Packers: What do the Scouting Reports Say About Simon Stepaniak?

At pick 209 in the NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected offensive lineman Simon Stepaniak of Indiana. Here are what a few scouting reports have to say about his game.

After selecting two offensive linemen at picks 192 and 208 of the NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers decided to continue bolstering the depth along the interior with the selection of Simon Stepaniak out of Indiana at pick 209.

Now, selecting three interior offensive linemen in one draft when the Packers already have several backup options on the roster may seem like overkill, but I promise you that it isn’t. While the interior is pretty much set for the 2020 season, Green Bay will run into some unknowns next offseason.

For one, Corey Linsley will be a free agent, and considering that David Bakhtiari, Kenny Clark, and Aaron Jones are as well, there is certainly no guarantee that he will be brought back. On top of that, Billy Turner was below average at the right guard position and if needed, the Packers can cut him next offseason and save on cap space.

So with the potential that both Linsley and Turner aren’t around for the 2021 season, as they should, the Packers wanted to be sure that they have plenty of options on the roster to fill those roles.

Enter Stepaniak who has 31 career starts at Indiana, with 30 of them coming at right guard and the other at left guard while appearing in 41 games total. In 2019 he was a team captain, a third-team All-Big Ten media selection, and an honorable mention All-Big Ten coaches selection.

During the 2018 and 2019 seasons which included 1,008 pass-blocking attempts, Stepaniak allowed just three sacks and seven quarterback hits in that span according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Although it is worth pointing out that he was a better run-blocker during his Indiana career than a pass-blocker.

Oh, and did I mention that Stepaniak is strong? Like really strong. At the NFL Combine he would put up 37 reps on the bench press – the second-most among offensive linemen – and he made it look pretty darn easy as well.

However, while we can see fairly easily how Jon Runyan Jr. and Jake Hanson fit into this Green Bay Packers’ offense, it’s difficult to feel the same way about Stepaniak. But at the very least, he does provide depth, which you can never have too much of along the offensive line.

For a more in-depth look at Stepaniak and what he brings to this Packers team, here is what a few draft analysts had to say about him in their final scouting reports:

Kyle Crabbs – The Draft Network

"“Simon Stepaniak projects best as a guard in a gap/power system at the NFL level. Stepaniak is at his best in close quarters where he can draw upon his play strength and reset the line of scrimmage.Having played on both sides of the center, Stepaniak will offer some potential value if you can boost his mobility to be a utility offensive lineman that can fill multiple roles along the offensive line. That said, his foot mobility, block framing and consistency are all in need of work.”"

Lance Zierlein – NFL.com

"“Burly and strong with the ability to play either guard position in a gap-scheme attack. He’s productive on double teams and combo blocks. Stepaniak comes off the ball and into opponents with some pop when he’s singled up and he’s a nasty block finisher, but he may not have enough length for NFL-block sustain.His ability to recover in pass pro is limited by both his wide base and exaggerated slide steps out to the edge. Despite his bench-press strength, Stepaniak gives too much ground to power rushers who push him into the pocket. It’s possible to correct some of his pass protection issues and his physicality in the run game helps his cause as a late-round guard with backup potential.”"

Tony Pauline – Pro Football Network

"“Stepaniak was a terrific player at Indiana the past two seasons as a wide-bodied, nasty lineman, but he must be used in confined quarters.”"