If there’s a time to take risks in the NFL, it’s during the draft. The Green Bay Packers took one last year when they traded up to select Darnell Savage 21st overall. It was a big risk, especially for a team known for having somewhat of a bad track record for selecting defensive backs early on. Savage, however, could be one they got right.
The moment Savage was drafted, he was expected to be a starter. It’s a lot to ask of a rookie to be immediately forced into a starting role. Accompany that with the added pressure of playing for a defense that was desperately trying to sort out their secondary.