The Green Bay Packers brought in a few promising young players, including wide receiver Julian Hicks, after a strong rookie minicamp.
SI.com’s Bill Huber reported that the Packers signed Hicks on Saturday, May 4. A wide receiver out of Albany, Huber noted Hicks’ size and speed at 6’2″ and 202 pounds.
Hicks was one of 18 players to get a tryout with the Packers during their rookie minicamp. However, he was one of just three players to land a training camp contract. The other two were fellow wide receiver Dimitri Stanley, the son of a former Packers receiver, and second-year guard Lecitus Smith.
Now, Hicks and company will be looking to make enough plays in the preseason to earn a 53-man roster spot.
Who Is Julian Hicks?
He may not be a household name, but Hicks has had some productive college seasons.
Hicks started his career at Central Michigan, but transferred to Akron after just one season. Things didn’t get easier from there. He spent two seasons with the Zips before transferring again after the COVID-shortened season.
Once Hicks transferred to Albany, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in his debut. He finally got his chance to stand out in 2022, and became a staple of the offense in his final two seasons. He finished those two seasons with 74 receptions for 1,169 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Although he wasn’t drafted, Hicks’ pre-draft testing was impressive. Listed just under 6’2″ and 201 pounds, Hicks posted a 9.18 Relative Athletic Score. His score was boosted by an excellent three-cone time of 6.77 seconds, and a 10’6″ broad jump.
Matt LaFleur is notorious for wanting wide receivers bigger than 6’0″ and 200 pounds. Hicks checks those boxes, so he’ll get a legitimate shot during training camp to show what he’s capable of.
The Packers Have a Packed Wide Receiver Room
Hicks and Stanley are heading to training camp. However, the Packers didn’t address the position with any of their picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
There’s a reason for that. The Packers simply have too many young receivers who showed flashes in 2023 to justify additional bodies at the position.
Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson are the most seasoned veterans at wide receiver, but are both only entering their third NFL seasons. Bo Melton will also be entering his third NFL season, but was a late addition to the Packers roster in 2022..
Doubs and Watson have established spots in the rotation when healthy. However, even Melton showed flashes when called upon, particularly late in the season against the Minnesota Vikings.
Even the rookies stood out in 2023. Jayden Reed finished the year with 10 total touchdowns, serving as a versatile weapon in Green Bay’s offense. Late-round pick Dontayvion Wicks continued to flash on film all year, and took a huge step forward in the second half of the season and playoffs.
The Packers even have another UDFA in Malik Heath who stepped up in key moments last season. There’s so much depth and youth at the position that incoming players like Hicks will have a hard time cracking the 53-man roster unless they can really stand out in the coming months.
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