Every year in training camp, the Green Bay Packers seem to have one or two undrafted free agents who step up and surprise everybody by making the team. Running back Emanuel Wilson and edge rusher Brenton Cox are two players on the current roster who made the team after going undrafted in recent years. This season, one undrafted free agent who has made a strong first impression on the coaching staff is nose tackle, Nazir Stackhouse.

The 6’3”, 320-pound Georgia alum was signed by the Packers after the draft concluded. The Packers actually gave him a $15,000 signing bonus and a guaranteed salary of $150,000 which is unusual for an undrafted player.

“I’m striving to get more,” Stackhouse said. “They want to give me $150,000, that’s great, but I just want them to know that I’m going to get more and I’m going to show you why I should have more. And that’s the whole goal is to get a three-year contract and then something. That’s my whole goal.”

Stackhouse also has had to overcome narcolepsy, a condition that causes him to fall asleep suddenly and without warning. In the past, Stackhouse has fallen asleep in team meetings or even on the sideline at games in college. He takes medication to control it and needed special permission from the league to take this medication. He hopes to inspire other people with narcolepsy with his strong performance on the field.

Stackhouse has the size and body type to fill a role that the Packers lack on the current roster: a run stuffing nose tackle. That job was done by T.J. Slaton the past few seasons, but Slaton left via free agency and is now with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Because of his size and low center of gravity, Stackhouse would be a good fit in Slaton’s old role. That is primarily to stand his ground at the point of attack and to occupy blockers. Ideally, that frees up teammates to make tackles.

Stackhouse doesn’t provide much juice as a pass rusher. In his five-year college career at Georgia, he recorded only three total sacks. He will be battling for a roster spot with sixth round pick and former Georgia teammate, Warren Brinson along with veterans Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden. But none of the other players have the body type that Stackhouse provides.

In practice, the rookie has seen most of his time with the second unit on defense and he’s done well. Of course, the Packers have only had a handful of padded practices thus far in training camp and it’s very difficult to judge defensive linemen when they are practicing without pads.

So far, Stackhouse has made a strong first impression on the coaching staff. “Yeah, he's done a really nice job,” head coach Matt LaFleur said earlier this week when asked about Stackhouse. “He's earning more and more opportunities. I think at some point we're going to have see him in there against the ones.”

If Stackhouse continues to play well against a higher level of opponent in practice, that will go a long way towards earning him a roster spot. How well he plays in preseason games will also be critical to his chances of making the 53-man roster this September or at least earning a berth on the practice squad.

If he makes the roster, expect Stackhouse to play 20-25 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. He would likely see the field primarily in obvious running situations, goal line defenses and on special teams.

Like all undrafted free agents, Stackhouse faces an uphill climb to make the roster. But his determination, skill set, and strong early play says he has a better chance than most UDFAs. He is determined to earn a roster spot and start his NFL career.