The Green Bay Packers’ roster is one of the deepest in the National Football League heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. Green Bay has one of the NFL’s youngest rosters, with emerging talents on both sides of the ball, and the organization feels it may have a future Hall of Famer in its lineup.
The Packers have done an exceptional job of finding talent in the NFL Draft and developing them into top-tier starters. David Bakhtiari, the 109th overall choice in the 2013 NFL Draft, was on track for the Hall of Fame until an ACL tear and recurring knee troubles wrecked his career.
Green Bay also found success in their 2023 draft class, selecting wide receivers Jayden Reed (50th overall pick) and Dontayvion Wicks (159th overall pick), as well as tight ends Luke Musgrave (42nd overall pick) and Tucker Kraft (78th overall pick). However, it is a late-round 2022 choice who the franchise believes has the potential to become one of the top players in the NFL.
During an appearance on Wilde and Tausch, ESPN Packers reporter Rob Demovsky stated that offensive lineman Zach Tom might take over as the Packers’ starting center as early as 2024. As for why, Green Bay’s insider revealed how high the organization regards Tom.
“I believe the starting center is on the team right now, but it is not Josh Myers, the long-term starter. A few of insiders in the organization told me that Zach Tom is a Pro Bowl right tackle, an All-Pro guard, and a possible Hall of Fame center.”
Tom, the 140th overall choice in the 2022 NFL Draft, started all 17 regular-season games for the Packers last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Tom played 1,064 snaps at right tackle and only 4 snaps at center in 2023.
Tom played nearly primarily right tackle last season, but he was incredibly versatile as a rookie. According to PFF, Tom played 489 snaps in 2022, taking 295 at left tackle, 96 at left guard, 84 at right tackle, and 14 at right guard.
In recent years, the Packers have relied heavily on versatile offensive lineman. Elgton Jenkins has started games on both the left and right sides of Green Bay’s offensive line since joining the league in 2019. Tom now serves as the Packers offensive line’s Swiss Army knife.
If Tom takes over as Packers center in 2024, Myers will most likely provide depth along the interior offensive line next season. Moving Tom inside would also raise the chance of Green Bay utilizing a first-round choice on an offensive lineman, with Duke’s Graham Barton and Georgia’s Amarius Mims as viable candidates.
