“There aren’t a lot of guys who really want to play that position. “There’s not a lot of true fullbacks out there,” Gundy said.
#BETTER BLOCKER AARON RIPKOWSKI OR JOE KERRIDGE PRO#
Ripkowski has more yards and touchdowns than Mike Tolbert, the NFC’s fullback selection for the Pro Bowl.īut this isn’t a glamour gig. Only once did Kuhn have more yards and carries in a season than Ripkowski this season. Joe Kerridge, an undrafted rookie out of Michigan, played six snaps in Detroit. The Packers actually have two fullbacks for the second straight year. It does not shock me to see him play in the NFL and have success, but it still shocks me that that guy carries the ball some up there. “You’ve got to be pretty good,” Gundy said, “to make an NFL roster doing what he’s doing, and that’s being a physical football player, great special-teams player. They needed a pass protector for their West Coast system.
The Packers expected to draft a special-teams ace in the sixth round, someone who could develop into a lead blocker. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he didn't see Ripkowski's production coming. “I can tell his comfort zone,” Kuhn said, “he looks like he’s very comfortable out there.” It’s something every running back has to learn, some later than others. The biggest difference this season, Kuhn said, is how naturally Ripkowski carries the ball. He played running back at Shippensburg, finishing with 5,300 all-purpose yards and 53 touchdowns.
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