Latest news with #Unpacking
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Tempopo review: Conducting a delightfully dippy orchestra
Brisbane-based Witch Beam impressed us in 2021's Unpacking, a thoughtful synthesis of Tetris-esque puzzles with poignant storytelling about moving house. Tempopo dials back the sentiment, foregrounds the soundtrack and weds it to a set of 3D puzzles that echo the influential Lemmings or the more recent Humanity from 2023. Each level contains a handful of flowers to be collected, obstacles to be avoided and a mazy 3D structure with an exit as your final goal. You control a small party of sprites who wander aimlessly unless you plant movement instructions such as turn, fly or push block. The bouncy tunes underpin the little helpers' energetic and infectious dances. But your squishy friends effectively go nowhere except off the edge into the abyss until you start conducting their progress by drawing from a limited set of moves. You might need to squash a prickly bramble bush, plug a gap with a block or waft a helper upwards like a helicopter to a higher level. Mercifully, there's no punishment bar a rapid restart for screwing up and your principal step in every level is to watch the sprites fail over and over until you've grasped the choke points and begun to plan their ultimate route. Witch Beam has made Tempopo with all ages in mind, from the vividly coloured visuals to the forgiving difficulty options. A hint system goes as far as telling you what to plant and where but is graduated to the extent that you can seek just a single nudge in the right direction. The 60-plus levels offer a gentle on-ramp to the concepts within but by the 10th mission or so, you'll be juggling the simultaneous interactions of multiple sprites, orchestrating their criss-crossing paths like a superpowered traffic cop. The ultra-compact nature of the levels does mean it can be quite the challenge to mentally untangle the 3D space, no matter how much you rotate it before pressing start. Outside of the puzzles, Witch Beam lets you experiment with a lightweight music generator that remixes the in-game tunes based on sounds and notes placed on the playfield. It's hardly GarageBand but might just catch the attention of a younger player hankering for a breather from the main game's brainteasers. Tempopo won't have the same impact for adults as Unpacking but it's a fun diversion brimming with cheer and pitched at a very reasonable €20.
USA Today
11-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 16, Michigan CB Will Johnson
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 16, Michigan CB Will Johnson The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. The Green Bay Packers are doing a mini remodel of the cornerback room at 1265 Lombardi Avenue this offseason. They lost Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell to free agency and Jaire Alexander's days inside that room could be numbered. Brian Gutekunst also signed Nate Hobbs to a four-year deal. The former Las Vegas Raider can play in the slot or on the boundary and gives Jeff Hafley another versatile piece in the secondary. The makeover of that room will continue during the 2025 NFL Draft and it would be shocking if Gutekunst didn't use a pair of picks on the position. A potential target in the first round is Michigan cornerback Will Johnson. The Wolverine cornerback checks in at No. 16 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A five-star recruit, Johnson recorded two tackles for loss and picked off three passes during his first season on campus. In 2023, Johnson recorded two tackles for loss and four interceptions. This past season, Johnson missed seven games due to turf toe and a shoulder injury. In six games, he recorded two interceptions, three pass deflections and one tackle for loss. "Johnson's greatest strength is his football instincts and IQ," Anthony Broome, a Michigan reporter for The Wolverine On3, said. "He was one of Michigan's most well-studied players and a film junky. One of his highlight plays from the Ohio State game in 2023 was jumping a route intended for Marvin Harrison Jr., which led to an interception. He was in a spot you could only be if you've watched the tape and repped it a million times. There are plays like that all over his film." Johnson is a long, physical cornerback. He's got excellent footwork to mirror receivers in coverage. He has easy change-of-direction skills and flexible hips. The former five-star recruit is a technician in coverage and smooth in his pedal. To go along with his athleticism and technique, Johnson is an instinctive cornerback who shows a great understanding of route concepts. He trusts his eyes and his film work. Johnson quickly drives on throws in front of him. While he doesn't have track speed, Johnson is a fluid athlete and is able to slow things down due to his instincts. "He's effective because of his length and athleticism," Broome said. "He's got the prototypical size you'd like to see along with the ball skills, and mix that in the film study and you get a guy who has an extremely high floor." A high school wide receiver, Johnson has natural ball skills and never panics when the ball is in the air. He has all the tools to lock down half the field and with his ball skills, he'll make quarterbacks pay for throwing in his direction. "His ball skills are incredible, and you can see why there was a time some thought he might be able to be a two-way prospect between corner and wideout coming out of high school," Broome said. "A lot of it goes back to good technique and honing his craft, in addition to having the film study part of his game down." Johnson is alert in run support. His physicality carries over in run support. However, he needs to bring that physicality more consistently. His technique looked sloppy in limited action this past season and he was tagged with nine missed tackles in six games. Johnson plans to hold a private workout for teams on April 14. Prior to the season, he was No. 28 on Bruce Feldman's Annual Freaks list. From Feldman: "Johnson had the fastest time this offseason on the team on Michigan's reactive plyo stairs test at 2.27 seconds. He did the 3-cone drill in 6.57 seconds, displaying his ability to change directions and bend." Fit with the Packers The foundation of Hobbs, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine is a solid, if not underwhelming cornerback room. Throw in Javon Bullard, who could be the team's starting nickel cornerback and that room gets a little more intriguing. If Johnson slides to the Packers in the first round, it's a run the pick to the podium type selection. There would be no hesitation in drafting the Michigan cornerback. Johnson is a playmaker at the cornerback position. In today's NFL, there is no such thing as a lockdown cornerback. Even the great ones are going to get beat. With his size, physicality, ball skills and awareness in coverage, Johnson would immediately become Green Bay's most talented cornerback. "I would have zero issues using a top-15 draft pick on Johnson," Broome said. "He played for a pair of NFL defensive coordinators in college in Jesse Minter and Wink Martindale, so you know he is going to pick up the terminology and handle his business. His nagging injury history would give me some pause on using a blue-chip selection on him, but I think he's one of the safest corner picks in the class, if not the safest." If Johnson falls to the Packers in the first round, he'd be a day-one starter on the boundary for the Packers. He's a natural playmaker and a well-rounded player. Draft him without hesitation and the Packers have a potential cornerstone player at cornerback.
USA Today
10-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 17, Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 17, Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams has had a busy pre-draft process. Per sources, he's met with the #Eagles, #Bills, #Texans, and #Packers, with visits to the #Lions, #Ravens and #49ers still ahead. Williams is regarded as one of the top run-defending defensive linemen in this class,… — Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 9, 2025 The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. The Green Bay Packers need to bolster the interior of the defensive line. That's on the to-do list for Brian Gutekunst this offseason and luckily for him, the 2025 NFL Draft is stocked with talented defensive tackles. A defensive tackle Gutekunst could target early in the draft is Tyleik Williams. The Ohio State defensive tackle checks in at No. 17 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A four-star recruit, Williams recorded seven tackles for loss and five sacks during his first season on campus. In 2022, Williams recorded three tackles for loss and one sack. The next season, Williams recorded 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and five pass deflections. This past season, Williams recorded 46 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Ohio State DL Tyleik Williams (#91) with the textbook drop leg technique to hold off the double team, sheds the LT block to make the run stop. His flexibility at his size (6-3, 327) is remarkable. — Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) January 21, 2025 "Williams was a fixture in the middle of the defensive line, playing a key part in Ohio State's third-ranked rush defense," Stefan Krajisnik, an Ohio State reporter for said. "Off the field, he was as respected as any player on the roster. Williams was part of a senior class that fueled the Buckeyes' championship run. Like many of his classmates, he could have left for the 2024 NFL Draft. Instead, he returned to help lead one of the best seasons in program history." Williams is a roadblock against the run. At 334 pounds, he shuts down running lanes and is able to reset the line of scrimmage with his power. He controls his gap and is able to peel off blocks to get his hands on ball carriers. He's powerful at the point of attack and has the strength to root in against double teams. He's got heavy, powerful hands. The Buckeye defensive tackle plays with good pad level and is a high-energy player. While he can two-gap with the best of them, Williams has a quick first step to quickly get on top of offensive linemen. He's not just a space eater, he''s a gap penetrator. He's a rangy big man with good lateral quickness and has a radar for the football. With his strength, athleticism and awareness, Williams has all the tools to wreck rushing attacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams recorded 56 run stops the past two seasons. "Williams has an incredible combination of size and athleticism," Krajisnik said. "He's explosive, making him a force at the line of scrimmage. Combined with experience, he has a strong knack for knowing which gap to plug." With his initial burst and power, Williams has the ability to collapse the pocket. Right now is pass rush plan is predicated on his first-step quickness and powerful frame. Over the past two seasons, Williams recorded 42 pressures and 5.5 sacks. Fit with the Packers Kenny Clark isn't getting any younger and the former first-round pick is coming off the worst season of his illustrious career. Devonte Wyatt's time in Green Bay could end after next season if the Packers don't pick up his fifth-year option. Even if the Packers pick up his fifth-year option, they may not re-sign him to a second contract. Karl Brooks has shown he can be a valuable piece of the rotation. With the departure of TJ Slaton, the Packers need to add a body or two, or maybe even three to that room. To sum it up, this team needs a talent infusion so they can more consistently cause chaos, both against the run and the pass. Williams checks the boxes. He's an active run defender who can eat up blocks to keep linebackers clean and he also has the strength and quickness to cause chaos on his own. While he may never post double-digit sacks in a season, Williams has all the tools needed to develop into a formidable interior pass rusher. "His athleticism for a defensive tackle is extremely intriguing to me," Krajisnik said. "Some mock drafts have had Williams going in the first round, though the consensus seems to be a second-round pick. If you can get a tackle with his traits after the first day of the draft, it would be a no-brainer to take him. He might be Ohio State's most underrated NFL Draft prospect this year."
USA Today
01-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 26, UCLA DE Oluwafemi Oladejo
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 26, UCLA DE Oluwafemi Oladejo The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. During Jeff Hafley's first season as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, the pass rush did disappearing acts in big games far too often. The Packers dismissed defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich and replaced him with DeMarcus Covington, who spent this past season as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. Brian Gutekunst made it crystal clear during the NFL Scouting Combine that they need the defensive line to create more chaos if they are going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. "We need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players," Gutekunst said. "I'm excited about the guys we have in the room, we'll see if we add to it, but that's gotta get better if we're going to accomplish our goals we want to accomplish in this season." Gutekunst doubled down on his faith in the players they have on the roster when he spoke to the media on Monday to kick off the NFL Owner's Meetings. "I think we can do everything we need to do with the players we have on our roster right now," Gutekunst said. "I think there's a significant amount of improvement for those guys, not only in Year 2 of a scheme, but just individually as well. We've invested in that quite a bit already, and I'm excited to see the growth that those guys will have. If the draft happens to bring us some more ammunition in that category, great. But it's not something we have to go chase." More pass rush ammunition during the 2025 NFL Draft could come in the form of one Oluwafemi "Femi" Oladejo. The UCLA Bruin defensive end checks in at No. 26 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A three-star recruit, Oladejo started his collegiate career at California and as an off-ball linebacker. During his two seasons as a Golden Bear, Oladejo recorded 129 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. The California native transferred to UCLA for the 2023 season and recorded 54 tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception. and made the switch to defensive end in 2024. Oladejo made the switch to defensive end this past season and recorded 57 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. During the final four games of the season, Oladejo recorded 19 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, 14 pressures and 14 run stops. "Oladejo was one of the reasons the Bruins went from a fairly middling defense to above average," Ben Bolch, a UCLA beat writer for the Los Angeles Times, said. "As he got more comfortable in his new role as an edge rusher, his production increased and so did the disruptiveness of the defense. It was hard not to imagine how good he could have been had he made the move earlier." At 6-3, and 259 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, Oladejo looks the part of an NFL edge rusher. He's a long-armed pass rusher who has good initial burst off the snap and converts speed to power. Right now, his pass rush plan is full speed ahead at full force. He is new to the position and doesn't have a detailed pass rush plan. However, he's able to knock offensive tackles backward with his physical and violent pass rush style. To go along with his 4.5 sacks, Oladejo also recorded 33 pressures. "He's got a good combination of size and speed, with his technique improving every game he played at his new position," Bolch said. "His ability to not only get past the tackle but complete the play once he got into the backfield was what made him so effective." Oladjo is strong at the point of attack and uses his length to keep offensive tackles at a distance. He has strong, heavy hands and is a violent tackler. He showcased outstanding closing burst to make plays down the line. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 29 run stops this past season at his new position. "This is where having a sturdy build combined with good instincts helped," Bolch said. "Oladejo continually improved at diagnosing plays, putting himself in position to stop the run. His strength helped him turn into a brick wall that ballcarriers had trouble getting past." Fit with the Packers If the Packers pass rush is going to be a more consistent force in 2025, it's likely going to be due to bounce-back seasons from the likes of Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark and Lukas Van Ness enjoying a breakout season during his third year in the league. Even if all those things happen, the Packers still need to add an edge rusher or two during the draft. Oladejo could be a potential target on Day 2 of the draft. "The fact that he's already so good at a coveted position but retains massive upside makes Oladejo a steal," Bolch said. "He's only going to get better and have a bigger impact as his NFL career progresses. With his first-step quickness and power, Oladejo could turn into a real force off the edge once he develops a more detailed pass rush plan. He's the type of player that Gutekunst could roll the dice on during Day 2 of the draft as they look to add more juice to the pass rush.
USA Today
31-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 27, Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 27, Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen It sounds like Walter Nolen had a good first day at the Senior Bowl. The Ole Miss DT was one of 10 players on the American roster I listed for Packers fans to monitor this week. — Brennen Rupp (@Brennen_Rupp) January 28, 2025 The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2025 NFL draft. A position that the Green Bay Packers could target with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is defensive tackle. Kenny Clark is coming off the worst season of his career and is entering his 10th year in the league. His play in 2024 could just be a blip on the radar, or it could be a sign that a decline is coming. Devonte Wyatt may or may not have his fifth-year option picked up, and even if it's picked up, will the Packers go beyond that and give him a second contract? Karl Brooks has shown he can be a valuable member of the rotation. As the Packers look to bolster the interior of their defensive line, a potential target in the first round is Walter Nolen. The Ole Miss defensive tackle checks in at No. 27 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. A transfer from Texas A&M, Nolen enjoyed a career year during his lone season as a Rebel. He recorded career highs in tackles (48), tackles for loss (14) and sacks (6.5). During his two seasons at College Station, Nolen recorded 12 tackles for loss and five sacks. Ole Miss Defensive Tackle Walter Nolen Last Season: 🔵 88.9 PFF Grade (3rd) 🔵 35 QB Pressures (6th) 🔵 13 TFL's/No Gain (2nd) 🔵 91.6 Run Defense Grade (2nd)@OleMissFB — PFF College (@PFF_College) March 7, 2025 "Nolen's greatest strength is his speed and power combo off the line of scrimmage," Devin Jackson, an NFL Draft reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, said. "For a sub 300 pound defensive linemen, he's got some real power behind his hands and is incredibly slippery knifing through opposing offensive lines." Nolen is a twitchy interior defender. He wins with his quick get-off and violent hands. He plays with great power and converts speed to power. While he may not always get home, he routinely impacts the integrity of the pocket. The Texas A&M transfer has a nice bag of tricks in his pass rush repertoire and would bolster any team's interior pass rush with his blend of upfield quickness and strength. To go along with his 6.5 sacks, Nolen recorded 35 pressures this past season. "The world is Nolen's oyster as a pass rusher," Jackson said. "He's got cross chop ability, can rush from multiple alignments along a defensive line, and his speed to power conversion is lethal. His variety as a pass rusher can keep interior offensive linemen guessing." Nolen is an explosive mover and a backfield disruptor. The Ole defensive tackle gets upfield quickly with a lightning-quick first step. He has a flexible lower body and stays balanced through gaps. Nolen has excellent foot quickness to to easily change directions. He finished this past season with 32 run stops. "Nolen is not your typical stack and shed defensive lineman but he's still impactful, and primarily using his twitchy first step and using quick swim and rip moves to make splashy tackles in the backfield," Jackson said. "There are reps of him too using his hands and then his speed to slip off of down blocks, but overall he could be stronger maintaining his gap integrity and taking blocks head one." Fit with the Packers Brian Gutekunst made it crystal clear during the NFL Scouting Combine that they need the defensive line to create more chaos if they are going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. "We need to affect the quarterback more in our front four, with just four players," Gutekunst said. "I'm excited about the guys we have in the room, we'll see if we add to it, but that's gotta get better if we're going to accomplish our goals we want to accomplish in this season." Enter Nolen. He causes plenty of chaos behind the line of scrimmage due to his first-step quickness and his play strength. Turn on the Ole Miss tape against Florida this past season and you can quickly see the vision for what Nolen can bring to Green Bay's defensive front. He was constantly disrupting the action in the backfield. He finished the game with three tackles for loss, one sack, seven run stops and four pressures. "If you're drafting Nolen, you're drafting a player that has incredible potential and talent to be a top flight interior pass rush talent," Jackson said. "His pass rusher variety and explosiveness was difficult to slow down, and while he needs to round out his game more as a run defender, he's a three down player who has Pro Bowl talent. Harnessing that talent and getting him to lock in on every down and hold his ground will be key to unlocking his ceiling." Smart money suggests that Clark will bounce back in 2025 and be more comfortable in Jeff Hafley's system. Even if the Packers decide Wyatt is part of their long-term plans, a team can never have enough impactful players on the defensive line. Nolen has all the tools in the shed to develop into a game wrecker. He's fully capable of taking over games. He'd bolster Green Bay's interior pass rush and could help create more splash plays against the run. With his size, athleticism and age (he just turned 21 on March 30), it would not be surprising if the Packers drafted Nolen with the 23rd overall pick.
