John Michael Schmitz (OC) – Minnesota / Redshirt Senior
6’4”, 306.0 Lbs. (Senior Bowl)
2022 Stats:
Awards: AP First Team All-America (2022); FWAA First Team All-America (2022); Walter Camp Second Team All-America (2022); All-Big Ten First Team (2022); Academic All-Big Ten (2018 – 2022)
Measurables: Senior Bowl – Arm: 32-¾; Hand: 9-⅝; Wing: 78-⅞
Games Watched: 2022 @ Michigan St.; 2022 vs. Purdue; 2022 vs. Penn St.
PRO’S
John Michael Schmitz is a true Center out there directing the assignments to the rest of the O-line, head on a swivel looking to make a block when in pass protection, legs moving all the time, and plays with an edge and urgency. Very advanced for a college player in picking up delayed blitzes, and stands up well against a bull rush. Good lateral movement off the snap and moves well in space; looking to take on a block at the second level. Strong arms and also anchors well in pass protection and maintains it, while using his strong legs in the rush attack to push defenders back. Uses center of gravity and lower body strength to gain and maintain leverage. Good pass protector but even better run blocker (and better in power run as opposed to zone). Team and OL leader at Minnesota.
CON’S
Needs to improve consistency of his hand placement as they seemingly often get too high on opponents leading to a loss of balance. Gets grabby. He’s 24 years old as he lost time during COVID (like many players in this class did), but he’s started at Center for the past 3 seasons that he did play and he did not miss a game (availability is the best ability). Good burst off the line but not great speed (even for a big man), so I’m unsure about his ability to excel in a zone run scheme.
OVERALL
Schmitz totally shined at Senior Bowl and is probably the best Center in this draft (I have him neck and neck with Joe Tippmann of Wisconsin who I personally really like a lot) and could go in the back end of the 1st round to a Center-needy team. He’s a player who plays to the whistle, and plays angry as he drives his opponents into the ground. I view Schmitz as a safe prospect and a day 1 starter in the NFL.
Completed by: Joe Knows (@JoeJ_Clark), 03/202/23
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