The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2020 THE WOLVERINE 53 What They're Saying • "I really like Ruiz's film from last season, and I have a higher grade on him now than I did on the 2019 class' top center Garrett Bradbury [of the Minnesota Vikings] last year. It's just tough to project where centers will land because few teams actually need them. Ruiz, who also started a few games at guard in college, is an out- standing pass-blocker." — ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. • "Ruiz has a rare blend of power and athleticism, which has helped him rise up draft boards of late be- cause he can produce in any type of blocking scheme. He needs some work in pass protection, but he can contribute right away as a top run blocker." — Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer • "He has outstanding football in- stincts and awareness. He'll be a day- one starter." — NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah Draft Projections/Ranks • No. 32 — Kansas City Chiefs (ES- PN's Mel Kiper Jr. on Feb. 18) • No. 38 — Carolina Panthers (Drafttek.com on March 4) • No. 40 — Arizona Cardinals (CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson on March 9) • No. 56 — Miami Dolphins (The Athletic's Dane Brugler on March 4) • No. 37 overall prospect in the draft (NFL Network's Daniel Jeremi- ah's) • No. 47 overall player (Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer on Feb. 28) • No. 48 prospect in the draft (San Diego Union-Tribute writer Eddie Brown on March 9) • No. 67 player and the 13th-best offensive lineman (CBS Sports) OL JON RUNYAN JR. Combine Results/Ranks Height: 6-4 Weight: 306 Hand size: 9 1 ⁄8 Arm length: 33 1 ⁄4 40-yard dash: 5.08 seconds (tied for 10th out of 40) Bench press: 24 reps (tied for 21st out of 39) Vertical jump: 30.5 inches (tied for ninth out of 36) Broad jump: 107 inches (tied for 19th out of 35) 3-cone drill: 7.57 seconds (third out of 25) 20-yard shuttle: 4.69 seconds (ninth out of 26) What They're Saying • "Excellent mover for his height at 6-5, and that is shown in his natural pass sets — patient in pass protection, never looking to overextend. Will wait for the defensive end to make the first move and react, often winning the hand placement battle. Smooth, natu- ral and stout, rarely allowing penetra- tion into the feet of the quarterback. Will take pass rushers for a ride around the edge track when they approach too vertically." — NFL.com's Lance Zierlein • "Runyan was not an athletic standout at the combine, but the thing that stood out was his lateral quick- ness. His 3-cone drill was in the 80th percentile of testing, making him an elite tester. The concerns with Runyan come at size. He is 6-4 and 306 pounds and is by no means a huge lineman. "However, if he is being looked at on day two or even potentially day three of the 2020 NFL Draft, he should be a target. His growth from one start his freshman year to back-to-back starting seasons for the Wolverines at left tackle is another good sign." — Revenge of the Birds' Seth Cox Draft Projections/Ranks • No. 194 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Drafttek.com on March 4) • No. 257 overall prospect in the draft and the 50th-best offensive line- man (CBS Sports) LB JOSH UCHE Combine Results/Ranks Height: 6-1 Weight: 245 Hand size: 9 1 ⁄2 Arm length: 33 5 ⁄8 40-yard dash: DNP due to injury Bench press: 18 reps (tied for 14th out of 27) Vertical jump: DNP due to injury Broad jump: DNP due to injury 3-cone drill: DNP due to injury 20-yard shuttle: DNP due to injury What They're Saying • "A one-year starter at Michigan, Uche was a stand-up edge rusher in defensive coordinator Don Brown's versatile 4-3 scheme, playing pri- marily on pressure packages. After playing only 10 percent of the team's defensive snaps in his first three seasons, he saw an uptick in snaps (52.8 percent) as a senior but was still more of a part-time player. Uche is a speedy, loose-hipped athlete with functional length to rush the passer and the range to chase down ball car- riers versus the run. However, there is predictability in his pass rush and he lacks the functional strength to easily shed blockers. Overall, Uche will require a patient coaching staff as he learns to be a more polished and instinctive player, but his twitched- up athleticism and edge speed are difference-making traits, projecting as an NFL nickel rusher and eventual starter." — The Athletic's Dane Brugler • "Uche is a solid second-round pick with the pass-rushing ability he has and the bend off the edge. I think somebody said, 'I wouldn't be shocked if he went late first round,' but I'd say second round, and at worst, third." — ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Draft Projections/Ranks • No. 47 — Atlanta Falcons (CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson on March 9) • No. 49 — Pittsburgh Steelers (The Athletic's Dane Brugler on March 4) • No. 107 — New York Giants (Drafttek.com on March 4) • No. 7 pass rusher in the draft (The Athletic's Dane Brugler on Feb. 19) • No. 50 overall prospect in the draft and the eighth-best edge de- fender (CBS Sports) • No. 67 player overall (San Diego Union-Tribune writer Eddie Brown on March 9) • No. 83 prospect in the draft (Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer on Feb. 28) ❏ Josh Uche is rated as the No. 50 overall prospect available in the upcoming NFL Draft by CBS Sports. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN