Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
It was the question a lot of Green Bay Packers fans were wondering. Is Ted Thompson going to draft an inside linebacker any time soon? Thompson answered that on day three of the draft. The Packers selected inside linebacker Jake Ryan out of Michigan with the 129th overall pick.
A lot of mock drafts had Ryan going in the fifth round but the Packers selected him ahead of players like Taiwan Jones and Grady Jarrett.
Ryan is a guy that Green Bay can get excited about. He’s a player with second- to third-round talent who fell because of an ACL injury he had during his 2013 season. What Ryan lacks in athleticism he makes up for in dedication and unbelievable work ethic. At Michigan, Ryan was a team captain who showed great leadership skills. After his injury, he moved to the inside position after beginning his career on the outside. Ryan tallied 45.5 tackles for a loss and 267 tackles total over the course of four seasons.
The Packers could decide to play Ryan at the outside or inside position. It’s safe to assume they keep him inside and move Clay Matthews back outside for the time being.
Green Bay still has five picks left in the draft. It’s not out of the question we’ll see another linebacker come in the latter rounds. The Packers’ current needs consist of offensive line, running back, tight end, and nose tackle.
Kyle Engman is an NFL Writer covering the Green Bay Packers for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @KyleEngmanNFL, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
