Green Bay Packers rookie UDFA wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant is the undrafted player with the best chance to make the initial 53-man roster this year. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report chose one UDFA for all 32 teams capable of making the roster as a rookie. For the Packers, it was the Florida wide receiver.
Davenport noted that while the Packers’ depth chart is deep, they lost more names than they replaced this offseason, and Sturdivant has a lot of the tools needed to translate.
“In addition to that excellent size, he also ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash,” Davenport cited. “His production at Florida wasn’t great, but while at Cal in 2022, he posted a 65/755/7 stat line and averaged 11.6 yards per catch. The wide receiver room in Green Bay is pretty crowded, but Sturdivant has the tools to make a dent on the boundary in the pros. He may start out on special teams, but it won’t be any sort of major upset to see Sturdivant survive the final round of cuts in Titletown.”
The Green Bay Packers Have a Crowded Wide Receiver Room
GettyJ.Michael Sturdivant #7
The Packers moved on from Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks this offseason. Considering they did not draft any new receivers, there is a chance for Sturdivant to step into those spots. However, they do have some depth that was already on the roster and added a free agent.
The top three are locked in with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden. The order may vary, but these three are starting options. The fourth receiver is likely Savion Williams. Williams is a former third-round pick entering his second NFL season, and the team is high on him.
They also signed Skyy Moore this offseason, although his primary role will be returning kicks. Because Moore does not have much of a receiving role, Green Bay is likely to use six roster spots on receivers. So there might still be spots open for someone like Sturdivant.
The Packers have Isaiah Neyor and Bo Melton as his main competition. Neyor was a UDFA like Sturdivant, but he is entering his second year. He spent his rookie year on the practice squad, but was called up for the Packers’ playoff game. Now, he is looking to use that experience to make the roster.
Melton has shifted between wide receiver and cornerback, but the team appears focused on letting him learn cornerback. So, both of them have a bit more invested in them right now. Still, it takes one strong summer for Sturdivant to change things.
J. Michael Sturdivant Brings Upside to the Packers Offense
Sturdivant started his career at Cal. He hardly played as a true freshman, but posted 755 yards on 65 receptions during his redshirt freshman year. In 2023, he transferred to UCLA. He posted 597 yards on 36 receptions in his first season. Then, he posted 315 yards on 22 receptions in 2024.
After that run, he decided to transfer to Florida. He only spent one year with the Gators and had 406 yards on 27 receptions.
Sturdivant is experienced, and his athletic measurables are hard to ignore. However, he has not been able to consistently produce for a team since his 2022 season at Cal. The Packers are understandably intrigued, but there is a reason he fell to being a UDFA.
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