The Green Bay Packers 2024 Draft class featured many players who made only limited contributions as rookies. For some, it was due to injuries while others needed more time to adjust to the NFL game. But in training camp this season, this former Packers high round draft pick is starting to show signs of improvement. He’s also battling for a position in the Packers starting lineup.

This Former Packers Draft Pick is Starting to Show Signs of Improvement: A Rough Rookie Year

The Packers selected linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper with the 91st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Many draft experts believed the Packers reached by selecting Hopper that early. Most scouts had him with a fourth or early fifth-round grade.

The third round pick out of Missouri had a rough start to his NFL career. With the Packers switching to a 4-3 defense under Jeff Hafley, there was at least one starting linebacker spot up for grabs in training camp. Unfortunately for Hopper, he struggled to learn the playbook and saw only limited action on defense.

Hopper played in all 17 games for the Packers as a rookie but didn’t start any. He made a total of nine tackles all season and played just 18 snaps on defense. The rest of his playing time came on special teams.

The Packers love the speed and athleticism that Hopper brings to the team. The coaching staff continues to believe he will eventually earn a larger role on defense, but he must do a better job of diagnosing plays quickly off the snap of the ball.

Training Camp 2025

During the offseason, Hopper added some weight to his frame as he prepared for his second NFL season. Last year, he played at 228 pounds. When training camp started this summer, he was up to 237.

Hopper has made some plays in training camp and even made some good tackles during the first preseason game against the Jets. While he did not start, he saw plenty of playing time and led the team with eight total tackles.

Head coach Matt LaFleur has noticed a difference in Hopper’s play this year compared to 2024. “I think he’s done a really nice job,” LaFleur told reporters. “I think you can really see the growth from one year to the next.”

At practice this week, Hopper made a good play that made the coaches take notice. He used his speed to penetrate past the line of scrimmage and stopped running back Emanuel Wilson in the backfield for a loss. He also forced Wilson to cough up the football. Unfortunately, Hopper started celebrating after making the play and didn’t notice the ball was loose. So, even as Hopper makes progress, he has more things to learn and concentrate on.

This Former Packers Draft Pick is Starting to Show Signs of Improvement: The Battle Ahead

Barring injuries, the Packers know who will start at two of their three linebacking spots this season. Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper both possess good speed and athleticism. Cooper emerged as a playmaker in his rookie year. Walker led the team in tackles in each of the last three seasons and calls the signals for the defense.

But the third starting spot is up for grabs. In addition to Hopper, there are two other candidates for the spot. The first candidate is incumbent Isaiah McDuffie. The Boston College alum started all 17 games last season. He provides the Packers with intelligence, experience and leadership. However, McDuffie lacks the elite athleticism the Packers prefer at the position.

The other candidate for the third starting job will be free agent addition, Isaiah Simmons. The former 8th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft also possesses elite speed and athleticism but has never been able to translate that into consistent production in his first five NFL seasons.

Simmons struggled in the preseason opener against the Jets after putting together some strong practices early in training camp.

Hopper has two more preseason games and three more weeks of training camp to make his case for more playing time. The third linebacker may not be on the field for more than a third of the defensive snaps, but this would still be a step forward for Hopper in his second season in the league. It will be up to Hopper to claim a bigger role on defense and prove he was not a reach in the third round of the draft.

 

 

 

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