NFL Draft Profile: Luke Wypler, Interior Offensive Lineman, Ohio State Buckeyes
Luke Wypler
Ohio State Buckeyes
#53
Pos: iOL
Ht: 6030
Wt: 303
Hand: 0958
Arm: 3158
Wing: 7718
40: 5.14
DOB: 5/3/2001
Hometown: Montvale, NJ
High School: Saint Joseph Regional
Eligibility: 2023
One Liner:
Wypler is a technically sound center in pass protection with decent movement skills, but his awareness, arm length, and play strength are below the level of an NFL starter.
Evaluation:
Wypler is one of the younger interior offensive linemen in the draft. He displays the necessary power to open and maintain rushing lanes. There are flashes of Wypler displacing defenders downfield, but he’s inconsistent in this area. The former four-star recruit had the anchor and core strength to maintain his position in pass protection against Georgia’s Jalen Carter in the 2022-23 College Football Playoff Semifinals. He displayed excellent hand fits and placement against Carter several times in that game. Wypler displays the recovery athleticism to get back into plays in pass protection when initially beaten. In pass protection, he consistently looks for additional work and guides threats upfield and around the pocket when they gain penetration. Wypler shows some initial quickness on down and reach blocks. He has decent speed to reach the second level. He plays with good foot speed and a stout base. The New Jersey native keeps his feet active and engaged throughout the play. Perhaps most importantly, Wypler is rarely off-target with his snaps. The star center has a squat frame that appears close to maxed out physically. He has subpar arm length for a lineman at any position and lacks positional versatility. Wypler can be late to recognize and address blitzes and stunts. The redshirt sophomore doesn’t consistently identify the guard who needs help the most, which leads to protection breaking down. Pad level is sometimes a concern with Wypler, and his short arms invite defenders into his chest. His play strength carries question marks and falls short of elite. The most powerful defenders Wypler faced in 2022, including Georgia’s Jalen Carter and Nazir Stackhouse and Michigan’s Mazi Smith, drove the center backward in pass protection and gave no ground in the run game. Wypler’s open-field agility and speed vary. Sometimes they flash, but there are plenty of plays where Wypler struggles to mirror defenders and land second-level blocks. He excels in tight spaces but sometimes looks lost in the open field. The All-Big Ten selection struggles to sustain blocks on the move and doesn’t clamp down on and steer defenders. Balance issues occasionally pop up on Wypler’s tape.
Grade:
4th Round
Background:
Luke Wypler played baseball, lacrosse, and hockey as a child before discovering football. After junior high, Wypler moved in with his father, a former Linebacker at East Stroudsburg State, to attend St. Joseph High School. St. Joseph was known for having a well-respected football program and was his father’s alma mater. In high school, Wypler started at Offensive Tackle for three years before becoming a top 100 prospect in the country, the number 1 prospect in New Jersey, and helping the team eclipse 200 rushing yards per game. Due to his size, Wypler projected as a Guard or Center going into college. Before his first game at Ohio State, Wypler struggled with the position change to Center and did not benefit from camp and the season being shut down due to COVID-19. Upon returning home, Wypler credits his mother for helping him improve during the shutdown. In 2021, he earned the starting Center job, played in all 13 games, and helped the Buckeyes achieve top 3 rankings nationally in passing, passing efficiency, and third down conversions. According to Pro Football Focus, Wypler was first amongst all Big Ten Centers in most pass block snaps played without allowing a sack in 2021. In 2022, he earned third-team media selections for All-Big Ten and helped the Buckeyes make the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
