When the New York Giants selected Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz with the 57th overall selection in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL draft, many believed they had a player who would be a staple on their offensive line for the next decade.
And he still may be that. But after two lukewarm seasons in which Schmitz incurred several injuries and played inconsistently, the jury is still out on him. He was preordained as the next great center and the team is hopeful that he can get there in Year 3.
Veteran guard Greg Van Roten, who was re-signed for one more season by the Giants this past March, believes Schmitz is poised to elevate his game this year.
“I love playing next to John,” he said. “He’s a really, really smart center and I think he’s taken steps every year and hopefully this year, year three, you want to take another step. You want to be the guy and I think he is the guy, and we’ll just keep going.”
Schmitz has not done much to gain praise on either a local or national level, which is illustrated by how little is written or spoken about him in the media.
Pro Football Focus recently ranked all 32 NFL starting centers. Schmitz, not surprisingly, came in at No. 26.
Although the former second-round pick hasn’t quite lived up to expectations, he did show growth during his second season. After posting just a 41.4 PFF overall grade in his rookie season, Schmitz earned a 61.4 mark this past season.
Schmitz begins the 2025 season both under the gun and under the radar. It’s difficult for offensive linemen to stand out in the NFL but Schmitz may just have to this year to earn a contract extension from the Giants.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Where does Giants’ John Michael Schmitz rank among NFL’s top centers?
