Former Badgers OT Ramczyk selected by Saints in first round of NFL Draft

Add another chapter to the storybook tale of Ryan Ramczyk and give it the title "first-round NFL Draft pick."

The former Wisconsin Badgers left tackle was selected with the No. 32 overall pick by the New Orleans Saints in Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft. Ramczyk is the fifth Badgers offensive lineman to be drafted in the first round since 2007 and eighth overall over that span. Teammate T.J. Watt was the seventh to be selected, taken two picks before Ramczyk by Pittsburgh. This is the first time Wisconsin had had two players selected in the first round since J.J .Watt and Gabe Carimi in 2011.

After enrolling at Division II Winona State before spending two years as Division III UW-Stevens Point -- between stints there he studied to be a welder at Mid-State Technical College -- Ramczyk transferred to Wisconsin. He had to sit out in 2015 but quickly established himself as a potential starter while on the scout team. Indeed, Ramczyk would start all 14 games at left tackle for the Badgers this past season and was named a consensus first-team All-American.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ramczyk was the top run blocker among tackles in FBS in 2016 while allowing just one sack and eight pressures.