Saints C Erik McCoy Undervalued in PFF Rankings

See where New Orleans C Erik McCoy was viewed in the PFF rankings.

When Pro Bowl center Max Unger retired following the 2018 season, the New Orleans Saints reacted swiftly to replace him. The Saints traded up in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, to the 48th overall pick. They used that choice on Texas A&M interior lineman Erik McCoy. 

Predominantly a guard in college, McCoy was moved to center in training camp and immediately grasped the position. He was one of the key pieces to a top-10 ranked offense in 2019, playing well enough to be voted to the NFL All-Rookie Team. 

Over his first two seasons, McCoy anchored one of the league's best offensive lines. He started every one of the Saints 35 games in 2019 and 2020, missing only six offensive snaps.

McCoy missed the first significant time of his career when he suffered a calf injury in the 2021 season opener that knocked him out for five weeks. He got off to a slow start upon his return from the injury, but rebounded to be the team’s best lineman down the stretch of 2021.

New Orleans Saints center Erik McCoy (78) prepares to block against the Philadelphia Eagles. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus ranked that site's top 32 centers coming into the 2023 campaign. Incredibly, McCoy was ranked just 15th. Here's what McGuinness wrote about McCoy:

McCoy’s career has been trending in the wrong direction since he posted a 78.0 PFF grade as a rookie, but he is still young enough that he can get things back on track, especially with his past two seasons disrupted by injury.

Umm, what?

Perhaps McGuinness needs to watch a Saints game. Yes, the team's offensive line has been battered by injuries and has not played up to its potential in each of the last two years. However, McCoy has been the unit's most consistent performer and is one of the league's best young players at the position. 

At 6'4" and 303-Lbs., McCoy combines power with excellent agility. He's one of the few centers that can consistently pull to either side as a lead blocker on screens or off-tackle runs. He fires off the ball with brutal authority on inside running plays. As a pass blocker, McCoy provides outstanding interior protection one-on-one and has terrific awareness for double-team responsibilities. 

Creed Humphrey (Chiefs), Jason Kelce (Eagles), Corey Linsley (Chargers), and Frank Ragnow (Lions) were the top four centers according to PFF. Understandable. However, players like Tyler Linderbaum (Ravens) and Drew Dalman (Falcons) struggled as pass blockers even by PFF's estimation and were ranked ahead of McCoy.

Mitch Morse of the Bills was also ranked ahead of him despite being a notoriously poor run blocker. Cody Whitehair (Bears) hasn't played center in almost three years, while Tampa Bay's Ryan Jensen missed all of last season, and both were slotted ahead of the Saints center.

Jan 1, 2023; New Orleans Saints center Erik McCoy (78) against the Philadelphia Eagles. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

McCoy, who turns 26 in August, is as good of a run-pass blocker as there is in the league. New Orleans thought highly enough of McCoy to give him a five-year contract extension last fall worth nearly $64 million, including $40 million in guaranteed money. 

Another calf injury caused McCoy to miss four games in 2022. He didn't play the best ball of his career, but was the team’s best lineman for most of the year. While obviously underrated on several sites, Erik McCoy’s well-rounded play is one of the keys if the Saints offense is to have a resurgence in 2023.