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Green Bay Packers: Allen Lazard’s ascent entirely unsurprising

By Sayre Bedinger

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 13: Allen Lazard #13 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Packers defeated the Vikings 43-34. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 13: Allen Lazard #13 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Packers defeated the Vikings 43-34. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Green Bay Packers WR Allen Lazard has developed nicely, which should come as no surprise.

No one has been more critical about the Green Bay Packers not using a 2020 NFL Draft pick on the wide receiver position than me.

The Packers’ odd choice to not take a single receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft was nothing short of baffling and remains that way to this day, but the emergence of Allen Lazard in the early goings of the 2020 season has quelled some of the concerns many had going into this year.

Lazard was an undrafted free agent out of Iowa State in the 2018 NFL Draft class. A four-year starter at Iowa State, Lazard was consistently productive throughout his college days and was a consistently good red zone threat.

He caught 241 passes with 26 touchdowns over four seasons at Iowa State, and despite not having game-altering speed, Lazard always proved himself to be a better athlete than most at 6-foot-5, 222 pounds.

Even with his 4.55 speed maybe limiting his all-around upside a slight bit, the fact that Lazard went undrafted in 2018 was a criminal mistake by the entire NFL, especially because the 2018 wide receiver class was not renowned as one of the best anyone has ever seen, by any stretch.

Lazard got in one game his rookie season as the Packers developed him slowly, catching one pass for seven yards in the regular season. He followed that up by playing all 16 games in 2019 for the Packers and putting himself on the map with 35 receptions for 477 yards and three touchdowns.

To open the 2020 season, Lazard has now become a focal point of the Packers’ offense with 17 targets in three games for 13 receptions, 254 yards, and a pair of touchdowns.

https://twitter.com/packers/status/1310386911207403526

Lazard’s big game against the New Orleans Saints certainly has caused fantasy football players to sprint to pick him up on the waiver wire, but his production with a great quarterback throwing him passes like Aaron Rodgers comes as absolutely no surprise.

At Iowa State, Lazard was sure-handed, clutch, and very consistent.

https://twitter.com/packers/status/1310400932904042497

For the Packers, Lazard’s emergence couldn’t come at a better time. He stepped up with a huge game against the Saints as top receiver Davante Adams missed the game due to injury and the Packers’ offense didn’t miss a beat.

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With his combination of size, hands, and big-play ability, Lazard has given the Packers a tremendous option opposite Davante Adams now and for the remainder of the 2020 season.

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