Green Bay Packers hoping for Adrian Hubbard breakthrough

With the Green Bay Packers minicamp wrapping up this past weekend, one of the most important takeaways is a simple eyeball test. Not only did the Green Bay Packers have the opportunity to see their own selections from the 2015 NFL Draft up close and under their control, but several returning players put their bodies through physical transformations over the past three months. Outside linebacker Adrian Hubbard stood out from the crowd, and the Packers will be quietly hoping that he clicks in year two.

More from Green Bay Packers

Hubbard entered the league with a body that cannot be taught, standing 6’6″ and 257 pounds with 34 1/2″ arms, but coach McCarthy quickly noticed that the 23-year old converted fat into muscle this offseason. “He’s put on some weight,” McCarthy told Jason Wilde of the Journal Sentinel. “He’s really taken a huge step like you see from every player that’s been here from Year 1 going into Year 2. I’m impressed with what Hubbard has done so far. He was here early prior to the off-season program. He’s put a lot of work in.”

Many younger players choose to spend their offseasons in Florida or California, breaking from the cold of Wisconsin, but Hubbard has been in Green Bay since late February training for a job that he is determined to take. “It’s your job,” Hubbard told Dunne. “You don’t want to be too far from your job. So I came back here and I was able to be in front of the coach’s face every day, so they see I’m in here working, in here putting in the effort.”

The spotlight on Hubbard and fellow edge-rusher Jayrone Elliot this offseason is due to the potential need that Green Bay might face in 2016. Both Mike Neal and Nick Perry are entering the final years of their contracts, while Julius Peppers could very well be in his final pro season. The opportunity to compliment Clay Matthews could open itself in 2016, and a complimentary 2015 role for Hubbard would be a fine first step.

His journey will be straight uphill, however. After receiving a mid-round grade by the Advisory Committee prior to the 2014 NFL Draft, which was a flat-out error on their part, Hubbard chose to enter the draft early. This proved to be a very poor choice as he would have benefitted from a leading role in Alabama’s defense, but instead spent a redshirt year on Green Bay’s practice squad.

The obvious appeal of Hubbard is his physical potential, as he is one of the few NFL athletes who can rival Julius Peppers’ measurables. Dom Capers and the Packers have been consciously trying to get longer and more athletic on the outside, which is exactly what Hubbard brings. His 4.69-second 40-yard dash at last year’s combine may be sufficient, but he will need to develop a much stronger arsenal of pass-rush moves.

Hubbard displayed great strength at the point of attack with Alabama, but excelled more at anchoring the end than turning the corner and reaching the passer. His 7.0 sacks from 2012 dropped to 5.5 in 2013, so this is the area that Green Bay will be looking for the most improvement in training camp.

McCarthy and Capers will also be looking for improvement in Hubbard’s instincts from the outside linebacker position, as a more natural and reactionary approach will allow for his physical talents to surface. Many scouts knocked him for an inflated ego coming out of Alabama, as well, but if a season spent on the practice field against Aaron Rodgers is not humbling, I’m not sure what is.

The next three months are all about earning trust for Hubbard. Mike McCarthy is a head coach that plays trusted “good” over potential “very good”, but Hubbard will have an opportunity to begin his rise by sliding into one of the final spots on the Packers’ 53-man roster. The door is open with Green Bay welcoming him in, and if Hubbard’s game can catch up to his body, he will be a fascinating story to watch in August.

Next: Packers most interesting underdog: Blake Sims

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Green Bay Packers