PFF Names This Giants Rookie as a Big Draft Steal
To commemorate the best decisions of the 2023 NFL Draft, Pro Football Focus published its 11 biggest steals, and one member of the New York Giants' Class of 2023 made the list.
That would be 6-foot-3, 301-pound All-Big Ten center John Michael Schmitz out of Minnesota, taken with the 57th overall pick. The Giants, who were in need of a center, decided to sit tight and hope that they'd have a chance at Schmitz, widely regarded as the top center in the draft by numerous draft analysts.
Their luck came to fruition as the Rams grabbed Steve Avila out of TCU with pick No. 36, and the Jets grabbed Joe Tippmann out of Wisconsin with pick No. 43. The Giants now have their center of the future after going through a different starter for the past several years.
If the Giants had made this pick in the first round, nobody would have really batted an eye. He led all centers with a 92.3 PFF grade in 2022 and graded well on zone and gap plays. He’s a big guy but can really move and was a four-year starter at Minnesota. Simply put, he is one of the best run-blockers in the position to enter the draft in recent years.
Seeing Schmitz in Giants colors should be no surprise—our very own Patricia Traina had Schmitz as a top target as far back as February. Still, his place among the draft's best steals reflects the front office’s patience and his potential to be a day-one starter.
As PFF pointed out, few would have blamed General Manager Joe Schoen if he pulled the trigger on Schmitz in the first round.
New York lost last year’s starting center, 31-year-old Jon Feliciano, in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers. The team’s other option, Nick Gates, signed a three-year deal with the Washington Commanders on March 16.
Aside from signing J.C. Hassenauer, who was previously with Pittsburgh, the Giants didn't have anyone else with significant experience to fill the role.
Navigating draft night is as much about understanding your competition as it is about evaluating players. Schmitz drew early round-two projections from Bleacher Report and Pro Football Network. The center-needy Chicago Bears had two second-round picks ahead of the Giants, and the Las Vegas Raiders, another team needing a snapper, also picked before New York on Day 2.
Schoen could have traded up a few spots, sacrificing a late-round pick this year or next, to improve his chances at getting Schmitz, but he held his ground, somehow believing the Bears and Raiders would go in different directions and that no other team would jump ahead of the Giants to grab Schmitz.
Along with retaining draft capital, the Giants finally appear to have a long-term solution at center. Quarterback Daniel Jones has had a different starting center every year of his young career, which couldn't have helped his progression. Along with developing chemistry on snaps, quarterbacks trust centers to identify incoming pressure and make checks across the line.
According to Pro Football Network, New York had the third-worst offensive line in the NFL last season. The Giants gave up 212 pressures on 706 dropbacks, forcing Jones to get the ball out quicker than he’d like. Only the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers fared worse.
As for the ground game, Saquon Barkley’s playmaking ability masked the team’s abysmal run blocking. Though the Giants rushing attack graded at 90.0 on PFF, their run blocking came in at 61.1.
In terms of a major upgrade from the year before, Schmitz checks every box on the Giants’ list. He excels in zone running schemes, which the Giants feature extensively. He moves quickly to reach the outside shoulder of defenders and easily overpowers smaller defenders at the second level.
Schmitz demonstrates a unique ability on passing plays to cycle through incoming defenders, funnel them to his supporting guards, and effectively pick up stunts. Last month, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper ‘mocked’ Schmitz to the Giants for these exact traits.
Schoen deserves praise for drafting Schmitz and being patient so as not to sacrifice additional capital. Based on his game tape, combine performance, and the lack of options elsewhere, Schmitz was the best available who just s happened to fill a need.
- Get the latest breaking news and analysis on the New York Giants
- Follow and like us on Facebook
- Submit your questions for our mailbag
- Check out the Giants Country YouTube Channel.
- Subscribe and like the LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
- Sign up for our FREE message board forums
- Get your Giants tickets from SI Tickets!
