Left tackle Jon Runyan was the fourth and final Michigan Wolverines football offensive lineman to come off the board in this year's NFL draft, going to the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round on Saturday.
Green Bay's overall draft selections were met with very poor reviews (several analysts tabbed them as having had the worst draft of all 32 teams), but the individual Runyan pick was met with praise.
Here's why...
• Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, discussing whether or not Runyan will begin his career on the interior:
“Yeah, I think that suits his skill set best is get him inside. He will compete to play inside. Here’s another guy – extremely smart, great character, started almost three years at Michigan so we’re excited about him."
• Green Bay GM Brian Gutekunst, on what he likes about Runyan:
“With Jon Runyan, starting left tackle at Michigan for the past couple of years, we really like his versatility to move inside as well as play outside. We may experiment with him inside and kind of see where his best fit is.
"Obviously, he’s been around the game for a long time with his father, who played for a long time in the NFL. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s really athletic. Had a chance to see him at the all-star games and just really thought he’d be a good fit for our culture and our team."
• Hod Weskiewicz, Packers.com: Inbox: The Packers Will use all of 'em
"The Packers' Day 3 draft choice with the best chance to have an impact in 2020 is…
"[Minnesota linebacker] Kamal Martin probably has the best chance in 2020 but I loved the Jon Runyan pick – and not just because of who his dad is. The Packers have such a rich history of converting college left tackles to phenomenal interior offensive linemen.
"Runyan could very well be that next guy. He's a guard dog who earned every rep he took in at Michigan."
• Rob Demovsky, ESPN: Green Bay Packers' 2020 NFL Draft Analysis for Every Pick
My take: "If Runyan is anything like his father, he’ll be a success. His dad was an All-Pro offensive tackle (at one point the highest-paid in the league) and a true NFL tough guy whom players didn’t mess around with on the field.
"Off the field, he became a U.S. Congressman from New Jersey and now serves as the NFL’s vice president of policy and rules administration. Green Bay's sixth-round pick projects as a guard in the NFL and seems best fit for a zone-blocking scheme, which the Packers run, rather than a power game.
"He’s smaller (6-4, 306) than his father (6-7, 330), who was a fourth-round pick out of Michigan. The Packers are deep on the interior of the offensive line (behind starting guards Elgton Jenkins and Billy Turner are experienced guys like Lane Taylor and Lucas Patrick, among others), but they might have to do some shuffling because the only current candidate to replace departed right tackle Bryan Bulaga is veteran free agent signing Rick Wagner."
Green Bay Packers: D
Best Pick: "Sixth-round guard Jon Runyan played tackle in college but will move inside to guard. He is a tough guy who should make a nice transition."
• WalterFootball.com: Live 2020 NFL Draft Grades: Round 6
"Jon Runyan Jr. performed well at the combine, and I eventually moved him into the seventh round. He has some potential to becoming a starter, and he has versatility, so I like this pick for the Packers. Finally."
Grade: B
• Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report: NFL Draft 2020: Round 4-7 Grades for Every Pick
Strengths: Student of the game
Weaknesses: Power-athleticism package
"Runyan is the son of the former notoriously ornery Titans and Eagles right tackle turned New Jersey politician turned NFL executive turned Uber driver of the same name.
"He also answers routine questions as if he is [Cleveland Browns offensive line coach] Bill Callahan giving a seminar about offensive line play to small-college coaches.
"When reporters asked him about blocking [former Ohio State defensive end] Chase Young, he gave an answer so detailed and informative that I had to edit it significantly to get it down to a tight 500 words or so.
"So Runyan knows his stuff, and he's a technician on the field with lots of tricks up his sleeve. He's just limited athletically, and he lacks his father's hulking size and strength. Runyan will move inside to guard and be a capable starter.
"He'll then retire and probably coach the offensive line for 40 years."
Grade: Excellent
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