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The New York Giants have drafted Minnesota Golden Gophers’ John Michael Schmitz with the No. 57 overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Scouting Report
Schmitz played for six college football seasons thanks to redshirting one year and then the pandemic hitting. The center earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2021 as a 13-game starter and went on to earn AP first-team All-American honors in 2022 in 12 starts.
The center made all the coverage calls up front for the Gophers so he’s got an elite football IQ and has very quick feet and a first step that allows him to get to blocks outside his zone if needed.
His arm length is a bit short and sometimes leads to him getting overextended when pass-blocking.
Career statistics
There’s not a ton of eye-popping stats for offensive linemen, but 25 starts over two seasons is a good one. The only game he missed was the 2022 bowl game, which he opted out of.
How can John Michael Schmitz impact the Giants in 2023?
He is listed as a general offensive lineman because he can really play guard or center at the next level. This versatility is what is going to have him as part of the offensive line come Week 1. He will be blocking for Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones and it really shouldn’t matter if they have him play as the center or a guard, he should be productive.