Centers
The were 8 OCs selected in the 2022 draft, as follows:
Round 1 - 1
Round 2 - 1
Round 3 - 2
Round 4 - 1
Round 5 - 1
Round 6 - 1
Round 7 - 1
Just as was the case in the 2021 center draft class, we saw eight pivots go again in 2022. The top of the class was good, and the middle to late rounds were solid overall.
The 2023 center draft class certainly has the potential to better the 2022 offering. The talent is good at the top, and has more integrity through the middle rounds. As a whole, this should be a very good draft for the position.
1) John Michael Schmitz | 6'4 | 320 | C | Minnesota
2) Sedrick Van Pran | 6'4 | 310 | C | Georgia
9/3 - Oregon - It's not a stretch to suggest that Van Pran may end up being the nation's best pivot man, based on what this game revealed. He was quick off the snap, routinely got into his man first and ran his feet when run blocking. He was solid in pass pro, kept his head on a swivel to pick up the free defender. He communicated very well with his fellow O-linemen, didn't appear to miss any assignments.
10/1 - Missouri - Van Pran had a very good game. While Mizzou had an excellent strategy off firing guys into the A gap, Van Pran adjusted and was able to land quite a few excellent blocks. He released well and popped on contact.
3) Alex Forsyth | 6'4 | 305 | C | Oregon
9/1 - Georgia - Forsyth had a decent game overall. He did land a few good blocks, carried out his assignment to task. However, his lack of size and play strength was apparent, as he was too easy to discard on more than a few occasions.
9/17 - BYU - Forsyth had a good game. He somewhat surprisingly showed off some very good functional strength, steered his man clean off the ball a few times. He was reliable in both pass pro and the run game, looked like a complete, NFL-caliber center.
4) Luke Wypler | 6'3 | 300 | C | Ohio State
9/3 - Notre Dame - Wypler had a decent game. While his play seldom created any wow moments, he was generally vary reliable in both pass pro and the run game.
9/24 - Wisconsin - Wypler had a very nice game. He did a fine job of snapping the ball and quickly carrying out his assignment. He climbed to the 2nd level well, also did good in a one on one capacity. He showed levelled strength as a run blocker, and the ability to post guys up in pass pro. With time, he looks like a product who'll develop into a very good next-level pivot man.
10/8 - Michigan State - Wypler had a solid outing. What stood out most was his ability to land some very tough reach blocks in the run game, getting enough of his man to seal off run lanes. He was also reliable in pass pro.
5) Olusegun Oluwatimi | 6'3 | 310 | C | Michigan
9/1 - Colorado State - Oluwatimi had a solid debut. In the run game, he was good on his one and one assignments, also did a good job of releasing on combo blocks to get to the 2nd level. He was a wall in pass pro, showing assertive strength and mirroring capabilities, while passing off defenders and picking up free bodies when applicable.
9/24 - Maryland - Oluwatimi had a good game. He helped establish the interior run game early on, and Michigan kept using it. He played with strength and looked consistent with his technique and carrying out his assignments.
10/1 - Iowa - Oluwatimi was very solid up front, did a good job in pass pro and help establish a sound run game. He didn't wow, but was very consistent.
10/8 - Indiana - Oluwatimi carried out his duties well, was reliable in pass pro and in the run game.
6) Ricky Stromberg | 6'4 | 310 | C | Arkansas
9/3 - Cincinnati - Stromberg had a fairly average game. While he held his own in both pass pro and in the run game, he didn't excel on either front. While he hemmed his man up well enough to create a few run lanes, much of the ground game success was die to other factors.
9/10 - South Carolina - Stromberg had a very solid if not good game. His athletic traits didn't stand out, but he consistently carried out his assignments in pass pro and certainly in the run game. Arkansas ran the ball at will throughout the game, and Stromberg often enable as much through his reliable interior blocking.
10/1 - Alabama - Stromberg had a solid game. He faced a great D-line, but never looked overwhelmed. He played with good functional strength, did have some success hemming his man up long enough for plays to develop as the game progressed.
7) Zach Frazier | 6'3 | 305 | C | West Virginia
9/1 - Pittsburgh - While other O-linemen really struggled at times, Frazier more than held his own against a very respectable front. He played with good strength and balanced, carried out both his run blocking and pass pro assignments. He didn't look overly strong or athletic, but he got the job done, opened up some run lanes at key moments.
8) Jacob Gall | 6'2 | 305 | C | Baylor
9/10 - BYU - Gall had a very good night. He was a wall in pass pro, showed the ability to quickly regather himself when taking on bull rushes. In the run game, he ran his feet well and hit his landmarks nicely. While he did catch the defender on a few of his reach blocks, he still got the angle and hemmed them up long enough for a run lane to form.
9) Jarrett Patterson | 6'5 | 300 | C/OG | Notre Dame
10/8 - BYU - Patterson held down the LG spot, and was decent, but not special. BYU ran an odd front, not challenging him much 1:1. When they did, he struggled with power in the run game. While technically sound, he doesn't play with much functional strength.
10) Joe Tippmann | 6'6 | 317 | C | Wisconsin
9/10 - Washington State - Tippmann had a very solid game. While he often looked average in head up blocking in both pass pro and the run game, he was excellent when pulling and hitting targets in space. Outside of looking inside and not noticing a safety blitz up the middle a couple times, he was disciplined in his assignments.
9/24 - Ohio State - Tippmann drew several tough assignments in this game, but he really held hos own. Whether going head up or pulling to hit targets, he carried out his duties well. He hemmed his man up long enough for run plays to develop.
11) Sincere Haynesworth | 6'1 | 305 | C | Tulsa
11/25 - Cincinnati - Haynesworth had a strong game. He played with very good base strength, while showing the ability to come off his initial block and pick up the 2nd defender in his assignment. He opened up some nice run lanes, and was stout on pass pro.
12) Connor Pay | 6'5 | 312 | C | BYU
9/10 - Baylor - Pay had a solid game, looked the part as both a pass protector and run blocker. He played with good strength, held up pretty well against a stout D-line.
9/17 - Oregon - Pay was decent to solid in this match up. While he provided little push in the run game, he held up in pass pro.
10/8 - Notre Dame - Pay had a decent game, but not impressive. He held up okay in pass pro generally, but struggled against power in the run game.
13) Jake Renfro | 6'3 | 310 | C | Cincinnati (Out for the season)
14) Brett Neilon | 6'2 | 295 | C | USC
9/10 - Stanford - Neilon was solid tonight. His QB had plenty of time to get passes off, largely due to his interior presence. He was also a sound run blocker.
9/17 - Fresno - Neilon was solid to good in the run game, helped open up some nice holes for his RBs. His pass pro was adequate, enabling plays to develop.
10/1 - Arizona State - Neilon didn't stand out in any regard, neither for the good or bad. USC had some success up front, but not to a large degree.
10/8 - Washington State - Neilon had a solid game. He paired with Vorhees on the left side to create some very good run lanes. When on 1:1 duties, he held up well, showed strength.
15) Andrew Raym | 6'3 | 315 | C | Oklahoma
9/17 - Nebraska - Raym had a decent game. While he routinely carried out all blocking assignments, he seldom looked anything above marginal. He didn't create a push up front, often got help in pass pro.
9/24 - Kansas State - Raym looked very average today, looking like a guy who needs more functional strength and time at the position.
10/8 - Texas - Raym couldn't get a push up front, was handled a number of times.
16) Grant Gibson | 6'1 | 302 | C | NC State
9/3 - East Carolina - Gibson showed some grappling strength in the pass and run game, but didn't look anything other than average when carrying out his assignments.