getsy provided the personnel department with “all positive feedback (as) a player and a person,” and was apparently “fired up” when they turned in the pick. Getsy’s familiarity with the big lineman should be an added bonus when practices begin.Ultimately, despite the Packers’ need on the offensive line, the team viewed Jenkins as a terrific value on their draft board. “Definitely a light bulb goes off when a guy falls to you with that much value,” Walls said.He isn’t a college tackle. He wasn’t one of the names that popped up on most analysts’ draft boards when examining the Packers. He wasn’t one of the slew of linemen who came to Green Bay on official visits. But the Packers are thrilled to have Elgton Jenkins coming to town. The NFC North will have only one team in the postseason in 2018. The Minnesota Vikings have officially been knocked out of the playoffs in week 17, thanks to a loss at home to the Chicago Bears. Chicago earned a 24-10 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium, sending the Vikings to 8-7-1 on the season.That result, combined with the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over Washington, drops the Vikings below Philly Brett Favre Jersey , who will earn the final Wild Card slot in the NFC. The Eagles finish the year 9-7 with the win, which came with Nick Foles starting at quarterback once again.The Vikings were always hanging around in playoff position this season, but could never get more than two games above .500. Back-to-back wins in weeks 15 and 16 gave them the opportunity to clinch a playoff berth with a victory today, but the Bears erased that possibility with their suffocating defense. Minnesota finished the game with just 164 yards of offense and were 1-for-9 on third downs and 1-for-4 on fourth downs in the game.Meanwhile, the Eagles stomped Washington at FedEx Field behind a similar formula to the Bears’. Washington managed just 89 yards of total offense as Philadelphia cruised to a comfortable 24-0 win, earning the final spot.If the current results hold, the Seattle Seahawks will be the fifth seed in the NFC this year, with Philadelphia holding the sixth spot. Seattle will play at the fourth-seeded Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round next week, while Philly travels to play at the Chicago Bears, who will hold the #3 seed as long as the Los Angeles Rams hold on for a victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
