The Green Bay Packers signed 17 rookie free agents. The signings were announced Friday by Ted Thompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations.
Bernard Blake, 23, was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game following his career at Colorado State. He started 25 of 36 games he played in over his final three seasons as a Ram, recording 126 tackles, 26 pass breakups and two interceptions.
Javess Blue(JAY-viss), 22, started his career at Butler Community College (2011-12), where he was named a second-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American as a sophomore. He played his final two seasons at Kentucky, posting 72 receptions for 1,111 yards (15.4 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Blue is the only player in Wildcat history with two receptions of 83 yards or more and is the 23rd player in school history to register 1,000-plus receiving yards.
Ricky Collins, 23, totaled 1,187 yards on 64 receptions (107.9 yards per game) with 14 touchdowns in 2014 and was named first-team All-Lone Star Conference and a D2Football.com All-American. He redshirted in 2013 and spent time on the Lion practice squad. Prior to attending Texas A&M-Commerce, he played five games (two starts) at Midwestern State (Texas) in 2012 and two seasons at Kilgore Junior College (Texas). In 2011, Collins was named first-team All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference.
Adrian Coxson, 23, began his career at Maryland, playing in nine games in 2011, and finished with three years at Stony Brook (2012-14). In three seasons there, he played in 35 games, starting 19, and totaled 1,335 yards with 10 touchdowns on 82 receptions (16.3 avg.). Coxson set career highs as a senior with 43 receptions for 664 yards (15.4 avg.) and six touchdowns. He was named third-team All-CAA Football following the 2014 season.
John Crockett, 23, recorded three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons despite serving as the No. 2 back until his final year at North Dakota State. He was just the second NDSU player to eclipse 5,000 career all-purpose yards (5,151) and recorded 20 100-yard rushing games in his career, the second most in school history. Crockett helped the Bison win the national title in each of his three seasons. As a senior, he set school records for all-purpose yards (2,419), rushing yards (1,994) and rushing attempts (368), and was named second-team Sports Network All-America and second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Tavarus Dantzler, 23, started all 25 games over his final two seasons, finishing No. 2 on the team with 80 tackles in 2014 and No. 5 with 47 tackles in 2013. He played in a total of 46 games over his four years, recording 175 tackles (85 solo), 19 tackles for a loss, 2½ sacks, five pass breakups, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. As a senior, he set or tied a career high in tackles (80), tackles for a loss (8½, 2013), sacks (one, 2013), pass breakups (three), forced fumbles (three) and fumble recoveries (three).
Fabbians Ebbele(fay-bians eh-belly), 23, started 51 of 52 games played at the University of Arizona, playing all four seasons at right tackle. In 2014, he blocked for an offense that averaged 463.6 yards and 34.5 points per game. As a junior, he was a member of an offensive line that helped Ka'Deem Carey rush for 1,885 yards and 19 touchdowns. Ebbele contributed to an offense that featured a 3,000-yard passer (Matt Scott, 3,620), a 1,500-yard rusher (Carey, 1,929) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Austin Hill, 1,364) in 2012.
LaDarius Gunter, 22, played at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College before playing three seasons at Miami (Fla.), where he started 30 of 37 games played, including all 25 in his final two years. In three seasons at Miami, Gunter recorded 111 tackles (76 solo), three tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, 18 pass breakups and six interceptions he returned for 151 yards.*Â *
Alonzo Harris, 22, accumulated 3,330 rushing yards on 704 attempts (4.7 avg.) and 44 touchdowns in his collegiate career as well as 29 receptions for 234 yards (8.1 avg.) and one touchdown. He was named first-team All-Sun Belt as a junior in 2013 and was on the 2014 Doak Walker Award watch list. Harris recorded 800-plus rushing yards and 10-plus rushing touchdowns in each of his final three seasons.
Mitchell Henry, 22, played in 47 games at Western Kentucky, starting 24 and registering 78 receptions for 1,094 yards (14.0 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. He set career highs in receptions (32), yards (489) and touchdowns (four) as a senior. During the 2014 season, Henry was named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week after catching seven passes for 128 yards (18.3 avg.) and two touchdowns at Middle Tennessee State.
Lavon Hooks, 23, spent two seasons at Northeast Mississippi Community College, where he was named honorable mention All-American as a sophomore, and two seasons at the University of Mississippi, where he started two of 24 games played. In two years at Ole Miss, Hooks tallied 27 tackles, nine tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Jimmie Hunt, 24, posted 74 receptions for 1,204 yards (16.3 avg.) and 12 touchdowns in four seasons at Missouri. As a senior, he set career highs in receptions (40), yards (698) and touchdowns (seven). Against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, Hunt totaled 169 yards on six receptions (28.2 avg.), including three catches of 30 or more yards.
Larry Pinkard (pink-ARD), 23, led Old Dominion with 68 receptions for 1,020 yards (15.0 avg.) and nine touchdowns in 2013. His 68 receptions were the second most in a single season by a receiver and he was just the second ODU receiver to record a 1,000-yard season. In three seasons, Pinkard totaled 160 receptions for 2,338 yards (14.6 avg.) and 25 touchdowns, ranking No. 2 in receiving yards and No. 3 in receptions in school history.
Jermauria Rasco (Jer-maw-ree-AY), 22, played in 48 games at LSU, starting the final 26 games of his collegiate career. In his final two seasons, Rasco tallied 127 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and eight sacks. As a senior, he set career highs for tackles (71), tackles for a loss (7½) and tied career highs for starts (13) and sacks (four). His four sacks in both his junior and senior seasons led the Tigers in 2013 and 2014.
Marcus Reed, 22, played his final two seasons at Fayetteville State after playing two years at Kilgore (Texas) Junior College. He started all 17 games he played in at Fayetteville, earning second-team All-CIAA honors after his senior season. In 2013, Reed blocked for an offense that ranked No. 1 in the conference in passing (285.5 yards per game).
Matt Rotheram, 22, started games in each of his four seasons, including 38 during his final three years at Pittsburgh. He was selected second-team All-ACC by the league's head coaches and third-team by the media as a senior. In 2014, Rotheram became the first Pitt player to be named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. He played right guard in 2013-14 after playing right tackle in 2011-12.
James Vaughters, 21, played in 54 games in four seasons at Stanford. As a senior, he totaled 51 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 6½ sacks and earned defensive MVP honors in the Foster Farms Bowl. Vaughters started all 14 games a junior and finished with 36 tackles, six tackles for a loss, four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
