Cheesehead
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Sternberger ran a 4.75-second time in the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, but General Manager Brian Gutekunst said the Packers clocked him at one point at 4.66.
He jokes his penchant for running downfield routes stems from getting in trouble as a kid growing up in Kingfisher, Okla. Either way, he was a dynamic force in the Aggies’ offense last season.
Green Bay’s personnel department feels Sternberger has the necessary tools to make a Year 1 impact, but he also has the benefit of time with a pair of Pro Bowl tight ends in Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis to learn from.
“What better opportunity can you have?” Sternberger said. “As a young tight end, everybody’s mindset is you want to be the next big thing, and what better way to do it than with Marcedes and then Jimmy Graham – two guys who’ve had an amazing career in the NFL.”
Sternberger knows his sensational season doesn’t make a career. To continue his climb, he must hone his blocking and show his big-play ability in the Southeastern Conference can translate to the NFC North.
He looks forward to that challenge. While Sternberger doesn’t like to compare himself to other tight ends, he is a product of his path and ever confident in his abilities.
It’s that confidence that pushed Sternberger to spread his wings four years ago and what makes him eager to prove he’s the best tight end in one of the deepest classes over the past 25 years.
“I feel like you can talk so much, but at the end of the day, it’s what you show,” Sternberger said. “I have that big chip on my shoulder. I mean, there’s a reason I left early – because I felt like I was the best tight end in this draft class.
“So I have a lot of work to prove out for me, but I’ve always been in a situation where I want to take challenges head-on and that’s what I plan to do here, and just prove to Green Bay they made the right pick.”