New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: IOL Joe Tippmann

Nick takes a look at Joe Tippmann, one of the top interior offensive line prospects.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Mar 29, 2023 4:11 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Wisconsin Badgers

Joe Tippmann, IOL

Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 313 lbs.
Class: RS-Junior
School: Wisconsin
Age: 22 (March 24th, 2001)

Combine Measurements

Arm length: 32 ¾”
Wingspan: 80 ⅜”
Hand size: 10 ¾”

A former four-star recruit as an OT out of Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he was the 26th OT recruit and the 6th prospect from Indiana during the 2019 recruiting cycle. He was awarded Indiana’s Mr. Football as a senior in high school.

Notables

Started 33 games as center for the Wisconsin Badgers, where he earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2021 & 2022. Tippmann only allowed one sack through college, with nine pressures surrendered in 625 pass-blocking reps. He was penalized six times in 2022 and finished his college career with nine penalties.

Tippmann did not test at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, but Bruce Feldman had him on his 2022 Freak List. Tippmann was 28th out of 100 on Feldman’s list. According to Feldman, Tippmann squats 635 pounds, benches 455 pounds, and ran a 4.31 short shuttle, which would have been the fastest time for an OL at the combine; if that number, which was recorded before the 2022 season, is accurate, then it would be the 4th best time of any OL in combine history. Tippmann also reportedly had a 1.65 10-yard split, which would also be insane.

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Strengths

Great size for the position
Rare height for a center with good length and gigantic hands
Frame looks like he could add weight, albeit 313 pounds is a good size
Excellent overall athlete with elite foot quickness and elite range
Good change of direction, agility, and balance
Very impressive redirection ability due to AA/hips
Oily hips that open and close
Despite his height, he does well firing off the ball low when he isn’t quickly engaged
Very smart player who is rarely fooled
Explodes through his hips and into contact while doing a solid job driving his feet into contact
When he does consistently drive his feet, he displayed good push at the point of attack
Excellent operating in space - can swivel and seal when kicking toward the edge
Typically does well in down block situations on pin-pull concepts
Elite pulling ability for Power/Gap concepts
Combo & climb is exceptional - takes good angles to the linebacker
Send him to IHOP, cause he loves pancakes
Excellent finishing ability - seems to enjoy driving opponents into the deck
Good overall pass protector with an excellent anchor
Handled counter moves well - reset his anchor when necessary
Big, thick hands with excellent grip strength when he does land his punch first
Good ability to readjust his hands to give himself a better grasp
Length and size creates a gravitational pull in pass protection - has reach
Showed elite ability to absorb contact with excellent ankle flexion and lower-body bend
Good overall ability to identify and locate blitzes - makes smaller defenders pay
He has only played 11 snaps at guard, but he has the traits to win there
Elite competitor - will fit in well with any OL

Weaknesses

Height led to leverage issues - defenders get into his chest easier
Could maintain a lower center of gravity
High nature lead to some balance issues
Hands can be slow to engage - giving DL opportunity to attack the large surface area he calls his chest
Hands/elbows weren’t always tight
Wish he was better at sustaining blocks - better hand technique/engagement would help
Didn’t always drive his feet through blocks
Multiple pressures surrendered were against cross-face twists; some where Tippmann’s teammates being out of position, but still worth a note
Did not love his Maryland tape; struggled against Anthony Booker Jr. (88)

Summary

Joe Tippmann thrives kicking into space in Power/Gap concepts, where he can utilize his location skills, body control on the move, and overall impressive athletic traits to kick out or lead block. He’s a good overall run blocker who could improve his hand timing/placement and engagement, but few IOL of his gigantic size can move like Tippmann.

He could also block zone and DUO due to his combo & climb success; he tends to get a little over his skies when engaged laterally against shorter, more stout defenders. Tippmann finishes blocks with authority, and he does well in pass protection. His feet are quick, he handles counter moves solidly, and his anchor is excellent. Tippmann absorbs contact and sits back on his hips, showing an excellent ability to keep the pocket intact.

His pad level led to balance problems, and he wasn’t always the best at sustaining blocks, despite having impressive grip strength, he has to find a way to leverage his hand usage more efficiently and precisely. Tippmann should be a starter early in his career, and fans of the team that selects him will love him with or without the mullet.

GRADE: 6.40