Rookie Jake Ryan Can Become Every-Down Linebacker, Playmaker for Packers

Some assumed that when the Green Bay Packers elected not to select an inside linebacker on Days 1 or 2 of the 2015 NFL draft, their chance of finding an every-down contributor disappeared as well. 

"Ted Thompson is clearly comfortable with what still appears a shallow group of inside linebackers," USA Today's Nate Davis wrote, ranking the Packers' draft 28th of 32. 

"Ryan can be pretty good, but they could have looked at a 3-4 inside linebacker earlier," wrote Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News. 

Fourth-round selection Jake Ryan could prove them wrong. 

Ryan came into the draft classified as an outside linebacker, though he moved inside for the 2014 season at Michigan. Given that the Packers plan to use him at inside linebacker, Ryan was the seventh inside linebacker taken in the 2015 NFL draft, after Stephone Anthony, Benardrick McKinney, Eric Kendricks, Denzel Perryman, Paul Dawson and Ramik Wilson. (Shaq Thompson may also move to inside linebacker in the NFL.)

Green Bay was in position to take any of those players at No. 30 overall. However, the Packers chose to wait until Round 4 to address the position, selecting Ryan 129th overall. 

Clearly, Green Bay's scouts felt that despite his draft position, Ryan could still be a key contributor on the inside. 

Ryan started 41 games at Michigan, including 12 starts at inside linebacker last season.

In the best performance of his college career and his first year playing inside, Ryan amassed a career-high 112 total tackles, as well as single-game career-highs in tackles (14 against Maryland), solo tackles (10 against Northwestern) and assists (10 against Maryland). He also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. 

Ryan had 112 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in 12 games overall.

Ryan earned a Round 4 or 5 draft projection in part because scouts said he was "quicker than fast," needed to work on his footwork and could be overly aggressive in his play, per NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. 

However, despite the speed (Ryan ran a 4.65-second 40-yard dash while the fastest linebacker, Vic Beasley, ran a 4.53-second 40), those are technique issues that Ryan can easily refine in Green Bay's system under linebackers coach Winston Moss. 

In addition to having ideal size for the position, at 6'2" and 240 pounds, Ryan's intangibles also impressed the Packers scouts. 

“His instincts are something that really stand out,” Eliot Wolf, Packers director of pro personnel, said after the draft via Packers.com's Mike Spofford.  

“He can get through traffic and make plays on the outside, penetrate and make plays on the inside run. He’s pretty good in coverage. Kind of an all-around guy who adds really good value to our team.”

Indeed, as a supplement to his ability to play downhill against the run, Ryan is also solid in zone coverage. He has the speed to chase sideline to sideline.

Those skills to play the run and the pass could allow Ryan to become a three-down linebacker for Green Bay, which Wolf acknowledges "can be hard to find," via Spofford. 

Some thought the Packers needed to select a player on the first day of the NFL draft to find that kind of balance. But per Green Bay's staff, they feel they've found that, in Round 4 to boot. 

During rookie orientation camp the weekend following the draft, Ryan checked off another important box—impressing the head coach. 

"I like what Jake's done," McCarthy said that weekend, per Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin. "He's bigger than I thought he was in person. I like that. He's picked it up clean. Making the calls out there. He's been very assertive. He's off to a good start."

The best part of all?

"He looks pretty natural inside," McCarthy said, per Imig. 

A potential starter and three-down linebacker with a fourth-round price tag? A wise investment for sure for the Packers.