Packers Select Georgia Tech’s Tariq Carpenter With First of Seventh-Round Picks

Tariq Carpenter, a safety at Georgia Tech who could move into a hybrid safety-linebacker role, had a predraft visit with the Packers.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Georgia Tech safety Tariq Carpenter, who had a predraft visit with the Green Bay Packers, was selected by the team in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Carpenter was a four-year starter for the Yellow Jackets with big-time athleticism. As a senior, he had 65 tackles in 10 games, highlighted by a season-high 13 stops at Clemson. He added three passes defensed and one forced fumble. In 52 career games, he picked off four passes, broke up 22 and forced three fumbles.

“Teams see me like a big ball of Play-Doh,” he told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I’m so flexible as far as my position.”

Initially, along with special teams, the dime linebacker role – a combo linebacker and safety – might be his NFL calling card. Henry Black struggled in that role last season.

“100 percent I will get drafted higher as a linebacker than as a safety,” he told the Coastal Courier. “I am built more playing linebacker than safety and the NFL is a passing league. I think I provide the tools to help any team in the pass game immediately.”

Carpenter capped his strong career with strong performances at the Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl. At the Hula Bowl, he was a team captain and intercepted a pass. At the Senior Bowl, he got some reps at linebacker.

Measureables: 6-2 7/8, 230. 32 5/8 arms. 4.47 40, 4.46 shuttle, DNP bench (wrist).

Analytical stats: Playing safety for the Yellow Jackets, the supersized four-year starter recorded four interceptions and 22 passes defensed for his career. According to PFF, he allowed a career-best 63.0 percent completion rate in 2020 and 66.7 percent in 2021. He gave up four touchdown passes as a senior. His career missed-tackle rate was 13.2 percent. He rarely was used as a blitzer.

Personal touch: Carpenter comes from an athletic family. His mom played college basketball at Central Methodist before becoming an Army staff sergeant. She served five international tours of duty, including three deployments to Iraq and one in Afghanistan. An uncle, Thurlos Pearson, played football at Missouri.

“My mom is definitely my ‘why,’” Carpenter told The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “She’s also my purpose. She’s my role model. She’s a person that I look up to because of those reasons because of the sacrifices that she made for me and Alexis to live a good life. I just do everything I can to make sure that she gets everything that she wants because she did the same thing for us.”

NFL Draft Bible Scouting Report: Tariq Carpenter is long and has a firm athletic build with long arms. He shows solid foot quickness and short-area burst at his size. Versatility to play deep, in the box and as a hybrid safety/linebacker type. Very good physical and competitive toughness, playing fast with good effort and is not afraid to make tackles. Possesses the size and length to play in the box and make plays in the run game.

The pick, at No. 228 overall, was the first of four in the seventh round and acquired last summer in the trade of Ka’dar Hollman to Houston. The Packers also are set to pick at No. 234 (from Denver), 249 (original) and 258 (compensatory).

The 2022 NFL Draft

No. 179: South Carolina edge Kingsley Enagbare

No. 140: Wake Forest OL Zach Tom

No. 132: Nevada WR Romeo Doubs

Day 2 NFL Draft grades

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No. 34: North Dakota State WR Christian Watson

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