2023 NFL Draft: Top 10 Interior Offensive Linemen and their fits with the Atlanta Falcons
No. 3: John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
2022: 12 Games Started at Center
2021: 13 Games Started at Center
2020: 6 Games Started at Center
2019: 4 Games Started at Center, 12 Games Played at Center
2018: 5 Games Played at Left Tackle and Center
2017: Redshirted
John Michael Schmitz has the athletic profile of another John. This one is John Sullivan, a long-time NFL center who was a 2012 All-Pro, and probably should have had more nods there in his career. pic.twitter.com/TRByliDPKm
— Scott Carasik (@CarasikS) March 26, 2023
John Michael Schmitz started out his college experience at left tackle but moved to center rather quickly. He was a dominant center for his final three years at Minnesota. Minnesota has been running a zone-blocking scheme for decades, and as the center, Schmitz knows the ins and outs of the scheme extremely well. Teams will see someone who can play in either zone or gap-blocking schemes and be a leader that is always needed at center. Schmitz commands his teammates around him like a true field general upfront and can handle line calls right away.
Jason Kelce is the best comparison for Schmitz because both of them thrive in a zone-blocking scheme Schmitz is exceptional and should be going in the first round of the NFL draft. He's likely not going to because teams don't value center that way, but as a potential second-round pick, the Falcons could draft him and get a 10-year starter at center that would improve their already top offensive line into the best in the NFL. They may not be looking for a center, but considering general manager Terry Fontenot said he would never stray away from adding to a strength, Schmitz could be the Falcons' selection in the second.