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Packers pick up center and wide out

Josh Myers plays the same position and went to the same college as All-Pro center Corey Linsley.

The Green Bay Packers hope the similarities don’t end there.

Green Bay continued filling positions of need taking Myers in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night with the 62nd overall pick. The former Ohio State center is a potential long-term replacement for Linsley, who left the Packers for the Los Angeles Chargers via free agency.

Myers said he has watched plenty of film of Linsley and has seen him and spoken to him on several occasions at Ohio State’s campus. Now he has a chance to take over for him.

The selection of Myers followed the Packers’ first-round selection of Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes with the 29th overall pick.

Late Friday, the Packers traded up seven spots in the third round to take Clemson wide receiver Amari Rodgers at No. 85 overall. The Packers sent the Tennessee Titans the No. 92 overall pick as well as a fourth-round selection (No. 135 overall).

Depth at cornerback and the offensive line were considered two of the Packers’ biggest needs heading into the draft. The Packers also needed to add receivers after not selecting any wideouts in the 2019 or 2020 drafts.

Both of the Packers’ Friday selections come from athletic families.

Rodgers isn’t related to disgruntled Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers but is the son of Tee Martin, who quarterbacked Tennessee’s 1998 national championship team. Myers’ father was an offensive lineman at Kentucky and his mom played basketball at Dayton.

Packers director of college scouting Matt Malaspina said Myers could help out at center or at guard. The offensive line suffered a major hit with the loss of Linsley, a 2014 fifth-round pick from Ohio State.

Myers, who is 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, came to Ohio State as a tackle but moved to center early in his college career. He was a team captain last season and one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy that goes annually to college football’s top center.

His father was an offensive lineman at Kentucky and his mom played basketball at Dayton.

During Ohio State’s run to the College Football Playoff championship game, Myers played through an injury that required surgery. Myers said he hurt his toe in the Big Ten championship game and aggravated the injury in the semifinal victory over Clemson.

Malaspina said the Packers didn’t consider Myers’ toe injury a concern.

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