Joe Tippmann, IOL Wisconsin: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Tippmann was a four-star offensive tackle recruit from Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Ind. in the class of 2019

Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann is an elite, explosive athlete with excellent movement skills and the power to succeed in multiple schemes. Most of his potential for improvement stems from his footwork. Once he cleans that up, he’ll be an impact starting center. Check out his full 2023 NFL Draft profile.

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Joe Tippmann, IOL Wisconsin: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior center from Fort Wayne, Ind.

Background: Tippmann was a four-star offensive tackle recruit from Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Ind. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 325 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 326 for On3.com. Tippmann was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals. He was an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 78 grade out of 100. He committed to Wisconsin over offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Purdue. Tippmann earned First-Team All-State honors from the Associated Press as a high school senior. He was his league’s MVP in 2018, leading Bishop Dwenger to a 14-1 record and the Class 4A State Championship. In his final high school season, Tippmann was credited with 102 pancake blocks on offense and 41 tackles with three sacks on defense. He was Indiana Mr. Football offensive lineman as a senior.

2021 Production: 11 games, 0 sacks allowed, 3 penalties committed

2020 Production: 2 games, 0 sacks allowed, 0 penalties committed

2019 Production: 0 games (Redshirt Year)

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed two games in 2021, missed spring ball in 2022

Awards: 2020 Academic All-Big Ten, 2021 Academic All-Big Ten, 2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten, 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten

Pros: Converted high school tackle, torques defenders out of the A-gap, constantly looking for extra work, takes care of initial business before climbing to the second level for multiple blocks on one play, athleticism and speed to land blocks on linebackers and defensive backs as a puller, displays ideal core strength and anchor, wide and stout base, comfortable making call outs and adjusting his teammates pre-snap, scans field and accurately identifies threats post-snap, patient when analyzing threats, appears to have reliable grip strength, gets hands inside the defender’s frame, frames blocks well and stays square to defenders, good sink in hips and bend in knees, willing to finish defenders to the ground, sufficient first step for reach blocks, upper body strength to grapple and subdue defenders, takes effective angles to second-level defenders, consistent leg drive in the run game, few to no off-target snaps, looks at home operating in space, hand placement, consistently seals open rushing lanes

Cons: Six penalties in 2022, limited to no special teams experience, pad level sometimes costs him the leverage battle, occasionally ducks his head into contact, potential concerns over arm length, footwork can be slow and staggered, not a twitchy or sudden athlete, feet sometimes slow or stop in pass protection, could be more aggressive and maul more defenders, doesn’t consistently generate displacement in the run game, hands lack pop, needs to develop more independent hand usage, balance concerns as he ends up on the ground frequently, lacks short-area agility

Overview: Tippmann is unofficially listed at 6'6", 317 lbs. He allowed pressure on 1.5% of his pass blocking reps in 2021 and 1.39% during the 2022 regular season. Tippmann is a converted high school tackle with a high-end athletic profile. He earned a spot on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Freaks List for The Athletic. Per Feldman, Tippmann squats 635 pounds, benches 455, runs a 4.31 20-yard shuttle, and posts a 1.65 ten-yard split. That 4.31 shuttle time would’ve been the best among the 41 offensive linemen who participated in the event at the 2022 NFL Combine. Tippmann is comfortable making callouts and adjusting his teammates pre-snap. He scans the field, accurately identifies post-snap threats, and is patient when addressing them. The redshirt junior has the athleticism and speed to land blocks on linebackers and defensive backs as a puller. He'll help seal initial blocks before climbing to the second level to pick off defenders. Tippmann takes effective angles to second-level defenders, although there are instances where he struggles to match the movement of more agile players. He usually looks comfortable operating in space. Tippmann’s first step is sufficient for establishing positioning on reach blocks. The Indiana native constantly looks for extra work and finishes defenders to the ground, but he could adopt a nastier mentality more often. He displays ideal core strength and a wide base with a stout anchor. Tippmann deadens power rushes, even when he gives some ground initially. He torques defenders out of the A-gap with his upper body strength and core. The former four-star recruit appears to have reliable grip strength. He frames blocks well and stays square to defenders. Tippmann’s independent hand usage and punch power could improve, but his hand placement is generally accurate and effective. He operates with good sink in his hips and bend in his knees, which negates some of the leverage issues he deals with as a larger center. Tippmann displays consistent leg drive in the run game and easily seals rushing lanes. Importantly, he had few to no off-target snaps in 2022. Penalties are a minor concern with Tippmann; he committed six in 2022. He’s guilty of playing with an elevated pad level and occasionally ducking his head into contact. The converted tackle comes with potential arm length concerns. His footwork can be slow and staggered at times, and Tippmann occasionally stops his feet in pass protection. He’s not a sudden or twitchy athlete. His balance raises some concerns as he ends up on the ground a fair amount. Despite his leg drive, Tippmann doesn’t consistently generate immediate displacement in the run game.

Overall, Tippmann is an athletic, powerful center who excels at framing blocks and climbing to the second level, but there’s room to improve his footwork and leverage. He’s a developmental player with some high-end athletic traits who could be a full-time starter by his second NFL season.

Role & Scheme Fit: Center in a gap, inside zone, or outside zone scheme

Round Projection: Early Fourth to Late Fourth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 12-14-22