The New York Jets have a giant hole at center heading into the offseason and a new solution has emerged from the darkness.
Ohio State offensive lineman Luke Wypler is among the highest-rated interior OL in the 2023 NFL draft. In an ESPN column posted on Sunday, March 5, Wypler told Rich Cimini that he’d love to join Gang Green in 2023.
“[Being drafted by the Jets] would be a childhood dream come true,” Wypler told ESPN. “It would be so surreal to play for the Jets. They were my team growing up.”
Luke Wypler Has Some Insane Connections to Jets
Luke Wypler was born and raised in New Jersey and attended high school in Montvale. That is a 40-minute drive from the Jets team facilities and only 29 minutes from MetLife Stadium.
Naturally growing up in New Jersey the 21-year-old was a “serious Jets fan” according to Cimini. How serious you may be asking yourself?
He named his dog “Chez” in honor of former Gang Green quarterback Mark Sanchez. Additionally, he has been a long-time admirer of legendary Jets center Nick Mangold who also attended Ohio State.
When he played at St. Joseph Regional High School in New Jersey, Wypler wore the same No. 74 jersey that Mangold made famous in the NFL with the Jets.
Super cool story: @OhioStateFB center Luke Wypler (@LukeWypler) played HS 🏈 in NJ + die-hard #Jets fan + named dog “Chez” after @Mark_Sanchez + fan of @nickmangold so much so he wore No. 74 during HS career + told Rich Cimini it would be a ‘childhood dream come true’ ➡️ NYJ 😭
Rich Cimini says the talented center is projected to be a second or third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He believes that could be “the sweet spot” for NFL teams looking for a center.
According to Tankathon, the Jets have a pair of picks on day two of the NFL draft:
- No. 43 overall (second-round)
- No. 74 overall (third-round)
Joe Douglas Might Be Thinking Wypler on Day 2 of NFL Draft
Veteran Connor McGovern has been the Jets starting center over the last three seasons. While he hasn’t been among the best in the NFL at his position, he has been incredibly reliable.
The former Missouri product has appeared in 48 out of 50 possible games during his Jets tenure. However, he is headed toward unrestricted free agency and his contract projections seem costly.
When the Jets inevitably add a big-time quarterback this offseason they will then have to deal with the first-world problems that come with that,
One of those includes doling out more money than normal to the QB position. When you do that there is less of the pie to go around for everyone else.
One cost-cutting measure that general manager Joe Douglas could employ is rolling with a rookie starting center as opposed to a veteran. That could save a sizable pile of money in cap space that could be utilized in other areas.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound center started for two years with Ohio State.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Wypler as a “highly athletic” player even if he’s a bit “undersized.”
He called him a “good technician” and believes in the right situation he is capable of becoming “an average starter.”
Even if the Jets decide to bring McGovern back on a short-term deal, he isn’t getting any younger, and it’s time for this team to start thinking about the future of the position.
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‘Highly Athletic’ OL Wants to Join Jets: ‘Childhood Dream Come True’