Zack Martin, Trent Williams, Jason Peters. These are just some of the offensive lineman in the NFL that are household names. On the offensive side of the ball, if you are not throwing, catching or running, then it is hard for the average fan to know who you are.
That has changed over the years. Offensive lines are finally starting to get respect from fans. They are responsible for keeping the quarterback upright, giving plays time to develop, and opening up holes for the running back. Even with the emergence of the offensive line, the left tackle is seen as the lead singer because he protects the quarterbacks blindside. While the left tackle position is the most important on the offensive line, all five must work in unison to be successful. So, having he best right tackle in the NFL is a positive. This is an advantage that only one team has.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Mitchell Schwartz to a one-year contract extension. This gives them control of the right tackle through the 2021 season. This is extremely essential as they try to keep their MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes healthy. Schwartz was just named as the No. 94 player on the NFL’s Top 100 Players for 2019. Come this season, it is time that people outside Kansas City start taking notice of Schwartz.
Road to the NFL
Schwartz is a 6’5, 320 pound behemoth from Los Angeles, California. He decided to stay home for college and attend the University of California. After redshirting his first season, Schwartz went onto see great success.
He started every game for Cal in the four years that he was eligible. This came with multiple awards, both on the field and in the classroom. Schwartz led an offensive line his senior year that helped Isi Sofele rush for 1,322 yards, the sixth highest total in Cal history.
Schwartz declared for the 2012 NFL Draft following his senior season. He attended the combine and put on a show of strength and speed for a man of his size. He completed 23 reps on the bench press, and ran a 5.45 40-yard dash. The Cleveland Browns selected Schwartz with the 37th overall pick in the second round.
Professional Career
GettyChiefs Michell Schwartz
Schwartz spent the first four seasons of his career in Cleveland before signing with the Chiefs before the 2016 season. This will be his fourth season in Kansas City. Schwartz has never missed a game in his NFL career. He has been apart of 112 games as a pro, and has started them all. During his time in Cleveland, Schwartz not only started every game, but he played every offensive snap for four seasons.
In 2018, Schwartz was selected as a First Team All-Pro by the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers, and Pro Football Focus. From 2015-2017, Schwartz was a Second Team All-Pro. He is widely regarded as the best right tackle in the NFL.
In today’s day and age, the quarterback is the most important piece of a football team ad it is said that defense wins championships. When observing a football team, their offensive line says a lot about them. When talking about the best offensive linemen in the game today, it is disrespectful to not have Schwartz in the conversation.
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Chiefs’ Mitchell Schwartz Will Become a Household Name in 2019