Getty Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (R) and Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings interact before the start of a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 20, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings have the answer to their offensive line woes in their own backyard.
Golden Gophers center John Michael Schmitz launched himself to the top of his position group in the upcoming draft after a stellar performance at the Senior Bowl earlier this month.
Schmitz is considered the top center in his class and an ideal replacement for Garrett Bradbury, who is a pending free agent this offseason.
Pro Football Network’s Joe Broback projected the Vikings to select Schmitz with the 23rd overall pick, a move that would pay dividends — no matter if Bradbury is re-signed or not.
“Even if Garrett Bradbury is the guy at center, this pick still makes sense. The Vikings need help on the interior offensive line, and John Michael Schmitz gives them versatility that they desperately need,” Broback wrote. “Schmitz played both guard and center with the Gophers, and he’s one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl. His tenacity in the trenches sets him apart, and that is something Minnesota needs offensively to elevate the unit.”
Broback’s first-round selection of Schmitz is a bit lofty for an interior offensive lineman. In 2021, no center was taken in the first round. The Vikings have pressing needs to draft positions of higher value on defense, but there’s a chance they could have their cake and eat it too.
Schmitz has been outside the median top 50 picks in Pro Football Focus mock drafts since last summer. Since his Senior Bowl performance, his stock is slowly trending toward cracking that threshold, however, there’s a strong chance he could slide outside the first round.
Without a second-round pick, Minnesota would have to trade up to get Schmitz if he’s still on the board after the first 32 picks, however, landing Schmitz is a possibility for the Vikings.
Pioneer Press beat writer Chris Tomasson reported on February 8 that Schmitz had talked with the Vikings at the Senior Bowl — a sign of genuine interest that could trend to more conversation at the NFL Combine starting February 28.
John Michael Schmitz Projected as a High-Floor, Yet Low Ceiling Prospect
A 6-foot-3, 306-pound redshirt senior, Schmitz was a first-team All-American and a finalist for the Rimmington Trophy, awarded to the best center in college football annually.
Schmitz was ranked the 17th-best prospect in college football by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and the top center in his class after posting a 92.3 overall grade, the highest grade of any offensive lineman. A piece of Minnesota’s run-heavy scheme, Schmitz excelled as a run-blocker but is also proven in pass protection. He allowed just two sacks on 302 pass-blocking snaps this season and didn’t allow a sack in 2021.
“John Michael-Schmitz finished with by far the highest blocking grade of any player at either All-Star game. He earned an 87.8 overall grade on the week with an 81.6 run-blocking grade and an 89.6 pass-blocking grade,” PFF’s Renner wrote following the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl. “Beyond the grade, Schmitz showed he is the kind of interior offensive lineman every team should want. He was getting in the face of some of the defenders lined up against him. He was never one to back down from a challenge. And if someone got the better of him during one rep, it rarely, if ever, happened again. If you need a center in this class, Schmitz proved he’s the one to have.”
Despite the heavy praise he’s seen since the Senior Bowl, Schmitz is still seen as a below-average athlete at his position. He’s also 24 years old, meaning there may not be much more room to grow. Schmitz is listed as 6-foot-4, 320 pounds on PFF’s 2023 Draft Guide, suggesting he is much bigger than his original measurement with the Golden Gophers.
Overall, he projects as a high-floor, plug-and-play prospect.
“Schmitz may never be a Pro-Bowler with his physical tools, but you’re not going to complain about starting him, either,” PFF’s draft guide, which ranked Schmitz the top center in the 2023 class, reads.
Vikings Offensive Line Doesn’t Need a Pro Bowler at Center
While the hope of any top-50 draft pick is to rise to Pro Bowl status, the Vikings do not need that from their center.
Minnesota already has a pair of elite tackles in Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw, who is going to command a top salary after his rookie deal expires.
Ideally, the Vikings would land competent interior offensive linemen who aren’t pushed at the line of scrimmage as easily as their current cast.
Schmitz has shown he has the anchor to do so.