Centers for the 2009 NFL Draft

It’s not easy to get excited about centers, it’s definitely not a glamorous position, but if you want to win in football you have to run the ball and in order to run the ball you have to have good play at center. After all, the center touches the ball on every play, he must make the critical snap and in modern football he must also be able to hike the ball in a shotgun formation. On top of all that he will likely face either the biggest, baddest defensive tackle or a nimble, fast inside linebacker on every play, or even likely be double teamed. It’s rough and tough on the inside, a lot of stuff goes on in there that we will never see or hear about, a lot of biting, scratching, punching and kicking, just ask the Dallas Cowboys’ Andre Gurode, who received 30 stitches when his head (unhelmeted) was stomped on by Albert Haynesworth last season.

So I think I’ve made my point, centers have to be big, strong and tough, but you’re still not impressed are you? After all, if they are so important why aren’t they drafted higher? That is true, in the 2008 NFL Draft, the first center wasn’t drafted until the second round, Mike Pollack was drafted by the Colts (59th over-all), and most think he was a reach. Cody Wallace was drafted in the 4th round (107th over-all) by the 49ers and Kory Lichtensteiger was drafted right after Wallace at #108 by the Broncos. The 2007 NFL Draft was a little better, Ryan Kalil was drafted in the 2nd round (59th) by the Panthers and the Dolphins drafted a pair of centers Samson Satele in the 2nd round (60th) and Drew Mormino in the 6th round (199th). In that same draft (2007) the Rams drafted Dustin Fry in the 5th round (139th) and the Falcons drafted Doug Datish in the 6th round (198th over-all).

Why is that? Well most of your most talented offensive lineman swing out to play tackle and most guards have also played some center, so quite often, like my example above (Andre Gurode), guards are drafted and converted to centers in the NFL.

So what’s the point of this article? That trend might just end for the 2009 NFL Draft. This year we can finally get excited about the centers, heading into the 2008 college football season, there are three centers that carry a first round NFL Draft grade. All three won’t be drafted in the 1st round obviously, but all three of my highlighted players below are extremely talented and if they continue to improve on strength and technique, are all capable of becoming top flight, even pro bowl NFL centers very early in their NFL careers. All three are either 1st or 2nd team NFL Draft Dog All Americans.

1. Max Unger, Oregon, 6’ 4.5” 308 lbs:
I really like this prospect and out of all three he is the most likely to be a first rounder. His versatility will significantly raise his draft stock in the eyes of the NFL. As a prep Unger attended Hawaii Preparatory Academy, played right tackle and was one of the nation’s top 50 offensive guards by Rivals.com despite not playing organized football until the ninth grade. After receiving an initial red-shirt due to hamstring issues, Unger was a top left tackle for Oregon his first two seasons.

His red-shirt freshman year he protected the blind side of Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemens for 12 consecutive starts. He was one of only two starters from his freshman class, along with right tackle Geoff Schwartz. Unger was a major reason why Oregon rose from last in the Pac-10 in QB sacks allowed in 2004 (41) to third in 2005 (20).

As a sophomore in 2006 he started 13 games at left tackle and earned second-team all conference accolades in addition to receiving Oregon’s Ed Moshofsky Award as its top offensive lineman. He played a major role in Oregon finishing second in the Pac-10 in fewest quarterback sacks allowed (16) as well as leading the league in rushing offense (14th nationally) for the first time since 1955.

Last season as a junior he moved inside to center and really shined, he blocked for RB Jonathan Stewart to a career season and school record 1,792 rushing yards and a first round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft where he (Stewart) was selected 13th over-all by the Carolina Panthers. Oregon finished 6th in the nation in rushing offense and Unger was either first or second team All American by most major media outlets.

Heading into the 2008 season, the coaching staff considered moving him back to tackle, but unless there is an emergency, he will remain at center. Unger is a 25-game starter and was named to the 2008 Rimington Trophy spring watch list and has been named to the All-Pac-10 team by several media outlets. Being able to play any position along the offensive line will make Unger hot property for the 2009 NFL Draft. "He's got an attitude I like about football on the offensive line," UO coach Mike Bellotti said of Unger. "He's going to hit somebody. He's going to be physical every play, and I like that."

2. Alex Mack, California, 6’ 4” 302 lbs:
Mack is another great Pac 10 center, about the same size as Unger but just a tad shorter. Mack didn’t start until his sophomore year (2006), but that year he really blossomed as a starter, he earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors after starting all 13 games at the center position and was a second team Pac-10 All-Academic selection and voted the team's Most Improved Offensive Lineman. He finished the regular season with team-highs of 25.5 pancakes and 57.5 knockdowns.

Last year (2007) as a junior Mack was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy as the top center in the nation and earned the Morris Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the Pac-10. The Morris Trophy is special because it is voted on by the league's defensive linemen. Mack was also one of just three players to be a unanimous first-team All-Pac-10 selection. He was a first-team All-American center by The Sporting News and an honorable mention All-American by SI.com. He was honored as a midseason first-team All-American center by Phil Steele's Magazine as well as a midseason first-team All-American by SI.com and Rivals.com.

Before Max Unger emerged, Mack was rated as the No. 1 junior center in the nation by Mel Kiper and he an Unger are neck and neck for that honor heading into the 2008 college football season. Mack was the most talented offensive lineman on an offensive line which allowed just 11 sacks (best in the Pac-10, third in the nation).

3. Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas, 6’ 4” 314 lbs:
Phil Steele actually has Luigs ranked ahead of Unger and Mack heading into the 2008 season. Steele might have a point, after all Luigs was the winner of the Rimington Award last year as the top center in the nation. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones didn’t both become first round draft picks and run for a combined 2,842 yards and 26 touchdowns by accident, and they surely didn’t do it alone. A lot of their success was due to Luigs blocking and many of their runs were right up the gut behind Luigs. Last season Arkansas averaged an amazing 296.8 rushing yards per game. Luigs led the Razorbacks with a 90.4 percent grade average last season (2007), and blocked his way for 36 100-yard rushing games in 35 career games, including a school-record 16 100-yard performances in 12 games last season.

Luigs is not only big and strong, but he plays with great leverage and has excellent feet, he is also experienced and durable, he started 10 games as a red shirt freshman and got 14 starts as a sophomore where he received 3rd team All-American honors. Last season, besides winning the Rimington Award, he was a unanimous first team All American and recorded another 13 starts.

So there you have it, three of the best center prospects for the NFL Draft in recent memory. Will the 2009 NFL Draft be remembered as the year of the center? Only time will tell, but if your NFL team needs a center next year you are in luck.

Digg this Article