5 breakout stars to watch for Green Bay Packers in 2020

2. Equanimeous St. Brown, receiver

Former Notre Dame standout Equanimeous St. Brown missed the entire 2019 season due to a preseason injury, which ended up being a big blow to the Green Bay Packers passing attack. Their second and third-leading receivers behind superstar Davante Adams were both running backs, where fellow young wideout Marques Valdez-Scantling didn’t take another step forward.

With Geronimo Allison gone, the Packers have cleared space for either St. Brown or another potential breakout receiver in Allen Lazard to be a key part of the offense. Jace Sternberger will be one to watch at tight end and a wide receiver seems forthcoming in the first round, but St. Brown and Lazard will get their opportunities.

Between the two of them, St. Brown is the more intriguing breakout candidate. The 2018 sixth-round pick showed plenty of promise as a rookie, quietly averaging 9.13 yards per target in what was otherwise a very difficult season for Aaron Rodgers and the offense – even more so than the 2019 season.

St. Brown has another thing in common with fellow breakout candidates Oren Burks and Rashan Gary; he’s an absolute speed demon. At 6-foot-5, St. Brown knocked out 20 reps on the bench press and smashed the 4.5 mark on the 40-yard dash, showing world-class athleticism. It’s no wonder Matt Harmon compared him to Martavis Bryant during the pre-draft process.