Could the Broncos find an anchor for their offensive line in the 2023 draft?

The draft season is my favorite time of year. Now that April is here, I am going over my final rankings for this entire 2023 draft class. I’ve personally scouted over 400 players as I prepare to cover every day of the draft for Denver Sports.

Next up, I will examine the center position in this draft class. Most years we don’t see but a player or two at the position who can be impact players in the pros. This year, the class is somewhat top heavy, but the talent dries up quickly.

Basically, if you want a center then you’d better be prepared to select one on Day 2 of the NFL draft. After that, there is one sleeper favorite of mine who could be a good starter but there’s not much else.

Here are my thoughts on the 2023 center class.

***

Next Badger Great

I’m of the opinion that Joe Tippmann from Wisconsin is the best center in this class. He’s going to be the next great Badger offensive lineman. I’ve seen some mock him to the Broncos with the no.67 overall pick, but I would be shocked if he fell that far in the draft. Instead, I have Tippman graded as a borderline first-round pick and feel the second round is where he’ll be picked.

Tippman is athletic for a big man, but he’s also country strong with hands like Vice Grips. When Tippmann gets his hands on his opponent, he will drive him out of the play. He’s a powerful player with the athleticism to get out and pull, targeting blockers in space. Tippmann does need to refine his pass-blocking ability, but he’s only given up one sack in his college career. There’s a lot to build on with Tippmann as he’s smart, has a high floor, and the upside that others in the class don’t have.

***

Opinions Vary

Now that my work in studying this class has been done, I begin to look at what others are writing about these prospects. I like to make up my own mind about these players, and then it’s fun to see what other trusted voices are saying about these guys. One thing with the center position is clear; opinions are wildly varied.

I like Oregon’s Alex Forsyth and believe he should be a second- or third-round pick, but there are some in the scouting community who see him more as a Day 3 pick. If you need convincing about Forsyth’s game, just put on the tape against Georgia when he was facing DT Jalen Carter (likely a top-10 pick) and graded out better than anyone in pass protection. Forsyth is a big player who is quick out of his stance. This helps him in pass protection, and he can learn better techniques as a run blocker.

Olusegun Oluwatimi from Michigan is another center that some love and some think is painfully average. He’s a tough player to grade because of the inconsistency to his game. On some snaps, Oluwatimi plays with great balance while at other times he reaches and overextends trying to make a block. His punch is strong, but when he misses it can be a problem for him to recover.

Ricky Stromberg from Arkansas can win with his motor and his natural strength. He’s a finisher, and Stromberg brings plenty of nastiness to the football field. Stromberg needs to improve his footwork, and that will help his average-at-best pass protection skill.

Luke Wypler from Ohio State is the No. 1 center in the Pro Football Focus draft guide. While I have a higher-than-average grade on Wypler, I don’t think he’s the best in this class. Wypler shows an advanced game that many in the college game do not yet possess. He has great hand placement, and he knows how to best gain leverage against his man. Wypler lacks the length some teams require at the center position, and he’s not a player who wins with power but rather can excel with intelligence, technique and guile.

***

My Favorites

When you see a player dominate at the Senior Bowl like John Michael Schmitz you’ll fall in love with his game. Schmitz entered the week of practice for the Senior Bowl as a Day 2 pick, but NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah (one of the best in the business) thought he did enough during the week to perhaps get a look in the first round. I agree with Jeremiah, and Schmitz has a nasty game which immediately puts him on my favorites list. Schmitz is a mauler when blocking for the run, and he wants to humiliate his opponent. I like the way he sets up as a pass blocker, and he is smart enough to anticipate moves or stunts/twists from defenders up front. Many say the center is the quarterback of the offensive line, and Schmitz has the leadership skill and attitude every team covets in the middle.

While Schmitz is at least an early second-round pick, Notre Dame’s Jarrett Patterson is a Day 3 pick with the upside to be a quality starter in the NFL. Some team will see him as a guard, as Patterson played over 800 snaps at left guard in 2022. I have him graded as a center, because before last season, that’s the position he played and looked good. The simple truth is Patterson can do both, and that adds to his value as teams are looking for position versatility. In two years of starting at center, Patterson surrendered zero sacks because of his awareness and tenacity. If there’s an echo to the whistle, Patterson will play exactly to that point. There’s no quit in his game, and that makes him a favorite of coaches and teammates alike.

***

Overall Grade

The top of this group has some really good players. Again, most center classes are “C” grades at best when looking at the whole. This year, I feel strongly about giving this class a “B-minus” with the possibility of it being higher based on who plays up to the potential. If most of these top center hit, 2023 could go down as an “A” graded group.

***

Related

In Broncos loss, they got a win in something specific that truly matteredBo Nix happy with ‘solid’ first TD drive, says return ‘was like riding a bike’Sean Payton unhappy after Packers demolish Broncos, sends message to startersBroncos waste no time getting Jaylen Waddle involved in his preseason debutBo Nix throws a TD, leads two scoring drives in return from broken ankleBroncos CB Moss leaves game with rib injury