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Draft analysts’ reactions to Packers’ three 6th-round offensive line picks

The Packers loaded up on the O-line with three picks close together in the sixth. Here’s how analysts look at these players in the NFL.

By Evan "Tex" Western
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 23 Michigan at Indiana

The Green Bay Packers have a whole new set of reserves on the offensive line. General manager Brian Gutekunst drafted three players to bolster the depth on the line, particularly on the interior, with his three sixth-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Each of these players will be expected to start contributing on the interior line, even as one of them was a full-time tackle in college. That player is Michigan tackle Jon Runyan, Jr., the Wolverines’ left tackle for the past several years. The Packers announced him as a guard, however, and he will likely compete for a backup spot behind Elgton Jenkins and Billy Turner in 2020.

The Packers’ second of the three picks was Oregon center Jake Hanson, an experienced all-Pac-12 player. Hanson allowed just two sacks in four years as a starter. Finally, the third choice will effectively have a medical redshirt year in 2020, as Indiana guard Simon Stepaniak tore his ACL during preparations for the Hoosiers’ bowl game last December. However, he brings a nasty demeanor to the interior.

There’s a common theme among these players, however:

Here are some more detailed looks at what each of these players can bring to the Packers’ roster from analysts across the NFL universe.

6.192: Jon Runyan, Jr., OL, Michigan

From Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:

He has adequate athleticism and body control to fit into a variety of run schemes but may not excel in any. Runyan’s protection experience at tackle improves his draft value as a later-round, backup-caliber guard.

Runyan on himself:

“Just getting on the field regardless of position — guard, center, tackle — has never been a problem for me.”
“Coach Stenavich was actually at Michigan when I was getting recruited. It’s kind of crazy things coming full circle with coach Stenavich.”
“I remember one time in 8th grade, my dad caught me patting some defensive player on the back after a good hit and he gave me a stern talking-to after that and told me never to do that again.”

6.208: Jake Hanson, C, Oregon

6.209: Simon Stepaniak, OT, Indiana

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