2018 Season Countdown: #19 Jon Runyan, Jr.
Name: Jon Runyan, Jr.
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 304 lbs.
High school: Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseh’s
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #75
Last year: I ranked Runyan #31 and said he would be a part-time starter at right tackle and a backup left guard (LINK). He started one game at right tackle and played in nine games.
TTB Rating: 73
Runyan almost made a liar out of me, but he sneaked in a start at right tackle in the bowl game to make me look like Nostradamus. An athletic but slightly undersized Big Ten lineman, Runyan has been looked at as a stopgap at a few different positions. He has practiced at every position on the line at one point or another. He’s one of those players that hasn’t flashed greatness, but has shown consistency.
That will likely continue to be the theme going into 2018. Runyan isn’t huge and powerful, and he doesn’t generate a lot of movement when run blocking. He doesn’t have a ton of upside, but he’s a decent player entering his fourth year. The word filtering out of spring was that he would likely start at right tackle while Juwann Bushell-Beatty and James Hudson III battle it out on the left side; the loser of that battle will likely be a backup. New offensive line coach Ed Warinner must like Runyan pretty well. The other wild card could be freshman Jalen Mayfield, but starting a true freshman who didn’t enroll early is always a tricky proposition. I’m not expecting greatness from Runyan, but I think he can do a decent job this year.
Prediction: Starting right tackle