February
Packers Casey Hayward: 2012 Player Evaluation and Report Card
Casey Hayward
1) Introduction: As part of the attempt to bolster the defense with talent, the Packers selected CB Casey Hayward in the 2012 NFL Draft with their third overall pick (Round 2, Pick 62). He was the unquestioned leader of the Vanderbilt defense in college, and Hayward was praised by scouts for his athleticism, awareness, and big play ability. Some have even likened him to Charles Woodson with respect to his instinctive style of play.
2) Profile:
Casey Hayward
- Age: 23
- Born: 09/09/1989, in Elko, GA
- Height: 5’11″
- Weight: 192
- College: Vanderbilt
- Rookie Year: 2012
- NFL Experience: 0 years
3) Expectations coming into the season: For a rookie, there were actually some pretty high expectations for Casey Hayward. Many fans were hoping he’d be an immediate answer to the concerns at cornerback. As training camp progressed, it was clear Hayward had a shot for the third cornerback position, but second year player Davon House showed better technique and understanding of the defense. When the roster finally got trimmed down to 53 players, it was clear that Hayward would still be battling throughout the season for playing time.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Casey Hayward’s six interceptions were the most by any Packers cornerback in 2012, though his best game came against the Houston Texans when he snatched two of them. And though he was targeted four times in that game, he allowed zero completions. There weren’t many “lowlights” for Hayward, though his failure to complete the sack on Colin Kaepernick in the final playoff game was certainly a stinger.
