2008 NFL Draft Position
Rankings
The Centers
Rankings & Breakdowns
Top 50 Players - 1 to
25 |
Top 50 Players - 26 to 50
|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs |
Wide Receivers
|
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Tackles
Offensive Guards |
Centers
|
Defensive Ends
|
Defensive Tackles
Linebackers |
Safeties
|
Cornerbacks
|
Punters & Kickers
By
Pete Fiutak
The Class
Is ... Lousy. Center is always a mediocre area in the draft,
but this year doesn't have any star power and it's more about
the versatility than the sure-thing starters.
The Best Value Pick Will Be ... Kory Lichtensteiger,
Bowling Green
Most Underrated ... Cody Wallace, Texas A&M
Most Overrated ... Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers
The Deep, Deep Sleeper Is .. Brennen Carvalho, Portland State |
POTENTIAL NFL STARTERS
1.
Mike Pollak, C/OG Arizona State
Able to play center or guard the big, strong anchor of the
Arizona State line is great on the move and is the type of player
who'll be plugged into a lineup and won't leave for ten years. It's
not his fault the Sun Devil line had such a lousy year in pass
protection. While he's not a brutish run blocker and isn't going to
flatten too many defenders at the pro level, he can be a dependable
cog in a finesse attack.
CFN Projection: Third Round
2. Steve Justice, C Wake Forest
Incredibly productive over the last three seasons for the
underappreciated Wake Forest line, Justice is extremely agile and isn't
afraid to get down and dirty to make a block. Tough as nails and
dependable enough to be an every-day player, there's no concern about
having problems with little injuries. The problem is his size at 6-3 and
293 pounds with little room to get bulkier. While he's quick, he'll
struggle with the bigger tackles. He's a pure center and likely can't be
moved to guard.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
3. Kory Lichtensteiger, C Bowling Green
The guy is very strong and doesn't have any blubber; he's a cut 298
pounds. Very tough and very nasty, he goes 100 miles per hour on every
play and got better and better over a strong four-year career. While
he's not the best athlete and he dominated in the MAC, he's a good
prospect who'll stick around if given a chance.
CFN Projection: Third Round
4. Jeremy Zuttah, C/OT Rutgers
Where's he going to play? A great pass-protecting tackle and a tough
guard, he actually projects to be a center at the next level. He was
great at the Combine and the East-West Shrine game, but he's not a
next-level tackle and not quite girthy enough to play guard. If he can
show early on that he can handle himself well in the middle, and if he
can prove a gimpy ankle isn't a problem, he can be a regular. His
versatility will make him attractive.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
5. John Sullivan, C/OG Notre Dame
A mauler who'll be great for the running game, he's a tough blocker who
was steady for four years and does a great job when he doesn't have to
get on the move. At 6-3 and 301 pounds, he's a perfect-sized center and
can even be moved to guard if needed. A great quarterback for the line,
he's a smart player who doesn't make mistakes. His problem is his
athleticism; he's not going to do much on the move.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
BEST OF THE REST
6. Cody Wallace, C Texas A&M
Extremely strong with a great attitude and work ethic, he's going to
make himself an NFL player. One of A&M's top weightlifters, pushing
people around isn't a problem. However, he doesn't always play as strong
as he is and doesn't flatten as many defenders as he probably should. On
want-to he'll be impossible to cut and will be a good backup, but he's
limited and isn't going to do much against the better tackles.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
7. Jamey Richard, C/OT Buffalo
A great three-year starter who dominated at the MAC level, he's a 100%
motor guy who always finishes his blocks and always looks for someone to
hit hard. He needs work on his technique and he'll need to be broken
down and built back up again by an NFL coaching staff if he's going to
be a tackle, and he's a bit too tall and lanky at 6-5 and 294 pounds to
be a prototype center. Even so, he'll stick on a team as a backup.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
8. Fernando Velasco, C/OG Georgia
Very strong
with great work ethic and drive, Velasco was a good starter for Georgia
as both a guard and a center. He's a team player who's more than happy
to do whatever's needed to help the team and the line; he was a true
leader of the offense. He's just not that athletic and wasn't even
invited to the Combine. With problems against any NFL-caliber lineman
with speed and quickness, Velasco needs to get by on his work ethic and
effort.
CFN Projection:
Free Agent
9. Marcus Coleman, C/OG Wisconsin
A tough,
versatile blocker who tried his tail off to be a good leader for the
Badger line, he just doesn't have the knees to be an NFL regular. He's
not strong enough to be a guard and he doesn't have the overall
quickness to be a starter at center, but he's a competitor and could be
a versatile backup.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
10. Eric Scott, C/OG Kentucky
At 6-3 and
310 pounds, he's a very big blocker who has the athleticism to go along
with the size. The problem is his blocking ability; he's just not strong
enough or tough enough. He held his own against most SEC tackles, but he
got ripped apart a bit too often by the better ones. He could be fine in
a zone-blocking scheme, but he's not an NFL player in a power attack.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
ON
THE RADAR
11. Adam Spieker, C Missouri
12. Doug Legursky, C Marshall
13. John Masters, C Michigan State
14. Brennen Carvalho, C/OG Portland State
15. Dallas Griffin, C Texas
16. Ryan Wendell, C Fresno State
17. Kevin Tuminiello, C Georgia Tech
18. Kyle Devan, C Oregon State
19. Riley Salinger, C Wagner
20. Marcus Lipsey, C Virginia