One of Packers’ Rookie Safeties Out With Broken Toe

Green Bay Packers rookie safety Kitan Oladapo rolled up to his introductory media session at Lambeau Field on Friday.

Literally.

With his left foot in a boot, Oladapo pushed his way toward reporters in a scooter. A fifth-round draft pick last week, he suffered a broken big toe at the Scouting Combine. He pushed his way through workouts at the Combine and position drills at Oregon State’s pro day a couple weeks later before having surgery. The surgery was done a week before the draft in Charlotte by Dr. Robert Anderson, who is an associate team physician for the Packers.

Oladapo said he is “confident” he will be ready for the start of training camp.

“Everyone was tripping on that turf at the Combine and just messed it up,” Oladapo said. “Planted real weird [and the] side of my cleat kind of ripped and my toe just got really swollen.”

“I was like, really? It was the third drill,” he continued. “I did the vertical, the 40 and but I just wanted to put on a good show for all the teams there. It was devastating but you’ve got to get through it. I did power through it and did my pro day, and figured out it was more than just turf toe.”

Oladapo laughed when pointed out this wasn’t the ideal start to his NFL career.

“No, but getting in the playbook with the coaches, and all the coaches have faith in me,” he said. “They’re telling me to lock in and be ready when my opportunity comes.”

That opportunity won’t come until after this weekend’s rookie camp, three weeks of OTAs and the June minicamp. For now, Oladapo will be limited to taking mental reps so he can hit the ground running when training camp begins.

“Just staying in the training room,” he said. “Getting the swelling down, getting my range of motion back, and then just staying locked in, mental reps on the sideline, and then meet with the coaches after, make sure I get the game plan.”

Oladapo, obviously, would have been thrilled to be drafted by any team. But going to the Packers was especially rewarding for the former walk-on who blossomed into a three-year all-Pac-12 selection.

“I was a Packer fan growing up,” he said.

How did an Oregon native become a Packers fan?

“I loved Aaron Rodgers growing up,” he replied. “I did like Brett Favre, you know, Jordy Nelson, Clay Matthews. That was fun. I was 84, so I did like Sterling Sharpe when I was little.”

Oladapo was one of three safeties drafted by the team, joining second-round pick Javon Bullard of Georgia and fourth-round choice Evan Williams of rival Oregon. Together, they will compete for roles on a team enveloped in high expectations after winning a playoff game last year.

“Our ceiling is so high,” he said. “We just have to be consistent and keep going because I think we have a great plan, coach has a great plan and all these guys are locked in. I’m just trying to get in here, get my routine and follow the path and do as much as I can to help the team.”

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