Packers sign safety Micah Abernathy to practice squad

The Green Bay Packers officially signed safety Micah Abernathy to their practice squad on Friday. Abernathy went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft but signed with the Minnesota Vikings shortly after. Since then, he has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. Abernathy also played in the XFL with the Dallas Renegades in 2020 and the USFL with the Houston Gamblers in 2022.

The Packers’ defense is one of the most loaded units in the entire National Football League. It will be hard for him to compete for playing time this season, unless there are circumstances that deplete the team’s depth.

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Micah Abernathy starred for the Tennessee Volunteers in college

He played his college football with the Tennessee Volunteers. During his senior season in 2018, Abernathy finished with 38 tackles despite missing four games. In the season finale against Vanderbilt that year, he racked up nine tackles, tying for the team lead. He was also named to PFF’s SEC Defensive Team of the Week on Nov. 13, 2018. His junior season in 2017, he ranked third on the Volunteers with 81 tackles, starting every game at the safety position.

During Abernathy’s sophomore season in 2016, he returned six kickoffs for 123 return yards (20.5-yard average), with a long of 26. His best performance that season came against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Sept. 12, when he racked up three tackles and set a new Volunteer record with three fumbles on Sept. 10 in the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, Virgnia. Abernathy saw playing time as a true freshman, playing in 12 games during the 2015 season and racking up nine tackles.

He played his high school football at Greater Atlanta Christian Academy (Norcross, Georgia). It’s the same school that produced former Virginia Cavalier basketball great Malcolm Brogdon. Abernathy established himself as one of the premiere football prospects in the country during his time there and was selected to play in the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game. He became the leading rusher in Gwinnett County in 2014, after he racked up 1,526 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Following the season, he was named the Gwinnett Daily Post Offensive Player of the Year.

According to the On3 Consensus Rankings for the 2015 cycle, he was ranked as the No. 20 safety and the No. 297 overall prospect in America.

On3’s Justin Rudolph also contributed to this article.