The Green Bay Packers have selected former Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. in the sixth round with the 192nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Runyan is the eighth Wolverine to come off the board this weekend with Cesar Ruiz (1st round, New Orleans), Josh Uche (2nd round, New England), Ben Bredeson (4th round, Baltimore), Khaleke Hudson (5th round, Washington), Mike Danna (5th round, Kansas City) and Michael Onwenu (6th round, Patriots) and Donovan Peoples-Jones (6th round, Cleveland) preceding him.
Runyan was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree at Michigan and played in 34 career games in Ann Arbor, making 26 starts (25 of them came at left tackle). He committed to the Wolverines under Brady Hoke in June 2013, but stuck it out with Jim Harbaugh and was ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 124 offensive tackle in his recruiting class.
Overview (full scouting report here)
Runyan Jr. took over at left tackle for the Wolverines ahead of the 2018 season and struggled in the season opener at Notre Dame, but developed into an All-Big Ten performer by season’s end and did the same this past year. Offensive line coach Ed Warinner did a tremendous job with him as the unit as a whole, as evidenced by what they send to the NFL Draft this time around. Runyan was a steady college player, but does not project to be a Pro Bowler or stalwart like his father was. His football acumen and smarts on the field are by far the biggest positive to his game and that should wind up being something that at the very least gets him onto a preseason roster. It might take a slide inside to guard to crack an offensive line rotation at the next level, but his IQ and ability to offset some of his limitations by smart angles and decision making makes him draftable. He left a pretty strong impression at the end of the season by handling OSU edge rusher Chase Young (who will likely be a top-two pick) and keeping him out of the backfield mostly on his own.
The 2020 NFL Draft takes place all weekend with the first round on Thursday (8 p.m. ET), second and third rounds on Friday (7 p.m. ET) and fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday (12 p.m. ET).