NFL Draft
11/7/24
3 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Ranking Best Center Prospects By Scheme Fit
Historically, leading up to the NFL Draft, centers have been ranked in a linear format, notwithstanding their individual skill sets.
Perhaps the evaluation process for a center should mirror the model applied to quarterbacks, where a quarterback is categorized based on the style of offense he’s best suited for, thus predicted to excel at the next level.
In short, not all centers are created equally. NFL Legends like Tom Nalen, Mike Webster, and Olin Kreutz had specialized skill sets that best represented the performance demands placed upon each player, according to the offense they played within.
Tom Nalen, as a seventh-round draft pick, found a home within the Denver Broncos famous zone scheme that launched him to a five-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time First-Team All-Pro, and two-time Super Bowl Championship career. How does a seventh-round pick find himself as an NFL all-time great?
It’s an uncomplicated answer: his skill set was suited perfectly for what the Broncos wanted to do offensively.
A player finding success in the NFL isn’t just about talent or staying healthy. It’s largely based on schematic fit. This is especially true for centers because most are going to be lower-round draft picks who don’t get a second chance to make a healthy first impression.
Centers should be grouped into one of three areas:
Gap Scheme
- Powerful
- Limited Range
- Solid Pass Blockers
- Limited Athleticism
- Exceptional at 1 on 1 Run Game Matchups
Zone Scheme
- Elite Range
- Good Pass Blockers
- Technically Savvy
- Athletic
- Struggles at 1 on 1 Run Game Matchups
Combination Scheme
- Explosive
- Great Footwork
- Good Pass Blockers
- Excellent Range
- Good Athlete
- Excellent at 1 on 1 Run Game Matchups
By grouping centers based on their schematic fit, evaluators have a broader array of tools to assess talent at the position.
If we are all looking through the same keyhole to see the fuller hallway of talent, inevitably, there will be missed opportunities and misevaluations.
The 33rd Team Updated Top 100 Big Board
Top Centers For 2025 Draft
Gap Scheme
| Rank | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D’angalo Titialii | Washington |
| 2 | Mike Katic | Indiana |
| 3 | J’onre Reed | Syracuse |
| 4 | Bryce Foster | Kansas |
| 5 | Jacob Garder | Colorado State |
Zone Scheme
| Rank | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jared Wilson | Georgia |
| 2 | Connor Tollison | Missouri |
| 3 | Jonah Monheim | USC |
| 4 | Leif Fautanu | ASU |
| 5 | Gus Hartwig | Purdue |
Combination Scheme
| Rank | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drew Kendall | Boston College |
| 2 | Parker Brailsford | Alabama |
| 3 | Logan Jones | Iowa |
| 4 | Willie Lampkin | North Carolina |
| 5 | Cooper Mays | Tennessee |
| 6 | Seth McGlaughlin | Ohio State |
| 7 | Zach Carpenter | Miami |
| 8 | Zeke Cornell | NC State |
| 9 | Eli Cox | Kentucky |
| 10 | Brandon Yates | West Virginia |
