With their sixth-round pick (213th overall) in the 2015 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers select Kennard Backman, tight end, UAB.
PLAYER DETAILS:
Kennard Backman
Tight end
UAB
6-3/258 lbs
CAREER NOTES (from UABSports.com):
Has made 25 starts at tight end in his first three UAB seasons … athletic tight end who will be again be counted on heavily in 2013 … has emerged as one of top tight ends in Conference USA and garnering national attention as well … enters senior season with 57 career receptions for 580 yards … named to 2014 Watch List for John Mackey Award.
PRO DAY:
4.66 40 yard dash, 17 reps on bench press, 1.65 10yd split, 35.5-inch vertical, 9 foot, 9-inch broad jump, 7.23 3-cone, 4.49 20yd shuttle.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com describes Backman as a good receiver down the seam and in traffic. He’s not the largest player, but he works hard and was a solid contributor for the UAB squad over his four-year career. Zierlein also suggests Backman needs to work on his route running and blocking techniques, and therefore projects more as an H-back.
VIDEO:
COMMENTARY:
While working with our friends at Cheeseheadtv.com on their draft guide, I also scouted tight ends. Honestly, Backman wasn’t on my radar, or many other draft analysts radars, either. I thought there were better tight ends on the board when the Packers selected Backman, but we all know that Ted Thompson has a keen eye for talent and finds diamonds in the rough that others miss.
Backman is an interesting pick who appears to be undersized and lacks the straight ahead blocking ability to play inline tight end. He does seem to have a knack at getting open in traffic and has confidence grabbing the ball in traffic. With his 40-yard dash time of 4.66 seconds, he brings more speed to the position than Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless. Since he’s not known for his blocking ability, I suspect the Packers plan to use him as a faster receiving tight end, possibly in the mold of an H-back. He’s most likely a Brandon Bostic replacement on the roster, so he’ll probably get the same number of snaps per game and will be relegated to special teams duties.
On a slightly sad note, Backman will likely be the last player to ever be drafted from UAB since the Board of Regents decided to cancel their football program after the 2014 season.
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Jay Hodgson is an independent sports blogger writing for AllGreenBayPackers.com and WISports.com.
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Well this is the silence… Let’s see what this young man can brought to the Packers… How he can help Packers to become better team…
Huh. Well, that was a 6th round dumpster fire…
why do you say that? A FB, a 5 Tech and a move TE? Do you not like the particular guys?
There definitely were a lot of “who” picks this year. As a matter of
fact, every round had nothing but “who” picks except 4/5. That doesn’t
mean these guys aren’t going to be good players. I said it yesterday and
I’ll say it again. I LOVED the 2011 and 2012 draft classes, and they
both (by and large) ended up being turds. Lots of “name” players those
years – at positions of need.
Perhaps TT and his crew are just going 2nd level? Maybe they really just have done that much homework. Or maybe they’re off their rockers. We don’t know. At least there seems to be SOME depth at LB and DL after today though….
Significant number of UDFAs that were rated pretty highly that are still out there. Hopefully they score a few of those.
You make a good point: just because we haven’t heard of a guy doesn’t mean he isn’t a good fit. Or maybe TT had too many old-fashioneds over the course of the morning…
not even practice squad material….cut for sure.
lol… a perfect ending to what is pretty much a bunch of whining women on here upset because they didn’t pick the guys there were told by some scouting website were good.
Ted
Guilty. 😉
lol. guilty part dos.
Thanks to all the authors at allgbp for what obviously was a lot of work covering the draft, especially a TT draft. And for putting up with we commenters.