By John Sarianides

The Center position has experienced a renaissance of sorts in the NFL. Now more than ever, teams need a smart, tough, reliable center who can communicate and hold their own versus a shade or nose tackle.

Here are my top ten centers for the 2017 draft.

1. Pat Elflein, Ohio State, 6-3 303, NFL Comparison: Ryan Kelly
Strengths
-Strong who run blocker who has quick hands and can get inside hand placement.

-Shows strong snap and punch and can anchor down and control a 0 nose tackle.

-Moves well laterally and can punch, recoil and adjust in pass pro.

-Moves well laterally and can get to the second level with ease off of scoop and vertical double teams. Athletic enough that he can pull when uncovered.

-Tough and competitive. Has the make up to lead an offensive line.

Weaknesses
-Can get bull rushed and is inconsistent in terms of giving ground.

-Picks up blizters but there are times when he recognizes them late.

-Gets caught hand fighting too much sometimes and gives up his breast plate.

-Needs to play more under control in space. Over runs defenders at times.

-Light lower half. He’ll struggle to anchor against overweight, two-gap nose tackles.

Final Thoughts: Elflein was the key cog of some very good teams at Ohio State. He is a natural who allows his play to do the talking. He is smart, tough and competitive and should start at the next level.   

 

2.Ethan Pocic, LSU, 6-6 300, NFl Comparison: Brandon Linder
Strengths
-Massive for a center. Has good length and strong hands. Can punch, reset and get hand placement again.

-Moves well laterally. Can run reach a shade technique effectively and get to the second level.

-Plays with a good base and has enough strength to hold up against a spacing eating two gapper.

-Good short area pass blocker who moves well laterally. Can punch, reset and has enough hand speed to counter double moves.

-Smart. played in a pro-style offense so he has been exposed to complex pass protections.

Weaknesses
-Not a natural bender. Comes out of his stance high and plays high.

-Can be slow at times at picking delay blitzers. Reach too much.

-Move well in spaces but looks heavy footed in space.

-Can come off double teams late and allow run throughs.

-Pulls but struggles to adjust in space and hit a moving target.

Final Thoughts: Pocic is a big man who can anchor down against bigger nose tackles and hold his ground. He is physical strong and can play the position at high level but he can be inconsistent.

 

3. Kyle Fuller, Baylor, 6-5 307, NFL Comparison: Ben Jones
Strengths
-A big body mauler who is strong at the point of attack.

-Has strong hands and delivers a violent punch that enables to reset the line of scrimmage.

-Not a great athlete but he is functional in short spaces.

-Plays a smart game. Understands the blocking schemes, defensive fronts and can make the right calls.

-Does a good job of taking over blocks at the first level of a double team. Finishes to the whistle.

Weaknesses
-Sluggish. Not very athletic or fluid.

-Does not move well laterally despite playing in a zone blocking scheme.

-Plays with head down at times and gives up run throughs as a result.

-Fuller has a strong lower and can anchor down against shade and nose tackles but he will struggle against speed rushers who align in a shade.

-Not a natural bender. Plays too tall.

Final Thoughts: Fuller is a bit stiff and doesn’t move as well as you’d like considering he played in a predominately zone blocking at Baylor. That being said, he does enough well that he can potential start at the next level.

 

4. Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia, 6-3 298, NFL Comparison: Russell Bodine
Strengths
-Small but feisty. Plays with good technique and leverage. 

-Orlosky has quick hands. He can snap, pop and gain inside hand placement.

-Moves well laterally and can cut off a 2i tackle in a zone blocking scheme consistently.

-Good short area pass blocker who can punch, reset his hands and counter a double move.

-Smart. Understands fronts and can make all of the line calls.

Weaknesses
-Undersized. Struggles with bigger shade/nose tackles that can get their hands on him and control him.

-Overcompensates at the second level and whiffs on blocks in space.

-Light. Doesn’t show the ability to consistently anchor as a run blocker or pass blocker.

-Doesn’t have a ton of experience in man blocking schemes.

Final Thoughts: Orlosky can start at the next level but some of his weaknesses could be a problem. Especially in the run game.

 

5. Jon Toth, Kentucky, 6-5 307, NFL Comparison: Wesley Johnson
Strengths
-Big center with long arms. Punches, gets inside hand placement and extends effectively.

-Moves well laterally for his size. Can cut off a backside tackle on a run reach block and can come off of a scoop block and seal backside.

-Tough enough to engage and anchor down versus a zero nose.

-Good short area pass blocker who can shuffle, punch and reset.

-Played in a diverse spread offense so he has experience making different line calls to fronts and coverages.

Weaknesses
-Lumbers too much. Not a fluid athlete.

-Struggles to bend as a run blocker and plays with very little leverage.

-Buries his head in pass pro and struggles to come off a block and pick up another defender.

-Inconsistent. Doesn’t always play up to his ability.

-Overly aggressive at times in space and whiffs on blocks.

Final Thoughts: Toth could eventually develop into a starting caliber center in the NFL but he needs fundamental work.

 

Next Five
6. Cameron Tom, Southern Miss, 6-3 290, NFL Comparison: Ryan Kalil
Tom has good size and he is strong at the point of attack as a run blocker. Has shown the ability to anchor down and lock against zero nose tackles. Competes as a pass blocker and can punch and reset but he struggles against quicker tackles.

7. Jay Guillermo, Clemson, 6-3 298, NFL Comparison: Jason Kelce
Guillermo can be stiff and rigid. Sound run blocker who is fundamentally sound. Competes in pass pro. Has shown the ability to shuffle, punch and reset. Leans a little too much when engaged and plays with poor leverage and bend. Has battled injuries in the past.

8.  Brandon Kublanow, Georgia, 6-2 300, NFL Comparison: David Andrews
Undersized but technically sound. Kublanow proved he has the post snap quickness to play against high level competition in the SEC. He will struggle against bigger tackles inside, especially in the run game. He will need to win leverage and lower body strength.

9. Chase Roullier, Wyoming, 6-4 312, NFL Comparison: Travis Frederick
A wide body who has good size and power. Strong at the point of attack. Can get inside hand placement, lock on and drive. Good short area pass blocker who moves well in all four directions. Can punch, recoil and punch again consistently. Needs to learn to bend. Plays too high and with a narrow base.

10. Freddie Burden, Georgia Tech, 6-3 302, NFL Comparison: Matt Paradis
Terrific run blocker who takes good angles and gets into proper position. Burden gets good movement on the snap and has strong hands. Once he latches on, he doesn’t let go. Limited in pass pro. Looks comfortable doing it but he didn’t do it a lot in Georgia Tech’s Flexbone Triple Option. Has a lot of work to do in terms of learning how to play in a pro-style offense.