The Green Bay Packers believe rookie offensive lineman Jon Runyan, who started 26 games at offensive tackle at Michigan, will move inside and play guard at the next level.
Both coach Matt LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst said they think Runyan is capable of playing his best football inside.
“I think that suits his skill set best, is to get him inside,” LaFleur said following the draft. “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.”
Gutekunst said the Packers like Runyan’s “versatility” and are excited to experiment with him to find his best position.
“He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s really athletic,” Gutekunst said.
The Packers currently list Runyan as a guard on the team’s official roster.
Although Runyan tested like one of the better athletes along the offensive line at the combine, with a 5.08-second time in the 40-yard dash and above-average finishes in the three-cone drill (7.57) and short shuttle (4.69), he lacks the prototypical length of an NFL offensive tackle, likely necessitating his move to guard.
At the East-West Shrine Game, Runyan played mostly at guard.
The Packers have done well transitioning collegiate left tackles with size deficiencies to guard. Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang and J.C Tretter all made the move inside and excelled at guard or center. Runyan, despite being a sixth-round pick, could be next.
Runyan said he thinks he can play all five positions, including center, although he’ll get his first crack at guard, a position he played at Michigan.
The Packers return both starters at guard from last season (Elgton Jenkins at left guard, Billy Turner at right guard), but there’s a chance Jenkins could eventually move to center to replace Corey Linsley, who is a free agent following the 2020 season, and Turner’s first season in Green Bay was disappointing. Runyan could be a versatile backup or even a surprise challenger for a starting job if all goes well with his transition inside during his rookie season.
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