1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted Social 2 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: Distancing Style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford. 3 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: He is my trusted colleague West Hodkowits coming to you 4 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: from our humble abodes. As we've done and West, we've 5 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: switched up the schedule a little bit. Now that the 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: draft is done, the schedule is out for we're cutting 7 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: back here to maybe one episode a week for the 8 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: time being. So you okay with that, my friend? Yeah, 9 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: I'm totally okay with it, Mike, because this is typically 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: what we ended up doing once we get into the 11 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: o t A schedule anyway. You know, there's only so 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: many days availability. Now there's no availability. So here we are. 13 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: I did get a kick out of your intro. Your 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: intro though, and you're right, this is social Distancing Style. 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: I feel like when we get back in the studio, 16 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: it's good enough feeling like we should be like, hey, 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: this is our studio style. I mean like it's almost 18 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: like this is gonna end up becoming common place for us. 19 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: But be that as it may, we persevere, we press on, 20 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: and we got some cool draft picks to discuss here 21 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: on today's show. Yeah, well, hopefully we don't have to 22 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: put up like a plexiglass thing between the two of 23 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: us when we get back in the studio. That would 24 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: be that'd be a little awkward. But anyway, yes, you 25 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: said it. We're gonna talk about some of the Packers 26 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: draft picks because since the draft, you and I have 27 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: been getting in touch with uh past connections to the 28 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: Packers draft picks, a lot of college coaches other folks 29 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: like that and posting some stories on the website, So 30 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: UH for fans who want to UH to check those 31 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: out by all means do And I think the fun 32 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,839 Speaker 1: thing with this for US West when we get into 33 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: these conversations with college coaches and others, you get the 34 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: little anecdotes, the little stories that maybe haven't been told necessarily. 35 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: You get a little bit of a peek into these guys. 36 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: And I'll start with one because um Kamal Martin, the 37 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: fifth round linebacker the Packers drafted out of Minnesota. He's 38 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: one of these guys, you know, unfortunate and to his 39 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: college career because he played a stretch of his senior 40 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: year trying to battle through a knee injury, gutting it out, 41 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: doing what he could eventually it got aggravated to the 42 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: point where he had to be shut down and he 43 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: had to have surgery on it. Now not a full 44 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: reconstructive surgery or anything, but he had to have a 45 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: procedure done. So he's and this is the story I 46 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: got from Minnesota's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Rossi. 47 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: So the Gophers are down in Tampa, Florida to play 48 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: the Outback Bowl, and but Martin, who had just had 49 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: his surgery, he has to recover at home. He can't 50 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: travel with the team, so he's sitting on his couch 51 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: back at home watching the game, cheering on his his Gophers, 52 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 1: and everything. Well, Minnesota pulls out this really exciting win, 53 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: a big uplifting wind for their program. If you remember, 54 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: they were on the verge of potentially getting to the 55 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: Big Ten championship game before Wisconsin knocked them off at 56 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: the end of the year, and then Wisconsin ended up 57 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: advancing to that ofference title game, but nonetheless a January 58 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 1: first bowl game, the Outback Bowl, big big victory. So 59 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: Joe Rossi, the defensive coordinator, as everybody is running to 60 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: the middle of the field and celebrating, and the Gophers 61 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: are celebrating this big victory. He facetimes Martin gets him 62 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: on his couch and basically makes him like part of 63 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: the celebration in Tampa, passing the phone around to like 64 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: all the rest of the guys. I just I thought 65 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: it was a great story. But and it's an illustration 66 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: of what senior leaders mean to team, to their teammates, 67 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: to a program. I thought that was the type of 68 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: story that really illustrated what Kamal Martin meant to the 69 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: rise of the Minnesota Gophers program under p. J. Fleck. Yeah, 70 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: and it's it's cool and it's a neat story. I 71 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: hope people got a chance to check it out on 72 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: Packers dot com if you hadn't go back and look 73 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: at it, because the thing that I've been introduced to 74 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: with Kamal Martin is just the character of this guy 75 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: and also just the way that people seem to really 76 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: gravitate towards him. I mean, he did a little video 77 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: for our Packers social team, just kind of introducing himself 78 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: to fans, and he sort of has this infectious enthusiasm 79 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: about him. He has an interesting way that he's able 80 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: to communicate in a very expression, Uh filled and in 81 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: terms of his uh, you know, interpersonal skills. So that's 82 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: really neat. But the thing that is cool about his 83 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 1: story is and you you were actually the first one 84 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: I think that asked him about this on the conference 85 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: call when we first talked to him on draft night. 86 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: You know, being a kid from Minnesota, he wanted to 87 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: play for the Golfers, right, but as so often happens 88 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: with a lot of these kids from the Midwest, you know, 89 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: there's only so many Division one schools. Wisconsin only has 90 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: one Minnesota, you know, certainly it's it's kind of the 91 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 1: Gophers are bust out there, and he was pretty content 92 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: to go to Eastern Michigan. He was gonna play quarterback. 93 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 1: He eventually finds up and he finally impresses them. He 94 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: gets that opportunity, and like, how many times have we 95 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: heard this story where a guy a laid offer, a 96 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: potential walk on, they come into a camp, they earn 97 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: their keep, and then by their senior year they're featured player. There. 98 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: The guy that's on FaceTime being passed around the team huddle, 99 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: that's Kamal Martin. I think you got a good feel 100 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: talking to his defensive coordinating his position coach of what 101 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: exactly he meant to that team and why so many 102 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: people feel like he'll be successful at the next level 103 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: because of the way that he approaches this game. Yeah, 104 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: his desire to play for the Minnesota Gophers was high. 105 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: He's from Burnsville, Minnesota, which is a suburb of the 106 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: Twin Cities. He was an all state player, a two 107 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: way player offense and defense. As you said, he was 108 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: a quarterback. And Joe Rossi told me this wasn't just 109 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: a high school athlete who was, you know, plugged in 110 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 1: at quarterback because he was the best athlete on the team. 111 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: He was a legitimate quarterback. And not just Eastern Michigan, 112 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: but other MAX schools Mid American Conference schools were offering 113 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: him as a quarterback and uh. But he went to 114 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: a final summer football camp in Minneapolis, a Gophers football camp, 115 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: and by the end of that they had worked him 116 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: out on defense and uh, and they made him an offer. 117 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: And so he he threw the whole quarterback future into 118 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: the into the trash can, so to speak, and said, Hey, 119 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna play linebacker for the University of Minnesota. And 120 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: he couldn't be happier with how it worked out, unfortunately 121 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: for him, wasn't able to play in that final bowl 122 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,559 Speaker 1: game for the Gophers. But moving on to the sixth round. 123 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: Here three offensive lineman the Packers drafted in the sixth round, 124 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: and you got a chance to talk with not only 125 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: John Runyan Jr. From the University of Michigan, the Packers 126 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: pick there, but also his father, John Runyan Sr. Who's 127 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 1: got quite the pedigree as both a former National League 128 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: Football player and a member of the United States House 129 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: of Representatives. Now he's involved with the NFL at the 130 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: league level when it comes to reviewing film and disciplinary 131 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: issues and things like that. So, um, tell us your 132 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: favorite anecdote that you got out of that that wonderful 133 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: piece to put together on Packers dot Com on the runyons, 134 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: be sure to check that one out, folks. Yeah, and 135 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: and certainly you had to edit it and go through 136 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: all of it. There were so many stories and it 137 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: could have been even longer than it was with with 138 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: not only him, but also Gaven Fonte, who was his 139 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: high school football coach. He's now actually at Temple. He 140 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: ended up getting assistant job at Temple for all of 141 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: his efforts and state championships and what he did at St. Joseph's. 142 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: But the story that I think I liked the most 143 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: was it had to been the Ohio State stories, so 144 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: I knew it's great. I wish you would have had 145 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: the photo. He doesn't have the photo anymore. But anyway, 146 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: if you didn't read the story, basically St. Joseph's Prep, 147 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: this was a it's a private school in North Philadelphia. 148 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: The school where Runyan Jr. Was going to basically funnel 149 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: into in their township didn't offer football. He at that 150 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: point knew we wanted to play football. His mom ended 151 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: up finding his mom. Lauretta found St. Joseph's Prep actually 152 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: asked Gave and Fonte to come out and watch her 153 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: son play to see if you know, potentially he could 154 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: play for him. And by the way, he could. Uh. 155 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: And every year they go out and they do different 156 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: types of service events at different area colleges or you know, 157 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: even traveling a little bit. So they went to Ohio 158 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: State the football camp, get it's done, and all the 159 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: kids who were volunteering their time, they're offered to take 160 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,559 Speaker 1: a photo with Urban Meyer, the then Buckeys coach, newly 161 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: minted at that point. And if you know anything about 162 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: the Runyan family. They are staunched Michiganders. I mean, they 163 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: are mazing blue all the way. So John Junr. Does 164 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: take his opportunity. He goes and he takes the photo 165 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: with Urban Meyer, shakes his hand and is completely covered 166 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: in Michigan year. It is a phenomenal portrait. Gavin Fonte 167 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: was the one that told me that anecdote. At first, 168 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: he was laughing about it as he mentioned it just 169 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: a true testament not only to the Runyans and how 170 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: much you know that that means to him, but also 171 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: John Jr. And you know so many times you hear 172 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: these stories, Mike, and and rightfully so. Kids look up 173 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: to their father's I looked up obviously to mine. I 174 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,199 Speaker 1: know you do to yours. And it's understandable why John 175 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: Junior would have been motivated to play football, But John Sr. 176 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: Never made it about that if he if his kid 177 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: wanted to go and become a businessman or just get 178 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 1: out of sports altogether, would have been fine with that. 179 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: But the fact of the matter was is John Jr. 180 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: Was around football as a young man. As a child, 181 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: it got ingrained in him. He ended up becoming a 182 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: pretty darn good offensive lineman. And while so many people 183 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: may think that that last name, but what that carries 184 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: a fifteen year pro, a Pro Bowl or a guy 185 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,199 Speaker 1: that was very notorious in his time for his physicality. 186 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: John Jr. He has some of those traits, but he's 187 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: not his father, and he came to terms with that 188 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: very early on. And I think that explains why he's 189 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: made it as far as he did and why he 190 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,959 Speaker 1: believes now at the next level he can thrive because 191 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: he's not trying to live up to his dad's legacy. 192 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: He's trying to create one of his own. Yeah, and 193 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: that's certain. That's a that's a challenge for anybody in 194 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: that spot. Um and not just the fact that his 195 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: father played in the NFL, but was was an established pro, 196 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: was was very well known across the league. Um had 197 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:53,719 Speaker 1: had a reputation for being, you know, one of the 198 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: ultimate tough guys in the NFL and playing in one 199 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: of the tough towns as they say, you know, in 200 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: Philadelphia with fans and and how they feel about their team. 201 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: So not a not an easy shadow to uh to 202 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,719 Speaker 1: walk behind as far as John Jr. Is concerned. But 203 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: he's been doing in his whole life, right, So why 204 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: why that against him? Now he's he certainly comes across 205 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: as a as a very confident, self assured young man. Yeah, 206 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: and his dad was incredibly hands off. I mean when 207 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: he handed him over to the St. Joe's UH coaching staff, infante, 208 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: he let them coach. If they asked him a question, 209 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: he would answer it, but he wasn't gonna step on 210 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: any toes. And John Junior feels like that is ultimately 211 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: what allowed him to not only stay with the game 212 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: and and have the love for it that he does, 213 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,079 Speaker 1: but also have the passion for it because he found 214 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: it on It's on his own. I mean, he saw 215 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: things and he was around it, but it was ultimately 216 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: his own passion that allowed him to persevere. I mean 217 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: the Michigan thing, Mike, he committed there the end of 218 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:52,839 Speaker 1: his sophomore season. He had two more years of high school. 219 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: It was like a one year starter at that point, 220 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: and but he knew he wanted to play at Michigan. 221 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: He had deep ties family wise on his dad side 222 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: to Ann Arbor and Flint. This is a big thing 223 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: for the young man. So now coming to the NFL, 224 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: he is a sixth round pick, but I think if 225 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: you talk to a lot of people around him, the 226 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: feeling was he probably would have ended up being an 227 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: interior offensive lineman, but opportunities on Michigan's offensive line allowed 228 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: him to start at right tackle. His first ever start 229 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:20,559 Speaker 1: was at right tackle in a bowl game. In the 230 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: following year, he became the starting left tackle and he 231 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: stayed there the last two seasons. So he's up for it. 232 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: He's flexible, he's extremely athletic. I mean, that's one thing 233 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: that stands out. He doesn't have his dad's overall size, 234 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: but I mean he ran basically a five flat forty time. 235 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: There's some real athleticism there. And when you look at 236 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: the zone blocking scheme, this is a young man that 237 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: the Packers feel pretty confident is going to be able 238 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: to fit the prototype of Matt Lafleur's offense. Yeah. I 239 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: really wish we could have gotten to see that photo 240 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 1: of him in Yeah, there's there's no way back in 241 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: the day that Woody Hayes would have even agreed to 242 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: have that photo taken. I just that that's my, uh 243 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: my gut feeling when you go back to the rival 244 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: days of Woody Hayes and Bo schem Beckler at those 245 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: two universities. He wasn't and he wasn't even committed at 246 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: that time to Michigan yet It's just that's how much 247 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: they loved the Wolverines. That's how much he loved that 248 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: school that he was willing to already basically right off 249 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: any chance he had him going to Ohio State at 250 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: that juncture of his football career. Yeah. Well, to other 251 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: offensive lineman the Packers drafted in the sixth round, Simon 252 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: Stepinac from Indiana, Jake Hansen from Oregon. I got a 253 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: chance to talk to coaches from those schools as well, 254 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,599 Speaker 1: and um with Stepanek. It was interesting and I'll apologize 255 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: right now. I believe on one of our early shows 256 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: after the draft, I pronounced Simon's last name incorrectly, So 257 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: hopefully I have it right now, buddy. But yeah, But anyway, 258 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 1: I did talk with with offensive line coach Darren Hiller 259 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: from Indiana, and I asked him just because the thing 260 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: that stands out about Stepanac, now, this is another young man, unfortunately, 261 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: who did not get to finish his college career in 262 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 1: a bowl game. He ends up injuring his knee during 263 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: bowl prep. After Indiana had finished its regular season. Hiller 264 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 1: told me that Stepanak was playing some of the best 265 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: ball of his career, The Big Old Oaken Bucket Rivalry 266 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: with Perdue, which ends Indiana's regular season with some of 267 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: the best film that he had out there. But then 268 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: he suffers a pretty significant knee injury during bowl preps, 269 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: so he can't go to the bowl game. And then 270 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: of course everything with regard to the pre draft process, 271 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: maybe the Senior Bowl, the Combine, all that is thrown 272 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: up in the air, and Stepanac tells Hillary. He says, well, 273 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go to the combine and I'm at least 274 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: gonna do the bench press. So I'm gonna figure out 275 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: a way to do the bench press. Well, Stepanek has 276 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: to have surgery on the knee in the first week 277 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: of January, so the combine is about six or seven 278 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: weeks after that. Now, the bench press, of course, it's 279 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: it's an upper body exercise, you know, chest and triceps 280 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: and shoulders and all that. But as Hiller described to me, 281 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: you still have to have kind of your feet landed 282 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: on the ground to uh, you know, to to be 283 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: able to to have the stability to give everything you've 284 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: got on the bench press. Well, Stepan Act, less than 285 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: two months removed from reconstructive surgery on his knee, he 286 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: does thirty seven reps of two or twenty five pounds 287 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 1: on the bench press at the combine, which ends up 288 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: being one of the top totals of any lineman offensive 289 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: war defensive lineman in Indianapolis. And Hiller told me, he said, 290 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: you know, if he had been healthy, if it hadn't 291 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: been for having the surgery in early January, and if 292 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: he had actually been able to prep as much as 293 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: he wanted to for the bench press, because this kid, 294 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: you know, been a workout warrior his whole life. He 295 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: thinks he would have been somewhere in the forties as 296 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: far as his reps at two on the bench press. 297 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: That kind of blew me away. West. I mean, I 298 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: was never somebody who did a whole lot of weightlifting 299 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: in my career as a baseball player and a golfer 300 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: in in my college days. But man, oh man, forty 301 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: some reps on the bench are you kidding me? I mean, so, anyway, 302 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: it was it was interesting to to hear the story 303 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: from the offensive line coach. Take away everything else, right, 304 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: take away. This is NFL and guys trying to get drafted. 305 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: Just a human being putting up two and twenty five 306 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: pounds thirty seven times? Uh that that? Oh wait, that 307 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: never ceases to amazing me. I mean, honestly, I think 308 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: the most on the entire roster right now is what 309 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: is it Corey Linsley with thirty six. I think Corey 310 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: had Yeah, Corey had the Lancaster, but that that would 311 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: put him right up there, and that wasn't even him 312 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: at his best. Let's this is the thing I loved 313 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: about it, and I love the quote that Hiller gave 314 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 1: you about it, basically saying that he needs to you know, 315 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: you don't think about your legs, you don't think about 316 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: your knees, but you have to be basically bolted to 317 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: the ground in order to do that exercise. The thing 318 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: I love about that draft pick, Mike Um this is 319 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: a long term one. Brian Goodkin set it from the beginning. 320 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: I mean, the Packers are under no disillusion right now 321 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: that that's Simon Stepanek. Whenever they get here is just 322 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: gonna be good to go, and he'll be running and 323 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 1: everything will be fine. He's the young man's gonna need 324 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: some time to get back. But these are the type 325 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: of guys that you want to look at in the 326 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: potential six rounds, especially when you have that many draft picks, 327 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: as the Packers did in those later rounds, because there's 328 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: going to be time. The Packers have a really deep, 329 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: uh you know, fertile crop of you know, offensive lineman 330 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: behind their starting five right now. So they're not asking 331 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: this guy to come in and win a starting job 332 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: right away. They're asking him to heal. They're asking him 333 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: to rehab. Yeah. Well, one other one to get to today, 334 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: and that's Jake Hansen, the center from Oregon, and it 335 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: was I had a really good conversation with Oregon's head coach, 336 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: Mario Cristo Ball and uh fortunately it worked out to 337 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: be able to catch up with him on the phone. 338 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: He was the offensive coordinator originally for Oregon. He went 339 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: there from Alabama when he'd been working for Nick Saban 340 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: and then he became the head coach at Oregon. So 341 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: he had a really good perspective on Hansen's career. And 342 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: the story I really liked that he told is that 343 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: he said he he still remembers getting on the plane 344 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: when he was gonna fly from Alabama to Oregon. He 345 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: was gonna start his new job as offensive coordinator for 346 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: the Ducks. He's got his iPad and he's looking at 347 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: the film of the sixteen season. This is heading into 348 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 1: when he gets the job at Oregon. He's looking at 349 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: film of the offense for the sixteen season to see 350 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: what he's got. Right, who were the players that he's 351 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: got coming back? Well, lo and behold, he's got a 352 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: freshman quarterback named Justin Herbert who ends up being drafted 353 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: sixth overall in this most recent draft. So all his 354 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: film obviously stood out, but he also noticed two guys 355 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: on the offensive line. He had a red shirt freshman 356 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: at guard and Shane Lemieux, and he had a red 357 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: shirt freshman at center in Jake Hansen, And both of 358 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,360 Speaker 1: those guys jumped off the film as well. And he's 359 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 1: he was talking about how he was really excited seeing 360 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: that on the film, knowing like, all right, I've got 361 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: a quarterback and to offensive lineman that I can use 362 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: to install my new offense because it was gonna be 363 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: this whole new playbook and everything like that. And he 364 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: could tell from watching that film, and he mentioned with 365 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: Hansen specifically the way Hanson as a red shirt freshman 366 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: is making calls, directing traffic, doing all those kinds of 367 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: things that a center does for his freshman quarterback, taking 368 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: the snaps. He knew he was gonna have no problem 369 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: installing that offense and getting things going because of those guys. 370 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: Hansen was a big piece of that. And by the 371 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: time Hanson's career at Oregon ended, he star. He had 372 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: started forty nine games at center for the Ducks, and 373 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: then the Packers draft him in the sixth round and 374 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:26,199 Speaker 1: Shane Lemieu, the guard that played next to him for 375 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: those four years, was drafted just one round earlier. I 376 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: believe it was by the New York Giants. Yeah, what 377 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: a cool story Hanson is. And and certainly he's a 378 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: guy that I don't think he's just gonna flash, right, 379 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 1: He's just he's a down in, true blue collars center 380 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: that has a lot of experience, much like Stepanek did 381 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: coming out of Indiana. So you understand why sometimes these 382 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: guys last until the fifth and sixth round. But that 383 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that they can't play, and it doesn't mean 384 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: that they can't come in and win a job in 385 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: the NFL. It's just sometimes guys just don't have that 386 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: type of like awe factor, especially on the interior offensive line. 387 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: And the thing I took away from your story with 388 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:03,959 Speaker 1: Kristal Ball too, is that you kind of touched on it. 389 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: But this is a guy that, even at a young age, 390 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: was capable of communicating an offense and capable of setting 391 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: up an offensive line for success. That's so important because 392 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: we don't know whether or not Jake Hanson's gonna end 393 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 1: up being a center in the National Football a He 394 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: could be a left guard, could be a right guard, 395 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: but he has that experience and you saw it last year. 396 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 1: Mike Elton Jenkins was a center his last two years 397 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: at Mississippi State. But he comes in here and he 398 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: has that background, he has that knowledge, and he ends 399 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: up becoming a really good starter for the Packers and 400 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,479 Speaker 1: all rookie left guard right off the bat. So with Hanson, 401 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: all three of those guys, whether it's Hanson, Runyon, or 402 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,919 Speaker 1: obviously Stepanek, those all three of them offer the type 403 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: of things that you're looking for in a sixth round pick, 404 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 1: a developmental prospect, and it's gonna be interesting to see 405 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 1: exactly what he can Hanson can turn this into now 406 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: this opportunity in Green Bay. Yeah, and certainly no uh, 407 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,399 Speaker 1: no slacker in the strength department either. He put up 408 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: thirty three reps on the bench press at the combine, 409 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: I believe so. So the phrase country strong and definitely applies. 410 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 1: And yeah, Kristo Ball talked about Hansen just he's a grinder, 411 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: He's a guy that he thinks he can play, you know, 412 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 1: ten years in the NFL wherever a team wants to 413 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:17,479 Speaker 1: use him, center guard, whatever the case might be. So 414 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: be interesting to see these uh, these prospects develop as 415 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: their careers just get started here. Yeah, and it's always 416 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: fun with offensive linemen in particular because it's sort of 417 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: like unboxing a present. You know that you're getting an 418 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: offensive lineman, but you don't know where they're going to fit. 419 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 1: We didn't really know that David Box is gonna be 420 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: a left tackle. We certainly didn't know if Brian Blago 421 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: is gonna be a right tackle. That was a conversation 422 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,439 Speaker 1: for four years. But you know, you see where these 423 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: guys end up finding a home in the league, and 424 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: that's gonna be the key. And as John Runyan Senior 425 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: told John Runyan Jr. Now that he's draft in the NFL, 426 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 1: you have to basically make the team twice. You need 427 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: to make the team right off the bat, and then 428 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: you need to keep your spot in order to get 429 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: an opportunity to potentially grab a starting job, you know, 430 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,959 Speaker 1: as a Day three pick. He had been through that, 431 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: and now that's what all three of these young men 432 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: are gonna be doing, is they try to find a 433 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: spot here in Green Bay. Yeah, we'll be sure to 434 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: check out all of those draft pick features that are 435 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,479 Speaker 1: posted on Packers dot com. We've got some more coming 436 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: in the ensuing days and next week. Uh here on 437 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 1: Unscripted will continue sharing some of those fun anecdotes from 438 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 1: our conversations with the players, the connections to the players 439 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: from their past. So for now we will sign off 440 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Thank you for tuning 441 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: in everybody for West I am Mike. Take care. We'll 442 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: see you next time.