Finding Jaguars: Centers Who Fit Jacksonville on Each Day of the 2021 NFL Draft
If there is any position within the Jacksonville Jaguars' offensive depth chart that the Jaguars should feel totally comfortable with as of this moment, it is likely center -- but that doesn't mean the Jaguars won't aim to continue to get better.
"Competition brings out the best in everyone and the way I look at our offensive line is they’re very talented people," Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said during Wednesday's pre-draft press conference.
"We made a decision to go with the starting five that we had, which you’re also going to get a guy named Tyler Shatley. We’ve got some other young players that I know [Offensive Line] Coach [George] Warhop thinks very highly of.
"And I feel like our offensive line could play much better and I believe we have the coach and I believe we have some excellent talent that we will play much better. And they’re still—our two tackles were young players, which are still coming to their own. We have some veterans inside that I feel good about. But to answer your question, we will try to help bring some competition to the offensive line with the draft; we’re planning on doing that.”
While the Jaguars have a lot of positives at center, there are also some questions. Brandon Linder is the team's best offensive lineman, but he has faced injury issues in the past and has just two years left on his deal. Tyler Shatley is one of the team's most veteran players, but it remains to be seen if he is more than just a depth lineman.
So if the Jaguars want to make the move to address center during next week's draft, which players would make sense? We picked a few below who fit the team at every turn of the draft.
Day 1
Picks: No. 1, No. 25 (via Los Angeles Rams)
We have seen at least one center drafted in the first round in each of the last three seasons (four centers in total have been first-rounders in that span), but I am not of the opinion that there are any first-round prospects in the class this year. Perhaps a team is sold on Creed Humphrey's experience and testing numbers or Landon Dickerson's 2020 tape, but there are enough questions for me to move even the top centers to Day Two.
Day 2
Picks: No. 33, No. 45 (via Minnesota Vikings), No. 65
Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey: Few center prospects are entering the 2021 draft with as much experience as Creed Humphrey. A three-year starter in a high-powered Oklahoma offense, Humphrey started 37 games over the last three seasons and was voted Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the year twice. A two-time team captain, Humphrey is also arguably the most athletic center prospect of all time based solely on his pro day athletic testing numbers - he has a RAS of 10.00. He doesn't dominate against the run but he is smart and reliable in pass protection and stays in front of his blocks in the running game.
You can view my entire assessment of Humphrey's skill set and his fit with the Jaguars here.
Alabama C Landon Dickerson: Landon Dickerson had the best on-field season of any center in 2020 -- his tape with the Crimson Tide is absolutely dominant at times and shows a player who is capable of stepping into an offensive line and becoming an impact starter from the jump. With that said, he has an extremely lengthy injury history that ultimately makes him one of this year's biggest wild cards. His tape is fantastic, but whether he can stay healthy for extended stretches of time is a fair question.
Ohio State C Josh Myers: A former star high school guard recruit, Josh Myers played for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, redshirting in 2017 and appearing in 10 games in 2018. Meyers starter his tenure as a starter in 2019, starting 21 games over the last two seasons and being voted to third-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-Big Ten in 2019 and 2020.
"I am really excited to see how it goes for Coach in Jacksonville. I am sure it will go very well knowing him," Myers said about his former head coach following his pro day. "And I would, you know, if Jacksonville drafts me then I am more than excited to reunite with Coach, no doubt about it."
Wisconsin Whitewater C Quinn Meinerz: One of this season's small-school gems, Quinn Meinerz is a high-ceiling prospect who could feasibly end up as the best center is the draft class. He will have to face a major move up in competition but he is athletic with a lot of play strength and is a strong finisher on his blocks. He started 29 games at left guard in college, too, so he has some positional versatility.
Illinois C Kendrick Green: A personal favorite of mine based on my film study, Kendrick Green is a super intriguing center prospect. He has only played offensive line since 2018 after committing to Illinois as a defensive tackle. He has 29 career starts at left guard and a handful at center so he brings some versatility to the table, plus he is arguably the best puller among this year's center prospects.
Day 3
Picks: No. 106, No. 130 (via Los Angeles Rams), No. 145, No. 170 (via Cleveland Browns), No. 249 (via Tennessee Titans).
Kentucky C Drake Jackson: A starter of 45 consecutive games at Kentucky, Drake Jackson has the movement skills to be an effective zone-scheme center. He has quick feet, thrives in space, and is natural at working to the second level. He plays a lot like Brandon Linder, so perhaps the Jaguars see the similar play styles and have some interest in the 23-year-old.
Stanford C Drew Dalman: The No. 7-ranked center in the 2017 recruiting class, Drew Dalman is pro-ready after several years of anchoring Stanford's offensive line. A team captain and first-team All-Pac 12 in 2020, Dalman has 20 career starts at center and has the down-to-down consistency and quickness to thrive in a zone scheme, while also having the physicality to surviving in a gap scheme.
Penn State C Michal Menet: An older prospect (he will be 24-years-old in Week 1), Michal Menet enters the NFL after 34 starts at center for Penn State over the last three seasons. He has an NFL frame and the smooth and reliable technique to function in the middle of an offense early in his career, even if his ceiling isn't as high as others in the class.
