By Nate Lunak
The Green Bay Packers surprised fans and analysts alike when they chose Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan with the 25th overall pick. With cornerback Cooper DeJean still on the board it almost seemed like a no-brainer, but that wasn't the case.
DeJean and fellow top CB prospect Kool-Aid McKinstry are still available at the start of Day 2, but there's a strong chance each will be gone when the Packers are set to pick someone with the 41st selection.
That's why they should be shifting their attention to CB Max Melton from Rutgers with the 58th overall pick.
Melton is the brother of current Green Bay wide receiver Bo Melton, who put himself on the map last season after being an UDFA and the first receiver on the team to have a game with 100+ receiving yards.
Why Packers should draft Max Melton on Day 2
If there's one thing GM Brian Gutekusnt loves, it's an athlete. Melton fits the build, finishing eighth at the NFL Combine in the 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds), tied for third in vertical jump (40.50) and first in the broad jump (11'4). Between those numbers and his physical measurement, he walked away with a Relative Athletic Score score of 9.09.
If you've at all become familiar with how the Packers draft then you know how important a good RAS score is. Since taking over in 2018, Gutekunst has drafted six corners who qualified for an RAS score. Of those six, the average was 8.46, with an outlier being Shemar Jean-Charles, who scored 4.24.
Melton's play on the field also speaks for itself.
"Versatile inside/outside cornerback who displayed improvement every year at Rutgers. Melton carries good size and did a nice job staying with some of the better receiving options from the Big Ten," writes Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
He spent most of his college career playing as a boundary corner, recording 1,445 snaps (per Pro Football Focus) at the spot but also gained some experience working in the slot. In 2023 specifically, be lined up in the slot 60 times.
If the season were to start today, Keisean Nixon would be assuming the role of nickel corner, and even though he may hold his own, the Packers should be bringing in talent who could compete and improve a position that is becoming more and more important.
ESPN currently ranks Melton as the 21st-best player available, which means he could certainly be available when the Packers make their selection at No. 58.