Packers go running back in the second round

The Green Bay Packers didn’t help themselves for 2020 when they took quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday. It remains to be seen, but there’s no guarantee they got immediate help with their second-round pick either.

Despite having Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams returning, general manager Brian Gutekunst decided to go with a running back with his second pick, choosing Boston College’s A.J. Dillon.

At 247 pounds, Dillon has some similarities to Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, who put the Titans on his back in the playoffs in a run to the AFC title game last year. Packers coach Matt LaFleur was the offensive coordinator in Tennessee in 2018.

Dillon ran for a Boston College record 4,382 yards in just three seasons. He then went and put together a really good NFL combine, running a 4.53 40-yard dash, with a 41-inch vertical and 23 reps on the bench press.

Where Dillon didn’t produce was in the passing game. He caught just 21 passes his entire college career, though he did have a career-high 13 this past season.

Dillon joins a running back room that was very productive a year ago. Jones ran for a career-high 1,084 yards with 16 touchdowns, and then added 474 yards and three more touchdowns in the passing game. Williams ran for 460 yards and put up 253 yards receiving with five scores.

Jones and Wiliams will both be free agents have the 2020 season.