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Wisconsin Football: Ryan Ramczyk makes it official, declares for NFL Draft

By Trevor Jossart

Jan 2, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Ryan Ramczyk (65) blocks Western Michigan Broncos defensive end Keion Adams (1) in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. The Badgers won 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Ryan Ramczyk (65) blocks Western Michigan Broncos defensive end Keion Adams (1) in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. The Badgers won 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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After much anticipation, All-American Tackle Ryan Ramczyk will forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.

In a move that was more-than expected, junior left tackle announced Tuesday that he will leave the University of Wisconsin and enter the NFL Draft.

An unusual one-and-done, Ramczyk spent his first two seasons outside of Division I college football, beginning at Winona State followed by UW-Stevens Point before transferring to the Badgers. Although filled with talent, Ramczyk never envisioned his football career taking off like it did and had other aspirations in mind before touching base with head coach Paul Chryst at Wisconsin prior to his commitment.

“It’s definitely a different path than most,” Ramczyk said. “I found my love for football after I took that year off (in 2012) and ever since then it’s been in my mind to play in the NFL.”

Listed at 6-foot-6, 314 pounds, he entered the season under-the-radar due to his previous schools and the lack of consistency there, but after receiving numerous first round grades by NFL scouts, many of which have him as the first offensive lineman taken in the entire draft, Ramczyk made an easy, yet difficult move to leave.

“It was a definitely a difficult decision, but at the end of the day, when I finished playing in the bowl game, it became a lot easier,” Ramczyk said Monday. “I realized it’s really what I want to do. That gave me comfort.”

Despite the high grades, Ramczyk’s stock is still left to be determined after undergoing surgery to fix a hip injury he sustained this season, which will cause him to miss many of the pre-draft workouts- including the combine.

After meeting with fellow first-round center and former Wisconsin great Travis Frederick following the team’s Cotton Bowl victory over Western Michigan, Ramczyk knew he had an opportunity to achieve something he had not thought about until late this year: playing in the NFL.

“Travis just laid out some really good points; kind of just talked about what he went through,” Ramczyk said. “He gave me some good points about coming out or staying in school.”

He also noted that having to go against a Wisconsin defense of such high caliber every day in practice was great preparation for this moment and future NFL career.

Next: Badgers' 2017 Depth Chart

Ramczyk joins linebacker T.J. Watt as the first, and likely only, Badgers players to declare early for the NFL Draft this year.