As a dual-threat playmaker with elite athleticism, undrafted rookie Kyron Drones aims to become the next success story in the Green Bay Packers' storied history of developing backup quarterbacks.
The Green Bay Packers have seemingly always figured "it" out at backup quarterback.
What exactly is that magical "it", you wonder?
More than anything, it's finding a quarterback who has a high enough upside to be intriguing while not being good enough to create a quarterback controversy with your starter.
You want a QB2 who can win you a game if you call upon him, but not upstage your actual QB1 in head-to-head combat. If this player has enough upside that you can flip him later on for a draft pick or even a compensatory pick -- that's even better.
The Packers have had some reliable backup quarterbacks throughout the years. Malik Willis is just the latest example, but he joins a list of steady backup quarterbacks like Doug Pederson, Matt Hasselbeck and Matt Flynn.
Heck, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love all started their careers as backups in Green Bay, too.
The quarterback pipeline is just something the Packers do.
With that said, it's worth keeping an eye out on a young quarterback in Green Bay this summer and potentially fall. That would be undrafted free agent quarterback Kyron Drones, who will get a chance to compete with the Packers for the position of QB3 behind, most likely, Tyrod Taylor.
Could Drones be the Packers' next Willis?
Notably, team insider Wes Hodkiewicz thinks it's possible. Anything is possible, of course, but Drones has an intruiging skillset.
"I watched Tim Boyle come in here as an undrafted rookie in 2018 and make the 53-man roster out of training camp," Hodkiewicz wrote in a recent mailbag feature. "Drones stands 6-1 but also ran a 4.62 at 226 pounds. He has traits worth developing.
From Houston, Texas, Drones spent four years at the college level. He signed with Baylor out of high school as a 4-star recruit, but he became a starting quarterback at Virginia Tech, where he spent the past three seasons.
He's a dual-threat quarterback, so he absolutely could be a one-for-one replacement for Willis -- at least in that regard.
Last season for the Hokies, he threw for 1,919 yards and 17 touchdowns compared to nine interceptions. He also rushed 170 times for 644 yards and nine touchdowns.
In four collegiate seasons, Drones completed 58.3% of his passes for 5,785 yards and 45 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. He also ran for 1,847 yards and 22 touchdowns.
He's a raw passing prospect, but Hodkiewicz is right in saying that he has the athletic traits that would be worth developing if you're the Packers. At the very least, he's worth the try as a player they could perhaps sneak onto the practice squad in 2026 to see what happens.
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