LOOK: Green Bay Packers late-round pick reveals childhood photo as Packers fan
For most college football players entering into the draft, it is a dream come true to hear your name called in any of the seven rounds. However, every now and then, some individuals get to live out two dreams when their favorite franchise selects them. And that was precisely the case for the Green Bay Packers’ seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Tariq Carpenter.
Carpenter — a six-foot-three, 230-pounds safety who played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets — revealed from his personal Twitter account that he has been a lifelong fan of the Packers. And if anybody doubted the validity of his statement, he posted this childhood photo rocking a Green Bay Super Bowl champions T-shirt.
There’s no doubt that Carpenter was elated when his name was called in the seventh round of the NFL draft, and that excitement for him was doubled when he found out he would be heading to Green Bay, WI. The next step for the young safety is to prove that he belongs in the league and etch out a spot on the Packers roster.
Packers take Carpenter in the seventh round
The Green Bay Packers have selected safety Tariq Carpenter out of Georgia Tech with the 228th overall selection (via CHI through HOU) in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Carpenter put together a solid 2021 campaign with the Yellowjackets, finishing fifth on the team with 65 tackles. He ends his college career with a total of 223 tackles to go along with four interceptions and 17 passes defended.
Coming into the weekend, the Packers had a gaping hole to fill at receiver, after Davante Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Green Bay received their first-round pick (22nd overall selection) and a second-round pick (53rd overall selection) in exchange for the two-time first-team All-Pro receiver. While Adams was far and away the premiere talent they lost at receiver, the franchise also lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Kansas City Chiefs) and Equanimeous St. Brown (Chicago Bears) to free agency. The Packers also recently signed former Baltimore wideout Sammy Watkins.