Hall of Fame S LeRoy Butler shares advice for prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft
Hall of Fame S LeRoy Butler shares advice for prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft
What could be "cheddar" than this! Get your tickets now using the link below⬇️!https://t.co/SpAi0FEBTC — Taste of the NFL (@TasteoftheNFL) April 15, 2025
This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Green Bay Packers legend LeRoy Butler as he shared advice for the safeties class in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Butler will be a representative alongside other alums for the Packers at the Taste of the Draft on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM CT at Schreiber Food Headquarters, 400 N. Washington Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
"I think sometimes, safeties get underappreciated; you'll appreciate them. It's the one position on defense where there's nobody behind you. Everybody up there has somebody behind them because the corners are always back there. If somebody gets through them, fine. If somebody gets through us, you'll be on SportsCenter, so it's a very important position," said Butler. "The best thing I can tell any safety is not to let anybody get behind you and be a tackler, not a hitter. A hitter, you play five years if you're a tackler, 12 to 14 (years). Harrison Smith, 'my nephew'. That's not really my nephew, 14 years (in the league); they (Minnesota Vikings) could've said, Nope, go away, nope (instead). Can you come back?"
Butler, a Pro Football Hall of Fame safety, was a four-time first-team All-Pro in his 12 seasons with the Packers. He holds numerous accolades, including being the first defensive back in NFL history to join the 20 Sack and 20 Interception Club.
"If you play safety the right way, just get him on the ground. You don't need to run through him. You're going to break your neck or break his neck. It's going to be injuries. I tell every safety, Don't let anybody get behind. You can always come up, because every time you line up again, that's another opportunity to get a turnover," said Butler. "I'm just excited that I'm able to say that to some of these safeties. Malachi (Moore) is a safety from Alabama. I will interact with him at the Draft and a few more safeties, and that's what I tell him: Be a tackler if you want to play a long time because of the money they're paying for safeties now; you don't want to mess it up by flying in there. These running backs they're going to avoid you. They don't want to get hit. Barry Sanders never let us hit him, but the running backs trying to run people over didn't play very long. So that's the best advice I got for them."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
38 minutes ago
- USA Today
Jacksonville Jaguars sign P Logan Cooke to four-year contract extension
Jacksonville Jaguars sign P Logan Cooke to four-year contract extension The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Monday that they've signed punter Logan Cooke to an extension. Ahead of minicamp starting on Tuesday, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Monday that they've signed punter Logan Cooke to an extension. On Cooke's original deal, he was entering the final year of his contract and was set to be a free agent in 2026. The team announced that this is a four-year extension, which will keep Cooke in Jacksonville through the 2029 season. Cooke is coming off a 2024 season where he was named to his first Pro Bowl, along with being named a second-team All-Pro. On the year, Cooke averaged almost 50 yards per punt attempt, and his net average of 44.8 yards per punt was the second-best in the NFL. By PFF's tracking data, Cooke was also in the top five in punts downed inside the 20-yard line and had just three touchbacks the entire year. Cooke was 12th among punters in return rate as well, with he and the Jaguars' punt coverage unit as a whole limiting opportunities for opponents. Please note that this article will continue to be updated.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Kirk Cousins expected at Atlanta Falcons minicamp: Sources
Quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to attend the Atlanta Falcons' mandatory minicamp beginning on Tuesday, league sources told The Athletic. Cousins' minicamp attendance is notable because the soon-to-be-37-year-old's future remains in limbo. For now, the Falcons have Cousins penciled in as their backup to starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr., whom they selected with a first-round draft pick last year. However, Cousins would prefer to be traded to a team where he could start. Advertisement The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-season, $180 million deal in free agency last year, despite him coming off a torn Achilles tendon suffered in 2023. Amid struggles, Atlanta benched Cousins in Week 16 and turned the team over to Penix. This offseason, the Falcons have been clear with their intent to start and develop Penix into the quarterback of the future. Cousins did not attend the Falcons' voluntary OTAs in late May, but was present for workouts in April. The Falcons are receptive to trading Cousins for the right price, but he is a valuable backup given Penix's inexperience and injury history. Aaron Rodgers signing with the Steelers likely takes Pittsburgh out of the picture for potential landing spots for Cousins, thus dwindling the chances for an Atlanta exit.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Who is on Ja'Marr Chase's "Mount Rushmore" as the best wide receivers in NFL history? And should he include himself next?
Who is on Ja'Marr Chase's "Mount Rushmore" as the best wide receivers in NFL history? And should he include himself next? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is coming off the best season of his career, and one of the best in NFL history for a receiver. Advertisement He achieved the historic "triple crown" by leading the entire NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17) last season. The milestone had only been achieved 16 times by 12 other players prior to Chase's unbelievable season in 2024. The last player to hit this feat before Chase was Los Angeles Rams wideout Cooper Kupp during the 2021 season. That year ended with the Rams beating Chase's Bengals in the Super Bowl. Prior to the 2023 season, Chase was asked by Sports Illustrated who he would put on his "Mount Rushmore" for wide receivers - or the best four players at the position in NFL history. Advertisement After starting with Calvin Johnson and Antonio Brown, Chase showed love to the recent triple crown winner at the time. "Got to put Kupp in there with the triple crown," Chase said. He added the cherry on top with Jerry Rice, an "obvious" pick for any all-time receivers list. Rice is another triple crown winner, leading the league in all three categories in 1990 with the San Francisco 49ers. Little did Chase know, he would be the next receiver to join this exclusive club just two years later. Now the question: would he update his list by putting himself in? One way to answer this is to compare his 2024 season with the two triple crowns he put in ahead of him. Advertisement Chase's season doesn't really come close to Kupp's (145 receptions, 1,947 yards, 16 touchdowns), but it holds weight head-to-head with Rice's. Ja'Marr had higher totals than Jerry in each statistic. Rice finished 1990 with 100 catches, 1,502 yards and 13 touchdowns. Rice, however, has the upper hand overall with three other seasons where he led the NFL in two of the three major categories. Chase had never led the league in any stat before last year. The easy answer is to sub himself in for either Johnson or Brown, but those are no slouches either. "Megatron" led the league in receptions and yards, but only had five touchdowns in 2012. Brown led in catches and yards two years later, but finished second in touchdowns by three. Advertisement Chase may have a ways to go before he enters the "Mount Rushmore" conversation for receivers, but with just four seasons under his belt and an elite quarterback throwing him the pigskin for years to come, Chase is on pace to have a solid argument for his inclusion by the time he retires. Related: Bengals' Tee Higgins Predicts 'Deadly' Offense in 2025 Related: Bengals Boast a Top-5 Offensive Trio via 'Triplets' Rankings This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
