Indiana head football coach Tom Allen said earlier this week that he takes pride in the program’s NFL Draft streak.
For six straight years a former IU player had heard his name called at the annual event. Now the run stands at seven.
Guard Simon Stepaniak was chosen by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 2020 draft on Saturday afternoon.
Stepaniak was the 209th overall selection, and he is the tenth former IU player to be chose by the Packers.
🚨 THE PICK IS IN 🚨
With the 209th pick in the 2020 #NFLDraft, the #Packers select Indiana OL Simon Stepaniak!#PackersDraft | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/aV6cESJdEK
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 25, 2020
Let's get started. 😤🧀 pic.twitter.com/NmqZvC2RbQ
— Simon Stepaniak (@SimonStepaniak) April 25, 2020
Stepaniak started 31 games (30 at right guard, 1 at left guard) and appeared in 41 games. He was a team captain in 2019 and earned third‐team All‐Big Ten honors (media) and honorable‐mention All‐Big Ten (coaches).
The 6-foot-4 and 313 pound Stepaniak started all 11 games in which he appeared in 2019, 10 at right guard and one at left guard.
The Ohio native injured his knee during the week of preparation for the The Gator Bowl. Stepaniak expects to be 100 percent by training camp.
Stepaniak is the sixth former IU offensive lineman chosen in the NFL Draft since 2010, following Rodger Saffold, James Brewer, Jason Spriggs, Dan Feeney and Wes Martin. Former lineman Brandon Knight is also in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys.
Listen: Stepaniak discusses being drafted by Green Bay.
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