Green Bay Packers: Defending the 2020 NFL Draft class

Safety Comes First

One of the worst struggles for the Packers offense, until this past season, has been their inability to provide Aaron Rodgers with protection along the offensive line. In the 2020 NFL Draft, Gutekunst drafted not one, not two but three units to fill the trenches with consecutive picks in the sixth round.

The 6-4, 305-pound Jake Hanson from Oregon has one of the more impressive résumés of the three after starting all four years totaling 49 games at the center position with the Ducks. But the most familiar name is Michigan Wolverines tackle Jon Runyan Jr., the son of a former NFL Pro-Bowl offensive tackle who earns most of his recognition for playing for the Philadelphia Eagles for nine seasons (2000-08).

Runyan Jr. totaled 26 starts in 34 games in college with 25 at left tackle and one at right tackle. Not only does the 6-4, 310-pound have a mentor who knows what it takes to be an elite lineman to guide him, but he has the talent to do so as well.

The last of the O-line trio is Indiana Hoosiers product Simon Stepaniak. He provides the roster with very solid depth and has the ability to take up a starting job in the future. Standing at 6-4, 315 pounds, Stepaniak provides an ideal frame that mends well with his new squad in Green Bay.

At Indiana, he totaled 31 career starts as he played two seasons at guard but, with his size, he has the ability to shift throughout the line, giving the team some much-needed reliability in the event of any injuries suffered throughout the year.

When it comes to the focus on the wide receiver position — or lack thereof — it is not because they just forgot to add one in the draft. As mentioned before, they made every one of these picks for a reason, so if a wide receiver was not taken, it means that something is brewing in trade discussions. At the end of the day, there is no other choice but to accept these draft picks and hope that they turn out the way the front office believes they will.