These Guards, Centers Might Not Be on Packers’ Draft Board

The Green Bay Packers will enter the 2024 NFL Draft with a major need to add depth, if nothing else, to their interior offensive line. Viewed through the prism of measurables, here is the noteworthy history.

Wisconsin offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini (63) / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

GREEN BAY, Wis. – At guard and center, the next man up for the Green Bay Packers is the only man up. Behind the projected starting trio of Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers and Sean Rhyan, the only backup is Royce Newman.

Moreover, Myers and Newman will be free agents after the upcoming season. So, the interior of the offensive line – regardless of the level of comfort with Rhyan taking over for Jon Runyan at right guard – is in dire need of help entering the 2024 NFL Draft.

To figure out who the Packers might be interested in, it’s helpful to take a look at their history. Dating to 2006, when Ted Thompson began drafting linemen for zone-based blocking schemes, the Packers have selected 17 offensive linemen who have made guard or center their primary home in the NFL. Nine of those picks have been made by Thompson’s successor, Brian Gutekunst.

The results?

Height

By almost a full inch, former All-Pro center Corey Linsley is the shortest at 6-foot-2 5/8. Going back only to 2018, when Gutekunst took over as general manager, all nine of his interior-line picks were taller than 6-foot-4. While Linsley is short by center standards, Gutekunst selected Myers, who is tall by center standards.

Who could be out? Among the guards, UConn’s Christian Haynes (6-foot-2 3/4). Among the centers, West Virginia’s Zach Frazier (6-foot-2 5/8) and Michigan’s Drake Nugent (6-foot-1 1/2).

Boston College guard Christian Mahogany (6-foot-3 3/8), Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson (6-foot-3 3/8), Penn State center Hunter Nourzad (6-foot-3 1/8) and Duke center Jacob Monk (6-foot-3) could be on the fringe.

Arm Length

Of the 17, only center Jason Spitz in 2006 had arms shorter than 32 inches. With such a long history, that figure seems to be well-ingrained.

Who could be out? Among the guards, Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe (31 1/2). Among the centers, Wisconsin’s Tanor Bortolini (31 1/2), Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (31 3/8), Arkansas’ Beaux Limmer (31 7/8) and NC State’s Dylan McMahon (31 3/4). This is a noteworthy list of centers because Bortolini and McMahon ooze athleticism and Limmer has above-average athleticism and exceptional strength.

20-Yard Shuttle

This is an underrated test that seems to be a major factor for the Packers. Or, perhaps, seemed.

The historic Scouting Combine average is 4.74 seconds. Thompson hit home runs with Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang and Corey Linsley. Those three crushed the average by 0.25 seconds, 0.33 seconds and 0.22 seconds, respectively. Of his eight interior picks, only Caleb Schlauderaff, who was dealing with a leg injury at the time, was slower than the average.

Gutekunst, however, drafted Newman, who hit the average on the nose, and selected Sean Rhyan (4.81) and Cole Madison (4.85).

Slow among the guards: Miami’s Javion Cohen (5.06), Pitt’s Matt Goncalves (4.89), Michigan’s Trente Jones (4.87), Kansas State’s K.T. Leveston (4.89) and Utah’s Keaton Bills (4.90). Slow among the centers: Van Pran-Granger (4.82).

40-Yard Dash

Laugh again at the thought of a lineman running 40 yards being a big deal, but the data says otherwise.

Of the 17 drafted by Thompson and Gutekunst, 14 ran the 40. Only three were slower than the Combine average of 5.29: In 2006, Spitz ran a 5.44 but delivered a great shuttle. In 2018, Madison ran a 5.33. He also had a slow shuttle and never played in a game. In 2020, center Jake Hanson injured his hamstring while running a 5.50 so probably doesn’t belong in this conversation.

Gutekunst’s last pick, Rhyan, ran a 5.25.

Slow among the guards: Kansas’ Dominick Puni (5.35), Kansas State’s Leveston (5.38) and Miami’s Cohen (5.34). Slow among the centers: Oklahoma’s Andrew Raym (5.42) and LSU’s Charles Turner (5.59).

Relative Athletic Score

Relative Athletic Score is a formula that allows position comparisons of all the height-weight-athleticism measurables.

Of Gutekunst’s nine picks, seven have a RAS. (Myers and Simon Stepaniak didn’t go through full testing due to injuries and are the exceptions.) Four, including Rhyan, who started fast in the 40 and aced the jumps, posted a RAS of better than 9.33. The outliers were Madison (an above-average 6.39) and Hanson (injury-impacted 3.11).

Of the full 17-player list, 14 have a RAS. Nine topped 9.0, two were in the high 8s, two were in the 6s and Hanson was the outlier.

Taking the opposite approach, here’s who knocked out of the park among the prospects who almost certainly will be drafted.

Center: Duke’s Grahm Barton (10.0), Wisconsin’s Bortolini (9.98), Arkansas’ Limmer (9.92), NC State’s McMahon (9.81) and Duke’s Monk (9.74).

Guard: South Dakota State’s Mason McCormick (9.96), Holy Cross’ C.J. Hanson (9.84), Boston College’s Mahogany (9.63), Kansas State’s Beebe (9.28), Michigan’s Trevor Keegan (9.19) and Connecticut’s Haynes (9.10).

Western Michigan defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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