It is well known around NFL circles that Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson puts an emphasis on undrafted rookie free agents to fill the Packers roster. Thompson has done this since taking over as the Packers general manager in 2005. Him and his scouting department have done a remarkable job discovering talent that many NFL scouting departments have passed over.
Former Packers cornerback Sam Shields was Thompson’s biggest success stories when the Packers signed him out of Miami (FL). Shields would go on to become a standout cornerback for the Packers until the Packers released him this offseason after suffering multiple concussions. Thompson is hoping to unearth another gem and one player has the look of being just that. Linebacker Cody Heiman is hoping to be another undrafted discovery for the Packers.
Cody Heiman: Another Potential Undrafted Gen for the Green Bay Packers
Heiman has all the elements of becoming a Cinderella story for the Packers this season. Heiman played eight man high school football in Baileyville, KS. Although a standout, he didn’t receive any Division I scholarship offers out of high school and ended up at Division II Washburn in Topeka. While there, Heiman was a tackling machine while manning the inside linebacker position. This past season, Heiman registered 101 tackles, seven of them for a loss, with 3.5 sacks and two interceptions.
Linebacker wasn’t the only position he had production at during his career at Washburn. In 2013, his sophomore season, Heiman moved to running back out of necessity and the fact he possesses elite athletic ability. That season, he rushed for 426 yards on 91 carries and had six rushing touchdowns. Although he shifted back to inside linebacker his junior season, the time at running back illustrated what type of athlete he is.
But being a standout linebacker at Division II is a long way from playing in the NFL. Even with the odds stacked against him, Heiman has shown that he has the measurables to play at the next level. He illustrated this at his Pro Day which was highlighted by a 4.58 40-yard dash.
For Heiman to make the Packers roster, he will have to show he is capable of playing special teams. After the Packers struggled on that unit under former special teams coordinator Shaw Slocum, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy relieved Slocum of his duties and promoted former Florida and Illinois head coach Ron Zook to revitalize the special teams unit. Since Zook took over in 2015, the Packers have put an emphasis on special teams. Heiman and his ability seem to be a perfect match for Zook, who likes athletic linebackers who can run.
Special teams might be Heiman’s ticket to a roster spot but he does play a position that the Packers have struggled at in recent history. Even though it appears that standout linebacker Clay Matthews will make his way back to inside linebacker for this coming season, there are still a lot of questions at the other inside linebacker position. Former fourth round draft picks Blake Martinez and Jake Ryan have dealt with struggles since joining the Packers. Fellow inside linebacker Joe Thomas has carved out a niche as the Packers nickel linebacker, but he doesn’t have the size to play all three downs. With Matthews locked up at one inside linebacker posiiton, and still expected to see time at outside linebacker in passing situations, the other inside linebacker position is up for grabs. Although it would be a major shocker if Heiman saw time at inside linebacker for the Packers, the opportunity is there for him if he proves he is up for the task.
Everyone loves a good story and history has shown that sports fans cheer for the underdog. Heiman is the definition of that term. For a player who just four years ago was playing eight man high school football in rural Kansas, making the Green Bay Packers roster would be quite the underdog story. The chips are stacked against him, but he has shown that hasn’t stopped him yet.
