Green Bay Packers select former Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes 29th overall in NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers have selected former Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Eric Stokes with the 29th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

The Packers will look to pair Stokes with their star corner Jaire Alexander. 

There were seldom mock drafts that projected Stokes to be selected in the first round. Azeez Ojulari was widely seen as the first Georgia Bulldogs that would be drafted, but Stokes beat him out for that title.

The draft buzz around Stokes began when his 40-yard dash time was clocked at 4.25 at Georgia’s pro day back in March. 

Stokes shined last year for the impressive Georgia defense. He recorded four interceptions and four passes defended in 2020. The speedy cornerback is one of several players that left Georgia’s secondary in this offseason, and he will be difficult to replace. 

This is now the fourth-straight year that at least one Georgia player has been selected in the first round of the NFL draft. 2017 is the last time that Georgia did not feature a player picked in the opening round of the draft, when Isaiah McKenzie was the only player from Athens who was drafted. 

Stoke’s high selection will only help Kirby Smart continue recruiting top defensive players in the country. Ojulari and Tyson Campbell are likely to be selected in the second and/or third rounds.