Evaluating centers in this draft

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I've been researching centers for several weeks now and put together ranking lists from several trustworthy and reputable sites. Here's what I have so far. Hopefully, this will start a good discussion on centers. BTW, my personal favorite (always changing, so doesn't mean much) is Luke Wypler

Center Rankings:

(PFF)
1.   John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota)
2.   Sedrick Van Pran (Georgia) *note: not in this year's draft
3.   Cody Mauch (North Dakota State)
4.   Joe Tippman (Wisconsin)
5.   Luke Wypler (Ohio State)
6.   Ricky Stromberg (Arkansas)

(NFL Draft Buzz) this is one of my favorite sites
1.   John Michael Schmitz (scores: run blocking 94 / pass blocking 84) *note: Highest rated run blocking center
2.   Luke Wypler (RB 91 / PB 92) *note: highest ranking pass blocker
3.   Steve Avila (RB 79 / PB 88)
4.   Joe Tippman (RB 86 / PB 84)
5.   Olusegun Oluwatimi (RB 88 / PB 79)
6.   Jarrett Patterson (RB 79/ PB 84)
7.   Ricky Stromberg (RB 91 / PB 83) *note: he's rising in rankings among many boards
8.   Brett Neilon (RB 92 / PB 91) *note: much success at the college level, but underpowered and heavy feet – might not make it in NFL as anything other than a project/backup
9.   Juice Scruggs (RB 73 / PB 75)   

(Walter Football)
1.   Steve Avila
2.   Olusegun Oluwatimi
3.   John Michael Schmitz
4.   Joe Tippman
5.   Luke Wypler
6.   Jarrett Patterson
7.   Alex Forsyth
8.   Ricky Stromberg

(Sports Illustrated)
1.   Joe Tippman (Wisconsin)
2.   John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota)
3.   Steve Avila (TCU)
4.   Luke Wypler (Ohio State)
5.   Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan)
6.   Jarrett Patterson (Notre Dame)

(Draft Network)
1.   John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota)
2.   Joe Tippman (Wisconsin)
3.   Cody Mauch (North Dakota State)
4.   Steve Avila (TCU)
5.   Luke Wypler (Ohio State)
6.   Alex Forsyth (Oregon)
7.   Jarrett Patterson (Notre Dame)
8.   Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan)   

(Draft Kings)
1.   John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota)   
2.   Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan)   
3.   Jarrett Patterson (Notre Dame)   
4.   Steve Avila (TCU)   
5.   Alex Forsyth (Oregon)   
6.   Joe Tippmann (Wisconsin)
7.   Ricky Stromberg (Arkansas)
8.   Brett Neilon (USC)   
   
         
         
         
         
         

[True Blue]

No love for Juice

[gregf]

Center is my top priority in round 2 or 3.    Would absolutely love to land a top one here. If Neal progresses at RT, we can finally be in good shape on the o line.  It's been long overdue.

[DaveBrown74]

Center is my top priority in round 2 or 3.    Would absolutely love to land a top one here. If Neal progresses at RT, we can finally be in good shape on the o line.  It's been long overdue.

Couldn't agree more. Landing a quality day two center prospect seems like a no-brainer for where this team is right now. 

[True Blue]

I would maybe double dip. Jarret Patterson can also play guard, I would grab him on Day 2, and Juice day 3 who is a pure Center, if he can play then we also have a Guard

[Jolly Blue Giant]

The nice thing is, is that Daboll, Kafka, Bobby Johnson, Chris Smith, and scouts will spend hours and hours going over tape on a lot of centers (probably more than 25) and will come up with a consensus grade for each one for how well they would fit Daboll's scheme going forward, as well as do background work on their habits, lifestyles, personalities, etc., and talk to their coaches all the way back to high school. We on the other hand, get to scour the internet and take for granted the opinions of many, most who don't really know more than another and are most interested in "hits" in order to keep their nice jobs

[uconnjack8]

Not a lot of agreement from the various reports.  How many of those guys have a 3rd round grade or higher?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Not a lot of agreement from the various reports.  How many of those guys have a 3rd round grade or higher?

Depends on which site you look at. Some have ONLY John Michael Schmitz as a first rounder. Others have him going in the second, and at least one ranks him as a third round pick. Some sites have him as well as Patterson or Tippman or Wypler graded as first rounders. Of course, not many teams use a first round pick on a center and not even that often on a second round pick. Centers historically start coming of the board in the third and fourth. Not sure why that is 

I have faith that Schoen will get us a good one...fingers crossed 

[Painter]

I suspect that Schmitz will be the first OC taken, late 1st/ early 2nd. After that, I would guess Tippman Wypler, Avila in order of team/scheme whatever and wherever that may prove to be.

Cheers!

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I suspect that Schmitz will be the first OC taken, late 1st/ early 2nd. After that, I would guess Tippman Wypler, Avila in order of team/scheme whatever and wherever that may prove to be.

Cheers!

Yeah, I wonder what the coaches have in mind. Do they prefer a center who can make open lanes for Saquon, or rather have shuffling feet and be great at protecting Jones in the pocket. Then you also have to consider who's on each of him and what their strengths are and how it matches with him, and also what kind of leader the guy is because he's the guy who will run the group on the field. All very important

[spiderblue43]

So...if they draft the center from Minnesota..is that when the Schmitz hits the fans?

[Gmo11]

Very useful info!  If the Giants think that only one of these guys is a plug and play immediate impact center then I'd be totally fine using the first pick on who they deem that person to be.  But if not, then the 2nd round is probably where they look.  I would be pretty disappointed if one of those two picks aren't a Center though.  It would have to take some sort of crazy run between picks for that to be an acceptable outcome.  I'm hoping for a Center and a CB with the first two picks. At least right now anyway.

[DaveBrown74]

What do we think of Tippman? I know MadBadger is a Wisco guy, so maybe he has some color, but his sub 5 40 caught my attention, and Wisco has put out some great linemen in the past. He could be a good plan B if we whiff on Schmitz.

[Jclayton92]

I'm fine with a Day 3 center. The whole entire line can't be 1st and 2nd round picks. We have to many holes everywhere else to keep investing high capital into one area of the team.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

What do we think of Tippman? I know MadBadger is a Wisco guy, so maybe he has some color, but his sub 5 40 caught my attention, and Wisco has put out some great linemen in the past. He could be a good plan B if we whiff on Schmitz.

Tippman is very good. The knock on him is his height/weight ratio. Pretty tall (6'6") for a center and at 317 lbs, his frame is a little light. He could end up becoming a guard where his size is better suited. Most teams like their center low to the ground 6'1"-6'3" and wide, where they can get their arms under a defensive lineman and hold him or move him. Also, be nimble enough to play zone. Tippman is fast running in a straight line (something that never happens with linemen in a real game), but doesn't have quickness in his feet for dancing (for lack of a better word). Regardless, I trust in the Giants to get us a solid center in this draft, and if it's Tippman, they know far better than me...and that's a fact!