Former Louisiana Tech safety Kentrell Brice didn’t get a lot of opportunities to make an NFL roster, but he certainly made the most of the ones that he got. The 5’10”, 200 lb. defensive back wasn’t invited to the NFL scouting combine nor did he play in any all-star games. That meant that he had to impress at the Louisiana Tech pro day, which drew scouts from across the NFL given Brice’s high profile team mates like defensive tackle Vernon Butler and running back Kenneth Dixon.

Brice took the opportunity and ran with it, putting up stellar measurables. He ran a 4.38 and 4.4 forty yard dash. He also finished with a 42″ vertical and an 11-1 broad jump. According to Bill Huber, “Among defensive backs at the Scouting Combine, Brice’s vertical would have ranked No. 1, his broad jump would have trailed only first-round pick Jalen Ramsey’s 11-3 and his bench press would have trailed only Utah State’s Miles Killebrew’s 22.”

Brice received interest from multiple teams but ultimately signed with the Packers. During OTAs, Brice turned heads in Green Bay. He’s garnered attention from beat writers after making multiple plays during public practices.

#Packers QB Brett Hindley throws high and late to TE Kennard Backman across the middle. Oops. Kentrell Brice with pick off the deflection. — Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) June 15, 2016

Kentrell Brice, have yourself a day. His second INT of team drills, this one off Marquise Williams, gives #Packers D a goal-line stand. — Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) June 15, 2016

Brice has been making plays throughout his career at Louisiana Tech. In 2015, Brice finished with 60 tackles (3 for a loss), 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, and 8 pass deflections. In 2014, Brice lead the Bulldogs with 86 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and also accumulated 2 interceptions and 5 pass deflections.

The Packers tend to keep somewhere around 4 safeties and 10 or 11 defensive backs on their final roster. Morgan Burnett and HaHa Clinton-Dix are locks to make the final roster, as are Sam Shields, Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins, Micah Hyde, and, probably, Ladarius Gunter. That leaves multiple spots available for Brice as he attempts to supplant players like Chris Banjo and Demetri Goodson.

Banjo has been an important special teams contributor while Goodson has done little since being drafted in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Moreover, Goodson has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season due to violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

If Brice continues to make plays, he could have a real shot at making the Packers’ final 53 man roster. Not only is he athletically gifted, he’s been known as a strong tackler, making him an all-around talented defensive back. According to Sean Isabella, the Packers have communicated to Brice that they are interested in his ability to play both safety positions and even slot corner in the nickel defense. That sort of utility will certain add to his value as a player in the long term. Short term, it’s imperative that Brice make himself known on special teams, where he’d immediately be asked to make an impact if he were to make the final roster.

It remains to be seen whether Brice can carry the momentum that began at his pro day through to training camp and preseason. He’s certainly one of the players who will benefit from the Packers’ expanded schedule of 5 preseason games. For now, Brice is someone to keep an eye on. He may very well be Ted Thompson’s 2016 undrafted diamond in the rough.

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Taylor O\'Neill is a Packer fan born and raised in Oshkosh, WI. He currently lives in Florida and is pursuing his PhD. Taylor is a writer with PackersTalk.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @TaylorONeill87 for more Packer news.

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