John Michael Schmitz, IOL Minnesota: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Schmitz was a three-star recruit from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Ill. in the class of 2017

Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz is the best interior offensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft. The college veteran should hear his name called in the top 50 selections and offer his new team an immediate upgrade at the pivot.

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John Michael Schmitz, IOL Minnesota: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior center from Flossmoor, Ill.

Background: Schmitz was a three-star recruit from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Ill. in the class of 2017. He was the No. 1,083 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,082 for On3.com. Schmitz was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 77 grade out of 100. In high school, he started his junior and senior seasons at left tackle. He earned IHSFCA 8A All-State, Southwestern Suburban All-Conference, and Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette IHSA Football All-State honors. He made the Chicago Tribune All-State Team as a senior. Schmitz originally committed to Western Michigan before flipping to Minnesota.

Injuries & Off-Field: Left West Virginia game (2021) with an injury

Awards: Academic All-Big Ten 2018-22, 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten, 2021 Second-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), 2022 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2022 First-Team All-American

Pros: Nearly 2,500 offensive snaps, football IQ, motor runs hot, good leverage in the run game, power to latch and drive defenders out of gaps, upper body and core strength to torque defenders out of gaps, easily seals defenders to open rush lanes, asset on combo blocks, mobility and quickness for reach blocks, makes reach blocks look easy, makes impactful blocks at the second level, packs a wallop on the move, willing to finish defenders to the ground, vision and understanding of angles are impressive, stout base, anchor to eat power rushes, frames blocks extremely well, vision to help on multiple defenders in one play, recognizes stunts early

Cons: Age, three penalties in each of the past three years, center-only prospect, arm length, some upper body stiffness, ducks head into contact making him vulnerable to swim moves, occasionally stops his feet and overextends, pad level rises over the course of plays in pass pro, invites defenders into his chest with wide hand placement, instances of failing to mirror defenders when climbing to the second level, agility and change of direction skills are limited in space

Overview: Schmitz took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6034 and weighs 301 lbs. He has 9 4/8-inch hands, 32 5/8-inch arms, and a 78 3/8-inch wingspan. Schmitz allowed two sacks on his roughly 2,500 offensive snaps with the Golden Gophers. That much experience led to him developing a high football IQ and exceptional awareness. Schmitz plays with a hot motor and looks to finish defenders to the ground in the run game. He plays with good leverage as a run blocker and possesses the power to latch and drive defenders out of gaps. He also uses his upper body and core strength to torque defenders out of run lanes. Schmitz easily seals defenders to open holes for his running back and is an asset on combo blocks. His mobility and initial quickness really pop on reach blocks, which he executes with ease. The redshirt senior’s mobility helps him land blocks at the second level, and he’s a lot to handle with a full head of steam. Schmitz plays with a stout base and sturdy anchor. He generally frames blocks well. His vision and intelligence reveal stunts early in the rep. Schmitz is already 24 years old and is a center-only prospect. His sub-33-inch arms are less than ideal for any position along the offensive line. The All-American battles some upper body stiffness. He ducks his head into contact, which makes him vulnerable to swim moves. Schmitz sometimes stops his feet and overextends in pass protection. His pad level in pass protection needs to improve. Schmitz invites defenders into his chest with wide hand placement, further highlighting his short arms. The Illinois native lacks the agility and change of direction skills to mirror second-level defenders consistently.

Overall, Schmitz is a polished older prospect who plays to the level of his experience thanks to his initial quickness, play strength in the run game, and toughness. He faces some physical limitations that primarily impact his potential as a pass blocker. Despite these concerns, Schmitz should start Week 1 this coming season and perform at an above-average level during his rookie campaign.

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

Round Projection: Late First to Early Second

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-26-23