Runyan Jr. follows dad to Ann Arbor
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By the time he departed Ann Arbor - where he spent all last week at the annual Wolverine Technique School summer camp - Philadelphia St. Joseph's Prep offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. made no secret of the fact that he would likely end up a Michigan Wolverine. The son of the former U-M All-American by the same name made it clear things were more a matter of "when" than "if."
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Today, with three simple words, that "when" quickly became "now."
"I just committed," he said in a text message.
That followed through on what had seemed to be a promise made days earlier, when a conversation with his parents seemed to be all that was standing between Runyan and a pledge to the Wolverines.
"I talked to my dad just a bit," Runyan Jr. said. "He's working in D.C., so he's pretty busy. I'll see him tomorrow, and we'll have a better chance to talk. It'll be interesting to see how he reacts when I see him in person.
"I've always been a Michigan fan, but I'm not ready to make a decision on my own. So I just have to talk to my dad and my mom - I'll see them tomorrow - and then we'll see how it goes."
The conversation with his parents was all it took to seal the deal. Runyan earned his Michigan offer after the second day of the Wolverines' summer camp, where the 6-4, 250-pounder impressed U-M offensive line coach Darrell Funk and headman Brady Hoke enough to pick up the invitation to join Team 136 in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines were the first school to offer, though Boston College and Penn State were among the others showing interest.
Runyan's father was a three-year letterwinner at Michigan before declaring for the NFL after his redshirt junior year. He enjoyed a 14-year NFL career before settling down into his current role: politician. The elder Runyan represents New Jersey's Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Although dad has set the bar high - both in football and in life after sports - Runyan Jr.'s commitment to Michigan is the first step in following in his famous father's footsteps.
Stay tuned for more from Runyan's commitment. See the initial thread on our message board, The Fort, here.
See our premium story on Runyan's commitment, with quotes from the prospect himself, here.
Former U-M All-Big Ten offensive lineman Doug Skene breaks down Runyan's film here.
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