Green Bay Packers select Javon Bullard in 2nd round of 2024 NFL Draft
The Green Bay Packers selected Georgia safety Javon Bullard in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft at No. 58 overall. Bullard enters the NFL after spending the last three seasons at Georgia and helping the team win national championships in 2021 and 2022.
Bullard emerged as a top defensive back in 2023. He played in 12 games last season and ranked third on the team in tackles with 56. Bullard also had two interceptions and five pass breakups. His production in 2023 led to him being named to the AP All-SEC Second Team.
In 2022, Bullard helped the Bulldogs earn a 15-0 record and win the national championship. In the national championship game against TCU, Bullard was named defensive MVP as he tallied two interceptions and a tackle. One his best games happened during the 2022 season, posting two sacks and two tackles for loss against Tennessee.
“He makes our team tougher,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said last year. “He’s had injury after injury. He’s had some shoulders. He won’t put on a black shirt. He creates a dynamic on our team of, if you think you’re hurt, look at Javon. He’ll go out there and practice every day and he’ll have contact and play with toughness.
Bullard played high school football at Baldwin High School in Milledgeville, Georgia, where he was a three-star prospect. He ranked as the No. 526 overall prospect and No. 44 cornerback in the 2021 class, according to the On3 Industry Rating.
What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Javon Bullard
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com shared his analysis of Bullard and projected him to be selected in the second or third round. He compared Bullard to Josh Metellus of the Minnesota Vikings. Metellus was a sixth-round pick in 2020 and recorded 116 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one interception in 2023.
“Bullard isn’t a clean fit as a full-time nickel and might lack the length and range teams seek from a split safety, but he’s a good football player with the field awareness teams are looking for,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s going to be a little tight with lateral movements, which will create some throwing windows and missed tackles from time to time, but his route recognition and angles of pursuit help to stabilize his play.
“There will be some challenging matchups, but Georgia’s provided the blueprint by playing him as a big nickel with run support and modest man cover duties — NFL teams would be wise to follow suit. With the right fit, Bullard should develop into a quality NFL starter.”