Giants Country

New York Giants Center John Michael Schmitz: The Good, The Great, and The Ugly

John Michael Schmitz's first season was promising, though some areas in his game need refinement. Let's break down his film to see where he showed strength and where he still needs to improve.

Gene Clemons

Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Despite a successful 2022 season, the New York Giants knew they needed to upgrade the center position as part of their improving the offensive line. To do that, they grabbed center John Michael Schmitz in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Schmitz was considered the consensus best center in the draft and he came in and claimed a starting spot immediately. It was a difficult season to enter the league, though, as the Giants struggled to get wins and individuals struggled with injury. 

Schmitz experienced a three-game stretch where he was unable to suit up due to a shoulder issue and he missed the final game of the season because of a shin injury. His rookie season provided an indicator of the potential that he has and the things he still needs to improve to realize that potential. 

The Week 8 matchup with the New York Jets, the Giants’ MetLife Stadium neighbors, was a great opportunity to show the areas where Schmitz excels and where he is in need of growth. Despite being a little undersized, his run blocking ability was on full display against the Jets. 

He showed strength and athleticism necessary to be an elite run blocker. He uses angles well and has active feet in the run game. So it is interesting that he struggled in pass protection. 

The Giants leaned heavily on their rushing attack against Gang Green, so on the occasions when he had to pass block, it was easy to identify the places where he struggled the most. 

Let’s take a closer look at the good, the great, and the ugly of Schmitz’s game. 

More "Good, Great and Ugly" Film Reviews

QB Daniel Jones | OT Evan Neal | LT Andrew Thomas | ILB Micah McFadden | CB Deonte Banks | ILB Bobby Okereke | QB Tommy DeVito

The Good: Run Blocking Footwork

Schmitz uses really good footwork to handle defenders in the run game. The footwork comes in handy in three different ways. 

The first is quickly climbing to the second level to get his hands on linebackers or safeties that are trying to make tackles. The second is on double teams where he can help with one defender then reach another defender. The third is his ability to pull, sift through traffic, and work to the second level. 

During the Jets game Schmitz had his footwork on display. The Giants really leaned on the rushing attack and on many of the plays, Schmitz was creating a lane for a back to run through. 

His second-level blocks were not always perfect but he consistently was able to get a piece of a defender. As he continues to improve, this will become a high quality part of his game. 

The Great: Down Blocks

The down block is one of the most critical blocks to consistently execute for a center. It is an angle block used to wall off defenders and create a rushing lane for the back. It is Schmitz's best quality.

He has really good hand placement which helps him control the defender. He keeps his hips low and he continuously drives his feet. That leverage and consistent movement allows him to move defenders out of the way. 

He bursts out of his stance, gets movement on contact, and then repeatedly digs into the earth as he plows out defenders. It's impressive to see him move defensive linemen who outweigh him by 30 pounds, but that's the advantage of angle blocking for the Giants center. He looks like a seasoned veteran as a run blocker.

The Ugly: Pass Protection

There were not many pass plays in the Jets game because the Giants were forced to play their third-string quarterback unexpectedly. A center's advantage is that they sometimes do not have a player to block in pass protection, but when they do, it's extremely critical to execute.

No pressure annoys a quarterback more than pressure up the middle. Schmitz did not deal with A-gap rushers very well. Because many of them were bigger and more explosive, they were able to turn his shoulders, putting him in a position to chase the rusher in an attempt to keep them away from the quarterback. 

Those efforts still cause the pocket to collapse, forcing the quarterback to run or attempt to extend the time to make a throw.

Coach’s Counsel

Schmitz will need to focus on his lateral footwork to improve his ability to keep defenders in front of him on the pass rush. 

This will also help him stay on second-level blocks longer as the more agile linebackers and safeties try to avoid him. 

He also needs to continue to work on his lower body strength to be able to anchor down on defensive tackles when they are forced to bull rush him because they can no longer get to his shoulder. 

Many believe that players make significant jumps in their second year. Let’s hope we will be able to say that Schmitz was one of them to do so.

Published
Gene Clemons

GENE CLEMONS

Gene "Coach" Clemons has been involved with the game of football for 30 years as a player, coach, evaluator, and journalist.  Clemons has spent time writing for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Bridgton News, Urbana Daily Citizen, Macon Telegraph and footballgameplan.com.  He has a YouTube channel called "Coach Gene Clemons" where you can find his popular "X&O The Joes" series as well as other football related content. 

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