Is Packers rookie safety Javon Bullard the next impact player from the Georgia football factory?

so who is new Green Bay Packers safety Javon Bullard our old pal Bailey burmaster joins us on the show today for another installment of our rookie orientation series you are locked on Packers your daily Green Bay Packers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every [Music] day you were locked on Packers part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day I'm Peter macowski I cover the Packers for the leap a newsletter I would love for you to subscribe to follow me on Twitter Peter Bukowski follow the podcast on Twitter locked on Packers like us on Facebook subscribe to the podcast iTunes Spotify Google podcasts wherever you find podcasts you'll find locked on Packers the number one Packers podcast on the internet and the show for fans who know what happened they want to know why and how thanks to everyone who makes locked on Packers their first listen every day we hope you like starting your day with us as much as we like starting our day with you today's episode brought to you by our friends at game time download the game time app create an account use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply if there was a player from this draft class who I thought was best suited to come in right away and contribute to this team it would be Georgia safety Javon Bullard who is a terrific fit in this defense a terrific fit next to Xavier mckenny who by the way just was on ESPN's list of top 10 safeties as voted on by NFL decision makers evaluators coaches etc etc etc uh and he is someone who I think can can wear a lot of hats in this defense he was asked by Kirby Smart in the best defensive program in college football over the last half decade to not only wear a couple hats to play multiple different positions play in the slot as a nickel corner and and in separate Seasons play as a deep half deep middle safety and he did it all at a pretty high level for more on all of this I tapped ARL pal she's not old but we're old friends bayy burmaster who used to be in Green Bay covering the Packers and then we had her on uh 2021 I believe to talk about the Browns because she was in Cleveland and she just keeps moving on up keep keeps climbing climbing those markets bigger markets bigger markets because she's awesome she's now in Atlanta um which means Georgia football so let's talk to Bailey joining me now our old pal Bailey burmaster back again I think this is the third time and the third different team you are covering Bailey now Atlanta news first um very glad to be with you to talk some to talk some ball to talk some dogs um I've always known that you've had that dog in you so this is this is perfect um so before we before we dig into Javon Bullard um they SEC what is what what is their thing it's just different is that the what something like that like the tagline yes yes it means more yes okay it just means more um I gotta get The Branding right sorry so you get there and you get a chance to see this up close and personel theyve become this Factory of NFL Talent is there anything like culturally Vibes wise like why why does that Place seems so because plenty of places can recruit but they're they're actually getting the job done so have you noticed something different there this Kirby's formula man it's there's no tolerance it's all discipline it's all grit it's super structured it's up not I don't want to say uptight in the bad way but just like it's all business um it really gives more of a Vibe of like an NFL team than other universities I have covered um I mean even for media we can't shoot practices the only time we've ever been able to shoot practices is like bowl games um so it's it's really it's crazy because I've covered a few College universities and um not nothing in the but you always hear you know the SEC it's it's just different you know whatever um I don't think that's the case for all SEC teams but Georgia is a different breed and I think you have to give a lot of credit to kiry's formula of getting the right people in place bringing in the right players who are just workhorses but they match that with the talent aspect um and I mean once you have the winning formula why would you ever change it yeah and and all they do now is win they've they've sort of replaced Alabama as the go-to program in college football and it's not a surprised that Brian gin has really liked players from there over the last few years um and that that brings us to Bullard who is now going to compete to start at safety for the Packers but he didn't always play safety at Georgia can you speak a little bit to to his Evolution as a player there yeah so 2022 he played mostly slot Corner um and was a big part of them winning The Natty that year I mean he was Defensive MVP in that game um so you know he's when you think about Javon Bullard he's someone for me that immediately just comes to mind he's versatile um he can play position you really need him to but on top of that he's it sounds cliche to say like these guys in the NFL are so athletic but he really is just the Crux of being strong and tough but fast um so I think that versatility is really what maybe teams were seeing in him and maybe bringing him in but you saw him play a lot more slot Corner in 2022 versus last season he played Safety and still really produced if I'm not mistaken he had a finished with career highs and tackles and uh pass is defended so you know he's kind of proven that no matter where you put him he can find success now he had a lot of good players around him too and it is the college level but who's to say that can't be recreated yeah I think it was Devonte Wyatt um who said when he got to the NFL he he realized that what Georgia was doing was was way more complicated than what a lot of NFL teams are doing so it's go ahead go ahead no it's funny you say that because that is a consistent underlier of like a lot of the guys that come out of Georgia and end up going to the places they all say like oh nothing's different like we've been doing this at Georgia and I think that goes back to maybe why gunt loved going after all these Georgia guys and you know it's it's a part to Kirby's formula as well like we were talking about it seems like to to have someone play as well as he did to your point he he was a really good slot Corner um I I thought that was his best Collegiate position for Kirby Smart to say well actually now we need you to do this not entirely different thing certainly a different position uh in that defense isn't that a stamp of approval in itself that that speaks to the intelligence of a player like this well and think about it how many times in the NFL do you see players be like nah I don't want to like you you they won't come out and be like no I don't want to play that position they'll do the whole well I'll play wherever coach wants to put me but the reality is is a lot of times you hear the Rumblings of oh he doesn't want to play this position so he wants to be traded or whatever um I don't think we have that luxury anymore I think there is a shift in the NFL of the more you can do the better and that's what they want so they're going to go get proven guys who can do that so I think it is definitely uh probably something that even helped Javon along the way it it does seem like um he's the kind of player who can do almost whatever you need is there something though that you think he is best at in terms of what his ideal role in the NFL would be yeah I think he can really and and it's for the Packers specifically I mean I think he can really be that plug-and-play guy just where you need it um I think his speed for his position really sticks out to me I think he had a 4440 um and you know I I liked watching him more at safety to be honest I just thought he stood out a little more but I don't know I I don't cover the Packers enough to know what they're really looking for at this point but I do feel like you know there was a reason when he was at the Senior Bowl he was voted the top safety and he had just moved from slot corner from the year before so that's kind of what I see yeah I think I think Jeff Halley is going to we don't know we're guessing with Jeff Halley right we're just trying to project a little bit here but coming from the college game I mean I feel like that makes this potentially even a more seamless transition for him because we're GNA get some Collegiate principles out of him and it seems like to be a DB for Kirby Smart and this was true of Nick Saban you have to have to tackle and Javon Bullard despite the fact that he's you know like 510 um he's he's got some thickness he's he's got a thick lower body but he will come up and strike you oh no for sure and I was gonna say if it's if he's if it's not his versatility that you're looking at it should be his tackling because it's very just old school get it done he's everywhere he's swarming around guys um I mean there's a lot to like to about him and I think it will be really interesting to see how he progresses and definitely within the Packers uh defense but I'm you know I was thinking about this you know he's a Georgia Boy from milleville and um I don't know how he's gonna fa in that cold yeah that that's probably my biggest concern I don't think he's seen temperatures like that before because yes it gets cold here in the South but nothing like he's about to experience I think he said he's never seen snow I believe that I believe that all right we're gonna get some more with bayy burmaster in just a second here unlocked on Packers today's episode brought to you by our friends at eBay Motors passion drive and patience the formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you're into speed or power style eBay Motors has you covered with 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there's do you think there's anything to just sort of the chemistry and the familiarity even if you didn't play necessarily together um to have these these Georgia guys because now the Packers are sort of building they're doing like the the Knicks Villanova thing on their defense because they've got Eric Stokes they've got qu they've got them at every level now um defensive line backer Corner safety of having these guys who there's that there's something shared that they have oh absolutely and I think you're sharing more than just having oh I lost my light hold on this is technical this is what you get hold on I gotta move this is this is TV this is TV um no I I I definitely think and it's more than just going to Georgia right I think you come up on the same shared values and context of what you've learned under Kirby Smart and I think it's really nice to have that familiarity with someone along the way that hey you're going to a place you don't know but here's a face I know they can give me the runaround and you know we were boys and dogs in Georgia you're going to want to bring those people along make them feel more comfortable so I think you definitely get more comfortability than maybe you would I like has he the man ever even been to Wisconsin you know there's a lot of changes coming his way um I think it definitely is a pro to have more dogs in the uh locker room that can help help him out and he's the uh the proverbial metaphoric dog just like we we talked about with you at the top I wanted I wanted to get your perspective now that you've been away from Green Bay for a couple years um you got to stay covering you know been lucky that you got the NFL cities where you wher you've gone Cleveland and now Atlanta what has been your impression of Matt laflor from afar and the evolution because you were there early in the Matt laflor um LIF span and now you know he's he's kind of moving into a different phase now and I think he's dealt with that was such Grace and maybe a Grace isn't the word you want to hear for a head co but I still stand T toes down on where I was on the floor the two years I was there when Aaron Rogers was there um I think he's a great coach I think he's very collaborative I think he really knows how to be a leader of men and that's not always something you see um you know I think Kevin stefansky when I covered him in um Cleveland is someone else who had similarities to lafl but at the same time was probably dealt a more difficult hand um so there was a lot of growing pains within the Browns organization but then when you also look at um you know where I am now with Arthur Smith and bring Raheem Morris there's something to be said about these coaches that come across more personable that you know understand of being collaborative with their players and maybe their quarterback but also still holding that standard of discipline and accountability um it's a very fine line to strike and I I think it's something that laflor has really done really well yeah it sounds like a lot of what you're describing is also happening at Georgia with Kirby Smart even though that's a Collegiate atmosphere um luckily we have dropped the veil of amateurism like those guys are getting paid now and so I think you can run it a little bit more like a business and maybe that's why we're seeing them having a little bit different um feel there I this is also fascinating because Atlanta did a thing that the Packers did in a variation right the Jordan love and the the Michael penick's pick for the next week all I heard was they're doing the Jordan love did you have the same feeling or were you just sort of like this is this is wild or both so can we can we recap my experience with quarterbacks in the NFL for a second yes please the first year I was in Green Bay they drafted Jordan love the second year in Green Bay Aaron Rogers says he's unhappy and wants to be be traded and was an MVP and was I go to uh Cleveland and it's the baker show until he tears his laum and everything is on fire then they go get Deshawn Watson ship him to Charlotte and I covered Sean Watson for a year I come here and it's Desmond Ritter and I was very public about I believe Ritter's gonna get benched by week seven people here thought I was insane but you don't watch people like DeShawn Watson and Aaron roders and not notice that whatever you want to Define as it Desmond Ritter did not have it and the guy is an amazing guy it's not personal it's strictly Performance Based he did not have it but people thought I was wild for saying that and then I think it was week eight he was benched so then you're going okay they're moving on from him you know they have to they get Kurt Cousins um which I thought was probably the best get you were going to get this offseason if you wanted to go the free agency route and then draft night comes and I'm like it's going to be really calm it's going to be cool it's going to be collected I had a wedding that Friday of the draft and I originally told my boss like I'm gonna I'm I'm I'll stay and they're like no you can go just can you be here Thursday I was like yeah nothing crazy should happen Thursday we should be fine so like we'll handle it we'll cover it that eighth pick came in and I just stood up in The Newsroom and I was like everything is way more important than it's supposed to be now and it's funny because I immediately had the thought of it's the Jordan love model and I and I such a minority here I want to put that out I'm such a minority in this process with this whole quarterback situation because I do think the Jordan love model is a great model and I don't hate this why the Falcons have dealt with poor quarterback play for far too long and it's been the detriment to every season they aren't GNA fail at quarterback again so how do you make sure of that you have a veteran in Kurt Cousins who's yeah proven that he can win and has now made you most likely a playoff team if you take care of business but now if anything else happens you have a starter and Michael pennick Jr who you feel confident in now where fans are conflicted and totally understand where they're conflicted you pay all this money for Kurt Cousins and then you draft another quarterback and you're going to have to pay him at some point it's conflicting for one of the other to succeed one of them must fail right and that's where everyone's like what are we doing but that's the point the point is We're Not Gonna fail no matter what happens at quarterback if Kurt Cousins God forbid breaks his leg and is done you're not worried you got Michael pennx right who can sling it by the way yeah now is he is he GNA be the guy we don't it's too early anyone who says they want to say yes or no it's too early you don't know that um but I don't hate the Falcons for trying to have a fail prooof method at quarterback to make sure they don't find themselves and a desmon Ritter Taylor heinik hle again all right we'll finish up here in just a second with bayy burmaster let's do it lockon has launched the first ever National Sports 247 streaming Channel on YouTube and now it's also available on Amazon Fire TV and the free Fire TV channels app locked on sports today is here for you 247 covering the top sports stories of the day with the local Experts of locked on plus our national shows covering every League find locked on sports today now available on the free Fire TV channels app I just I just pulled up the text that I found from draft KN I texted you in all caps what and your response a single word chaos so and that's and that I'm sure it was that was both true in in the fan base I'm sure it was true in your life professionally trying to you know deal with all the things that you were gonna have to do over the next couple days because of it but it was and that's how it felt very much April of 2020 um when the Jordan love pick happened we were all just sort of like wait what are they doing and it it worked out so far I I I just remembered as we're talking um that the Falcons played Jordan love and the Packers early in the season came back in the fourth quarter the only game Desmond Ritter ever looked like he had it was in that game at the end when he makes like two throws two throws of course it's against Joe Barry's defense but so you were you were there in 20 When Love Was was originally selected we didn't get a good look at him at all because of covid he didn't get to play much until that one game in 2021 and then okay you see him now 2023 and then what he became has any of this surprised you um I'm a little surprised I you know I'm a very honest woman I will tell you I wasn't sold on Jordan love back then um I do remember talking to his offensive coordinator and one of his former head coaches Matt Wells and yo at one point and they really thought he he had it all and they were like that he needs to do everything to absorb what he can and learn from Aaron Rogers while he's there um but he has the ability to you know be the next coming that the Packers are looking for um I was still hesitant I I just I you NE and that's the thing about this you don't know how players are going to transition from college to the NFL what other things come into it are they gonna have the work ethic or is the game GNA be too fast for them you you just don't know um and I was really pleasantly surprised by the season he had this year and I was very impressed with him to be quite Frank um I would love to know and maybe you can speak more on this is just how much of that is his collaboration process with the floor and um the acclamation period he had um because you know I think I and maybe you guys have talked about it I'm not as much as in the Green Bay sphere anymore but the transition from Rogers to love to two was pretty seamless yeah was pretty despite all the Rogers to Jets like take that out of it the there wasn't a lot of friction there or storylines that I really saw that were problematic um so you have to believe he had a good relationship with Rogers laflor helped bridge the gap there a little bit was like oh no are we going to have a Fara Rogers point2 over here 2.0 going on um so I you know I think you have to give the kid a lot of credit it it is one of those things where uh I just I don't know what what it what is missing from the the dialogue from the discourse from the evaluation process with quarterbacks this it's just so so hard and actually I wanted to ask you this um because I think we've talked a little bit about this off air maybe we've talked about it on air I don't know but you you played uh Collegiate Athletics you've been covering professional and Collegiate Athletics now your whole career why do you think players who are really talented fail I used to have this saying about some of the best players oh here we go again the best players I ever played with or with just from an outside perspective um you got to be a little crazy what do I mean by that you operate on a different level than everyone else you're not a you don't like you don't operate in a realm of I need to be liked you're okay with being hated if it's for the betterment of your progress but that attribute within a team as well like you know if you're doing your best you're going to push other people around you to be your best um and it's you know I think there's a line there though of you have to have the talent to back it up you can be a great leader and not have the talent and people won't respect you for it but if you have the talent and you're also not speaking up about it that can cause friction too um I think the NFL is so unique because your price tag matters okay I I saw this a lot in uh Cleveland with Miles Garrett are Ile their best player sure makes bajillion dollarars he has the biggest price tag he is someone who leads by example and on the field he could his arm could be falling off and he's still gonna go play yeah and that's him saying y'all need to get with it this is what like we're going we're riding um but he's not always necessarily the vocal leader in the locker room there were always a lot of reports about him not speaking up him not talking to guys him not taking initiative and getting in guys faces and that bothered people and I kind of get that because if your price Tag's lower someone's gonna go well who the hell are you right so it it's it's it's it's a very interesting balance of you have the talent to back up whatever you were saying in the NFL you have the price tag to back up whatever you were saying you gotta just obviously earn the respect of everyone in the locker room as well but at the end of the day too it's it it's figuring out the people around you because there are and that's the issue there are people in the NFL who are just there to get their paycheck at the end of the day like oh I'm not gonna play okay whatever no but you need leaders to grab them and be like are you trying to win or not because if you're not trying to win and help this team get better and help yourself get better then I'm not riding for you and you can sit your but down on the bench it's that craziness of like I don't care we're going to win at all costs are you with me or are you against me and if you're against me fine but I'm gonna go tell your coach that hey we should put this cat in this sixth rounder not this first rounder who's gonna give me more of an effort on game day I love it I love when you get fired up Bailey you're awesome thank you so much no thank you awesome to catch up with biley uh she's awesome she's just great um and who knows maybe next time we'll talk to her she'll be covering the Jets or the Giants probably in in New York because no bigger Market it's kind of kind of maybe she'll be at ESPN who knows uh we'll be back next week I do know that U much more with lock on Packers I misspoke the other day when I said we were one week away from training camp we're two weeks away from training camp now we're now we're almost to that point almost a week away um on Monday we will be a week away um just wanted to correct that so back next week much more as we head toward training camp toward getting to see these guys on the field I can't wait John B is one of those guys I cannot wait to see how Jeff Halley wants to deploy him follow me on Twitter Peter Bowski follow the podcast on Twitter locked on Packers like us on Facebook subscribe to the podcast wherever you get Podcast and of course we're on all the social medias Instagram Tik Tok um YouTube so you can stay locked on Packers