What to know about Tariq Carpenter, thumping Georgia Tech safety and Green Bay Packers eighth pick in the 2022 NFL draft

The Green Bay Packers made the first of their four selections in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft Saturday, choosing Georgia Tech safety Tariq Carpenter at 228 overall.

He was one of four choices the Packers have in the final round.

A younger, bigger Adrian Amos

PackersNews.com analysis: Carpenter profiles as an in-the-box safety with his size, even bigger than Packers safety Adrian Amos. He'll provide depth in the defensive backfield while likely having a chance to make a name for himself on special teams.

Tariq Carpenter's height and weight

Height: 6-3.

Weight: 230.

Tariq Carpenter's Georgia Tech highlights

Carpenter started four years at safety for the Yellow Jackets. He started nine of 12 games this past season with a career-high 65 tackles and three passes defensed.

Tariq Carpenter on the Packers

Carpenter met the local media via conference call Saturday. Here are some highlights.

On fitting in with the Packers' defense: "Meeting with the Packers, their defensive coordinator (Joe Barry), he spoke very highly of me. He sees me as a guy who can play multiple positions…this was a fit for me from the jump and I’m glad it all worked out… Even if I did fall out of the draft, I knew it was gonna be the best fit for me (as an UDFA)…with how creative the defensive coordinator is, he puts people in position to excel."

On if the Packers will use him as a safety or as a linebacker: "That is not up to me honestly. I’m gonna go in there and do anything I can. I know the main thing for me going in is gonna be special teams…just gonna be a sponge while I’m there and just give it all I got."

On what he learned from Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins: "You can pull up any special teams film in my five years. I took special teams serious…and not only that but being a pro. I prepare well and I have a process. And being a good teammate…I felt like that’s what evaluated my game, was being a good teammate. I’m blessed with the (skills) but I feel like Coach Collins helped me with the mental side of it."

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s take on Tariq Carpenter

"The four-year starting safety is making the move to linebacker, where his size, speed and aggressive demeanor should help him fit more cleanly than at safety. Carpenter is a natural in run support with clear eyes and a physical approach in the box. Taking on blockers in a faster-paced game could cause bumps in the road early on. He has good pursuit range, average body control and the potential to guard tight ends. Carpenter was an excellent pro-day tester, so the traits and special teams talent could buy him an early opportunity on a roster as he learns the linebacker position."

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