Sure, it was only the first game of the preseason, but Carrington Valentine sure looks like he belongs in the NFL.
Valentine, a former Kentucky defensive back who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, shined in his first-ever professional appearance for the Green Bay Packers. In what was a 36-19 Packers win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night, Valentine recorded four solo tackles, a game-high three pass deflections, and one interception that he ran back 17 yards.
Although he wasn’t tasked with going up against Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who is still recovering from a calf injury, Valentine was wildly impressive and was the talk of social media throughout the game and into the night.