Filling out their roster before Mike McCarthy's first mini-camp as Head Coach, the Green Bay Packers Friday signed 12 rookie free agents. The additions were announced by Ted Thompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations.
6 - Calvin Russell, WR, 6-0, 190, Tuskegee (Hometown: Fairburn, Ga.)
13 - Chris Francies, WR, 6-1, 193, Texas-El Paso (Hometown: Houston, Texas)
24 - Tra Boger, S, 5-11, 210, Tulane (Hometown: Decatur, Ga.)
32 - Arliss Beach, RB, 5-10, 219, Kentucky (Hometown: Ashland, Ky.)
40 - A.J. Cooper, FB, 6-1, 240, North Dakota State (Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.)
43 - Shermar Bracey, RB, 6-2, 234, Arkansas State (Hometown: Rison, Ark.)
46 - Tim Goodwell, LB, 6-0, 243, Memphis (Hometown: Tucker, Ga.)
49 - Zac Alcorn, TE, 6-4, 260, Black Hills State (Hometown: Chadron, Neb.)
53 - Byron Santiago, LB, 6-1, 242, Louisiana Tech (Hometown: St. Bernard, La.)
57 - Jason Hunter, DE, 6-4, 243, Appalachian State (Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.)
64 - Montez Murphy, DE, 6-6, 256, Baylor (Hometown: East St. Louis, Ill.)
67 - Josh Bourke, T, 6-7, 314, Grand Valley State (Hometown: Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Alcorn, 25, started the past two seasons at NAIA Black Hills State in Spearfish, S.D., where he caught 43 passes for 689 yards and seven touchdowns in 2005.
Beach, 22, lettered four seasons as a part-time starter at Kentucky, where he rushed 65 times for 288 yards and six touchdowns in 2005.
Boger, 22, rebounded from a medical redshirt to intercept three passes, including a 69-yard touchdown, last year for Tulane. A four-year letterman, he started for all or parts of every season, including his 2001 freshman campaign and 2004, when a knee injury prematurely ended his year. Boger, whose name is pronounced "TRAY BO-ger," finished his Tulane career with nine interceptions. His father, Jerome, is an NFL official.
Bourke, 23, started at offensive tackle from 2003-05 at Division II Grand Valley State (Mich.), which ranked No. 1 in the final 2005 Division II poll, compiled by the American Football Coaches Association. A native Canadian who went to high school in the Detroit area, Bourke lettered in basketball and baseball as a prep.
Bracey, 23, follows defensive lineman Corey Williams from Arkansas State to Green Bay. Bracey, who played only one season of high school football, competed against Williams in basketball at the prep level in Arkansas. Before transferring to ASU, Bracey launched his college career at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, a program with ties to several NFL players, including Cincinnati's first-round selection in the 2006 draft, Johnathan Joseph. His first name is pronounced "sherr-MAR."
Cooper, 22, played tight end at North Dakota State, where he lettered four seasons and caught 24 passes for 473 yards and four TDs in 2005. A three-sport athlete at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Ariz., Cooper majored in criminal justice at NDSU.
Francies, 23, lettered four years and started the past three seasons in UTEP's 'Run 'n' Shoot' offense. A Houston product, Francies last season caught 44 passes for 774 yards and five TDs to earn third-team All-Conference USA honors. His last name is pronounced "francis."
Goodwell, 22, was a four-year letterman and two-year starter who led the University of Memphis in tackles each of the past two seasons. An inside linebacker from Tucker, Ga., Goodwell finished with 102 stops (54 solo), 13 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception in 2005.
Hunter, 22, also played just one season of high school football but continued to improve each year at Appalachian State and exploded in 2005 for 101 tackles (51 solo), 13 sacks, 241/2 tackles for loss, one interception (returned 57 yards for a TD) and three fumble recoveries, earning All-America recognition. In the 2005 Division I-AA national championship, he returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown in a 21-16 win over Northern Iowa.
Murphy, 23, started two years at Baylor after transferring from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, where he did not play due to rules limiting the number of out-of-state players on a team's roster. Nontheless, he earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors during each of his only two years (2004-05) as a college player. In 2005, he registered 52 tackles (32 solo), 11 for loss and 31/2 sacks.
Russell, 22, lettered three seasons at Division II Tuskegee, helping the school to an 11-1 record and a No. 11 ranking in the final 2005 AFCA poll. A speedy receiver and kick returner with good size, Russell missed the 2003 season with a broken collarbone. He also competed on the Tuskegee track team, running in the 4x100-meter relay and the 200.
Santiago, 23, started the past three campaigns at Louisiana Tech, earning All-Western Athletic Conference honors each season. In 2005, he collected 79 tackles (49 solo), seven stops for loss and one sack to earn a second straight first-team all-conference selection. He first made his name in 2003, when he garnered second-team honors.
