Player: John Michael Schmitz

School: Minnesota

Measurables:

• Height: 6’3.5”(NFL Combine)
• Weight: 301(NFL Combine)

• 40: 5.35(NFL Combine)
• 10 Yard Split: 1.85(NFL Combine)
• Bench: 26(NFL Combine)
• Vertical Jump: 29.5”(NFL Combine)
• Broad Jump: 8’8”(NFL Combine)
• 3 Cone: DNP
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.56(NFL Combine)
• Other Notes: Schmitz weighed in almost 20 lbs lighter than what ESPN had him down as. When I watched his tape I called him “a pretty athletic 320”. At 320 I would’ve hoped for slightly better athletic testing, but at 301 the testing is kind of disappointing. 26 reps on the bench for a lineman isn’t great, but it definitely aligns with what I saw on tape. 

Graded Offensive Line Traits:

• First-Level Run Blocking: 8/10
• Second-Level Run Blocking: 8.5/10
• Pass Blocking: 6.5/10
• Blitz/Stunt Pickup: 7/10
• Pulling(if applicable): NA/10
• Footwork: 6.5/10
• Hands: 7/10
• Initial Contact: 6/10

Prospect Grade: 49.5/70; 70.7%- Will eventually be an elite starter with pro bowl potential

Projected Draft Day: Early Round 2- Mid Round 2

Player Comparison: Tyler Biadasz

Player Summary:

John Michael Schmitz is a player who has been shooting up draft boards and into many first round mock drafts. I like Schmitz, but I don’t know if I like him as much as others do. He’s not  a bad pass blocker, but in my eyes there was a pretty noticeable difference between his run blocking and his pass blocking. The first play that I watched of Schmitz was against Illinois’ NT and he got beat pretty badly… not a great start.

Schmitz has a tendency to reach and shift his center of gravity. When he has a NT lined up right in front of him he’s typically able to keep his legs under him and keep a strong center of gravity. Even though he looked really good on reach blocks, you did see him reach for the defender with his upper body at times. Whenever Schmitz was getting beat on a rep you would see him overcompensate and reach with his upper body while keeping his feet planted in the ground.

Despite a tendency to reach and overextend his upper body he doesn’t really reach for backers at the second level, which is weird because most of the time that’s where you would expect lineman to reach the most. Schmitz moves really well, and looks like a pretty athletic 320. He is able to climb to the second level and secure blocks really well. I thought he was just as good, if not better, blocking at the second level than first level.

I expect Schmitz to struggle in pass pro, especially more so against more powerful defensive lineman, early on. I think with the right coaching and time in an NFL weight room to improve his strength a little bit he will be fine in a year or so. He definitely has the potential to shine and establish himself as one of the better centers in this league.

UPDATE 3/11:

Due to a slightly disappointing combine, I changed the draft projection from Late Round 1- Early Round 2 to Early Round 2- Mid Round 2.