John Michael Schmitz Set to Anchor Giants O-line for Several Years
The New York Giants offensive line rebuild took another big step toward becoming one of the better units in the league thanks to the addition of Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz in the second round.
Schmitz, who didn’t take a top-30 visit with the team but had many private workouts with offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, was shocked when he heard his name called on Friday night but was glad to land with the Giants.
“I love Coach Johnson. Spent a lot of time with him, obviously with the pro day and dinner before that," he said via a conference call shortly after his selection. "It was amazing to connect with him. He's a good coach, and just what he's doing with that offensive line, I'm so excited to be a part of it.”
Schmitz is a plug-and-play prospect that should immediately become the Giants starting center, ending a streak of having a different starting center on opening day since 2017.
Schmitz is a mauler in the run game and solid in pass protection. In 302 pass-blocking snaps in 2022, he allowed two sacks and eight pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, the two sacks being the only ones he allowed in his college career. He’s constantly putting defenders into the ground and plays with a nasty attitude that Johnson loves in his linemen.
Schmitz says his toughness is the best part of his game, and he considers himself to be a nasty player.
“I would just say, my mentality as a whole, my toughness, my grit, the way I finish plays is what sets me apart from other people, so that's what I'm going to go with.”
“That's the biggest thing I would say. The nasty, tough, grit factor.”
Schmitz says he looks up to Ryan Jensen, currently the Bucs center who has been in the league since 2013. Jensen is known for being a tough center, and Giants fans should be ecstatic that this is who their rookie center models his game after.
“I mean, he's one of the nastiest people on the field, and just the way he plays, his mentality, you know that he's going to bring it every play. He's a tremendous leader, also,” Schmitz said.
Not only is Schmitz likely to be a Day 1 starter, but he will also have to learn the offense quickly. His high football IQ was regularly on display at Minnesota, as he was able to make calls effortlessly. Doing so with the Giants shouldn't be too challenging.
“I'm very excited to connect with this offensive line group," he said. "Just get to know these guys, and I feel like I'm a good leader and communicator. As a center, you have to be a really good communicator, and a leader position sometimes comes naturally to that position because you're the first one to the line, and you set the calls, you set the protections, and you're in control of that offense, especially as the center-point of the offensive line.”
Although he was considered the top center in the draft, Schmitz was second off the board, behind Wisconsin's Joe Tippmann, who went to the Jets. If that bothered Schmitz, he wasn't letting on.
“You always look at other people that got drafted in front of you," he said. "I mean, honestly, at this point, I'm just focused on the New York Giants and focused on this team and doing everything I can to make this team better and bring it a Super Bowl.”
Taking a center with their first pick on Day 2 was smart. Seeing what the Eagles and Cowboys did to add to their defensive fronts on day one was not ideal for the Giants.
But with Schmitz at center to go along with tackles Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal, and projected guards Mark Glowinski and Joshua Ezedu/Ben Bredeson, the Giants appear to have what they need to compete in the trenches, the key of which, according to Schmitz, is to set the tone.
"You've got to be physical. You've got to set the tone from the start. It's not going to happen right away," he said. "We always used to say, if you are going to run the ball, you're going to have body blows, and the body blows turn to like 25-, 30-yard touchdowns, and I mean, you just continue to wear those guys down, the defensive linemen, and eventually they’ll break.”
There’s still work that needs to be done on the offensive line, and of course, keeping them healthy is huge, but there's no question that the unit received a major talent infusion with the addition of Schmitz.
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