The Green Bay Packers had two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Both players saw the field as rookies with inconsistent results. But in their second NFL season, both inside linebacker Quay Walker and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt look to have taken a significant step forward in their development.

Walker became an immediate starter for the Packers last season. Inside linebacker was an area of extreme need as the Packers were searching for someone to start opposite De’Vondre Campbell.

Walker won the starting job early in training camp. He possesses outstanding speed and athleticism for an off-ball linebacker. That allows him to cover the field from sideline to sideline and even to run down ball carriers on the other side of the field.

Like most rookies, Walker had an up and down first NFL season. He did lead the Packers in tackles with 121. The Georgia alum recorded 1.5 sacks, forced three fumbles, and broke up seven passes.

Still, he had his struggles as well. Early in the season, Walker had difficulty reading running plays. He would vacate his assigned gap and run himself out of the play, leaving a large hole for the runner to exploit.

He also struggled with his temper and was twice ejected from games for making contact with non-players long after the action had stopped. In one incident, he hit a practice squad player after the whistle. The second ejection came when he hit an opposing team’s trainer in the season finale with a playoff spot on the line.

Walker knew he had to keep his temper in check to take his game to the next level and he worked on it during the offseason. He felt he let his team down by being ejected from key games.

In the season opener last week in Chicago, Walker was much better at recognizing running plays. He made four total tackles including one for loss. He also broke up one pass.

But he also made a very big play that helped clinch the win for the Packers. Walker picked off a pass by Justin Fields and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. That put the Pack ahead 38-14.

Defensive coordinator Joe Barry also said Walker will be used to blitz the quarterback at times this season. It makes sense to do that given the speed Walker brings to the table. He blitzed once in Week 1 but figures to do more of it in the coming weeks, especially when facing quarterbacks who are less of a threat to run with the ball than Fields.

The Packers used their second pick in the first-round last year on defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt. Unlike his former college teammate, Walker, Wyatt didn’t start any games in his first NFL season. Late in the season, he started to see the field more, especially after Dean Lowry suffered a season-ending injury.

Wyatt played only 23 percent of the Packers defensive snaps in the 16 games he played. He made 15 total tackles and recorded 1.5 sacks on the season. Wyatt also broke up one pass and forced a fumble. Late in the season, the former Georgia star showed some of the quickness and skills that made him a first-round pick.

This season, Wyatt looked much more comfortable in the defense from the start of training camp. He knew where he had to be and what he had to do on every play. Wyatt had a strong training camp and preseason and earned a starting job in the season opener.

During the Week 1 win over Chicago, Wyatt made three total tackles including two tackles for loss. Wyatt also recorded 1.5 quarterback sacks, matching his entire total for the previous season. He was also credited with three quarterback pressures.

Wyatt appeared quick and was able to beat offensive linemen and get into the backfield on several occasions. He graded out well according to Pro Football Focus and was in the top 15 percent of all qualified defensive linemen in Week 1.

The Packers defense is playing a more aggressive scheme this season and the speed and skill sets of Walker and Wyatt are one reason Barry feels comfortable making these changes. The Packers are relying on both these second-year men to be key players on defense this season.