The 2017 NFL Draft is taking over Philadelphia this week, with the Cleveland Browns kicking things off with the first pick on Thursday.
North Bay’s Ryan Hunter, 22, an offensive lineman with the Bowling Green State University Falcons, will have an eye on the festivities, but he has a few other things on his plate – most notably, preparing for the 2018 NFL Draft.
The six-foot-four, 325-pound Hunter, coming off his third season with Bowling Green, will graduate with a Criminal Justice degree next month. But he will continue as a masters student – with an eye on eventually attending law school – and return to the field as a fifth-year senior in the fall (he redshirted in 2013, practicing with the team while completing his first year of studies).
“A lot of it had to do with the coaches,” Hunter said of returning for his final year of eligibility as a grad student. “There is a lot of experience among all of our coaching positions. I think more than half of our coaches have played a few years in the NFL or CFL or have experience in professional football, so as someone who wants to explore that path when I’m done, it was very appealing.
“I think also, in my heart, I feel like I’m a Falcon. I’ve been here through the ups and downs of four years of the program. I’ve learned a lot during the four years I’ve been here. When I signed my letter of intent, I committed to this school, no matter what happened, and I think people who stay for their four or five years show a sense of commitment.”
A force on the field with the Algonquin Barons and Nipissing Wild during his days in North Bay, where he learned the basics from coaches such as Ryan Desbiens, Bob Sneddon, Jamie Silverthorn, Mike Ohlman and Matt Gordon, Hunter left home at age 16 to attend Canisius High School in Buffalo, where he hoped to gain exposure in finding his way to a U.S. college.
So far, so good.
After earning Western New York Lineman of the Year and Buffalo News Player of the Year honours at Canisius, the accolades have continued to pile up at Ohio-based Bowling Green, which competes in the Division 1 Mid-American Conference. Hunter has started all 26 games the past two seasons, helping the Falcons offence set a slew of team offensive records in 2015 while also earning back-to-back MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-MAC honours.
“For the most part, things have gone well,” said Hunter, who also played all 14 games in 2014 as a blocking fullback and offensive lineman before earning a starter’s role in 2015.
“I’ve been able to stay healthy and I haven’t missed any game time due to injuries. I’ve had some good games, some good experiences, two conference championships, three Bowl games. I’ve made a lot of great friendships I will have for the rest of my life.
“If you look at it overall, I think this was probably the best decision I made and I think it’s something that will benefit me for a very long time. It’s something I think everyone should get a chance to try, if they can, to play college sports.”
Hunter has taken on a leadership role as preparations for the 2017 season ramp up. Coming off a conference championship in 2015, when they compiled a 10-4 overall record, Bowling Green slipped to 4-8 last season and he is hoping to help the program return to winning form under second-year head coach Mike Jinks. (A highlight of 2016 was a season-opening meeting with perennial NCAA powerhouse Ohio State in front of 107,000 fans, after which Hunter received a “keep your head high” compliment from Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer while walking off the field).
If things go according to plan, Hunter’s football days won’t be finished at Bowling Green. Falcons strength and conditioning coach Billy Yates is among a group of mentors from whom Hunter hopes to soak up more about the pro game. Yates spent eight years in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2005.
“I can learn a lot from him,” Hunter said. “He helps out the offensive line with things he’s learned through the years playing at the highest level and it’s things like that you can’t put a value on.”
When the college football season wraps up in January, the focus will turn to training as a pro prospect. Hunter would be eligible as a CFL prospect, but if an opportunity opens up in an NFL combine, he plans on being as prepared as he can be.
“That was the whole reason I left North Bay to go to Buffalo for two years, was to put myself in a position to show scouts I could play at the next level,” said Hunter.
“If I had to rethink that decision 100 times, I would have done the same thing every time. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to come to Bowling Green. With the amount of coaching I’ve received and being lucky enough to get a lot of playing time and with more opportunity this coming season, I think it will give scouts a chance to see my abilities to play on the field and also off the field as a leader and someone who takes his craft very seriously.
“I’m going to try as hard as I can to make it.”
