It was a big day yesterday for Green Bay’s first three 2020 NFL Draft selections. Not only did the rookies get to practice inside Lambeau Field for the first time, but they also met with the media after practice via Zoom. Quarterback Jordan Love, running back AJ Dillon, and tight end Josiah Deguara all had plenty to say about their development through five training camp practices. 

“It was awesome, just coming out of the tunnel and seeing it,” Love said of seeing Lambeau and coming out onto the field for practice. “It’s a lot bigger than I thought it was. Finally getting a first practice in there was a crazy feeling.”

Second-round pick Dillon agreed. “Being out there today in Lambeau today was awesome. For me it was surreal being down there padded up, just going out there and competing.”

One theme of this year’s draft class has definitely been versatility, with both Deguara and Dillon called upon to serve a variety of roles on offense, whether it’s Dillon working on his pass-catching skills or Deguara practicing everywhere on offense. 

“Really wherever the coaches want me to lineup at or whatever position they want me to learn, that’s just kind of been my mindset going into it,” said Deguara. “Just being able to learn as much as I can, learn from the vets.”

Deguara joins solid company in veteran Marcedes Lewis who’s going on his 15th NFL season, Robert Tonyan, and Jace Sternberger. It’s a unit he feels can be one of the best in the NFL.

“I think we have a really talented tight end room,” he said. 

For Dillon, he’s been emphasizing pass-catching in his game. 

“Something I’ve always harped on myself is, I never want to be put in just a big-back box,” said Dillon. “I feel like I can help out this team in any way. I’m trying to be complete in all aspects of my game.”

He added that catching passes wasn’t something he had much of an opportunity to do at Boston College, but it wasn’t for a “lack of talent” as much as it just wasn’t how BC ran its offense. Dillon caught only 21 passes during his collegiate career, though it did add up to 236 yards and two touchdowns. 

Still, it’s something he’s getting used to every day and continuing to get better at. His playmaking ability both as a running back and receiver has been on full display early in training camp. But of course, in addition to his hands, his legs were also a question topic during his availability. 

“I can’t take complete credit for it, some of it is genetics,” Dillon said smiling. “Once I got to college, I really started to realize how much of an impact I could have having a sturdy base like that, being able to stay up. Being able to keep my legs driving through contact and things like that.”

And for the record, he’s always worn his shorts that way. 

Love and Dillon have been able to make the most of a unique offseason given their familiarity with one another already. Both players share an agency, so they’ve been together since the combine and draft process. 

“I feel like we have a great relationship,” Dillon said, explaining that he and Love check up on each other every day to see where they’re at after camp. 

The offense is a work in progress for the rookies, but all three guys expressed that their understanding of the playbook grows each day. 

“I love to be challenged,” Deguara said, with Dillon adding that his confidence grows every time he’s on the field. 

“Once you understand and the more you understand and know the playbook and the plays, what’s happening on the field, the more the game just slows down,” said Love. “Obviously at first, everything is flying super fast, things still are flying fast, but the more prepared I am every day, the more they start to slow down a little bit.”

The trio couldn’t have better players in front of them to learn from. For Deguara, it’s been Lewis that’s showed him the tricks of the trade. For Dillon, it’s been Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. 

“The guys like Jamaal and Aaron have done a great job of pulling me aside and helping me with what I’ve gotta work on. Every rep I’m getting a little bit better, a little bit more confident,” said Dillon. 

And then of course, there’s Love learning behind a future first-ballot Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers. 

“It’s great for me, just being able to sit there and be in the same room as him,” Love said of his time working with Rodgers, adding that a big part of camp has been taking mental reps when he’s not on the field going through drills. “Just hear how he thinks about plays, go out to practice and watch him put it together, it’s just really awesome for me to be able to just see and take in.”

Behind Rodgers, Love also benefits from his time with Tim Boyle, calling both quarterbacks two players that he can learn a lot from and has learned a lot from already. 

All three of the rookies understand how important reps are in training camp now that there won’t be preseason games to help bring them up to the speed of the NFL, but Dillon pointed out Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s motto to always get 1% better every day, emphasizing the building blocks the players are putting together for themselves. 

For Deguara, his challenge has been learning multiple positions on offense, but that versatility is what will make him a weapon early in LaFleur’s scheme. 

“Really the whole offense really fits together pretty nicely,” Deguara said of learning so many positions. “It all kind of is somewhat similar, so whether I’m lining up in the backfield or at in-line or out wide, I’m really just trying to do what I can to get on the field as much as possible and make plays as much as possible.” 

And of course, the rookies also understand where they fit into an offense that already boasts starters at each player’s respective positions. Love reiterated that Rodgers is a “great person” and that his goal is to simply be true to himself while being the best teammate he can be. 

While we’ve only seen glimpses at the three rookies in camp, their first media availability made it clear that all three are ready for whatever being a Green Bay Packer throws at them, and there’s a lot to be excited about from the 2020 Packers Draft Class.