The BSJ 2024 NFL Draft positional preview series rolls on! In this edition, we kick off the offensive side of the ball with a look at the top center prospects. The center spot is one of the fewest drafted positions in the draft annually. There were a total of just nine centers chosen in the 2023 NFL Draft, up from six the previous year. There are expected to be several AFC East suitors in the market for a center but New England isn't expected to be one of those teams due to their strong positional depth.
Projected Patriots Depth Chart
Center: David Andrews / Jake Andrews
With starting center David Andrews recently restructuring his contract, the team captain is signed through the 2025 season. A model of consistency, he has started 117-of-120 games played since signing with New England as an undrafted free agent in 2015.
New England selected Jake Andrews out of Troy in the fourth round of last year’s draft who was sturdy in limited action, appearing in 16 games (one start). The younger Andrews could be viewed as an eventual successor for the elder Andrews, who turns 32 years old over the summer. In the meantime, he's a valuable backup who can step in at all three interior offensive line positions when needed.
Few NFL teams carry more than two centers on the active roster, so any additional centers for the Patriots would likely be added after the draft as undrafted free agents, or rookie minicamp players invited to compete for a potential practice squad spot.
Urgency Level: Low Priority, none needed.
Centers
Despite the center position only having a handful of players selected each year, the 2024 draft class is top-heavy with several prospects expected to come off the board relatively early. In fact, it’s entirely possible that we see three chosen within the first 50 overall selections and none chosen again until the final day of the draft.
Most centers are viewed as limited athletes, or come with a squatty stature and short arms. In some instances, players who play tackle or guard in college, can often kick inside at the pros, in order to hide some of their warts. The further away you move from the center position, the more athleticism and quickness that is required. Here’s a look at this year’s center group.
Be sure to bookmark the BSJ NFL Draft Headquarters Page for all your needs come NFL Draft weekend. Next up will be a look at the offensive guards. In case you missed any of our previous positional previews, you can find them here: Defensive Tackles | Edge Rushers | Linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties
Note: HPFA = High Priority Free Agent | PFA = Priority Free Agent | FA = Free Agent | HPFA usually results in higher signing bonus, while FA types tend to be rookie camp / tryout types.
RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTY | PROJECTION
Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon, 6-3, 326, 5.06, Rd1
The ferocious, wide-bodied Powers-Johnson is difficult to get around. He possesses oxlike strength, along with great hand placement and exceptional footwork for owning such a massive frame. While his game is tailor-made for the big stage, JPJ likes to shy away from the spotlight, as he has struggled with anxiety in the past. He discussed this topic at length at his pro day.
“Coming into this year, I had a lot of struggles with the pressure of it,” Powers-Johnson said after the workout. “Slated for all these preseason awards, slated to be the guy at center and I hadn’t even played a full year. So I had a little bit of imposter syndrome like, ‘Alright everybody, let’s just chill out. Just let me get in there.’ I just figured out how to navigate that through mental health and also just believing in myself and in the people around me.”
Graham Barton, Duke, 6-5, 311, 4.84, Rd1
After starting the past three years at left tackle for the Blue Devils, Barton has embraced his role back on the interior, as he began his collegiate career at center. Due to his size, quickness and athleticism, Barton is viewed as a likely top-20 selection and the consensus top center on most big boards. The two-time All-American also pays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
“Someone the past three years I’ve watched is David Bakhtiari,” Barton told reporters. “I’ve taken a lot of influence from the way he wins his blocks. He’s athletic, you see him get off the ball very quickly. He’s someone I’ve just tried to take some influence from, a lot of respect for his game and his style of play.”
Zach Frazier, West Virginia, 6-3, 315, 5.26, Rd2
Prior to a late-season fractured fibula, Frazier appeared to be ascending towards a first-round draft grade. A notorious state champion wrestler who went 159-2 in high school, the gritty Frazier is known to be a fierce grappler and is one of the most underrated players in the draft. Frazier discussed whether the injury has had an impact on his draft stock at the combine.
“I don’t think so. Just from the injury standpoint, I was lucky that I just broke the bone. I didn’t do any ligament damage. If I did do ligament damage, maybe that would hurt it. The doctors just told me that bones heal and I’ll be all right.”
Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia, 6-4, 298, 5.20, Rd3
A two-time FBS National Champion and All-SEC First Team selection, Van Pran is viewed as the best pure pass-blocker in this year’s center class. He allowed just one sack in 1,418 pass-blocking reps during his time in Athens. He shows solid power, especially in the run game, along with leadership and smarts. Van Pran offers immense value as he possesses the makeup of a next-level starter.
Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin, 6-4, 303, 4.94, Rd4
No one improved their draft stock amongst the center group during draft season more than Bortolini, who won the majority of his reps during Senior Bowl week, crushed his combine performance and had a stellar pro day. The knock will be his lack of size but his talent will win out. Bortolini combines footwork, quickness, finesse and power.
Mason McCormick, South Dakota St., 6-4, 309, 5.08, Rd5
A sixth-year senior and four-year starter, McCormick was one of the driving forces behind the Jackrabbits undefeated FCS National Championship season. There’s a chance that McMahon falls a bit further than he should due to small school bias but he displays excellent second-level quickness, top-plight agility and plays with great intensity.
Dylan McMahon, North Carolina State, 6-3, 299, 5.10, Rd5
One of the most athletic center prospects, McMahon demonstrates topflight agility and the ability to scoot down the line in a jiffy. He is excellent on pull blocks and getting to the second level, making him an ideal fit for a zone-blocking scheme.
Beaux Limmer, Arkansas, 6-5, 302, 5.22, Rd6
Known for his great toughness and strength, Limmer showed big-time flashes in Mobile during his week at the Senior Bowl with his lateral mirror skills, along with superb hand placement. He possesses an extremely stout lower body, where he generates much of his strength and is capable of squatting over 700 pounds, which is why opponents find it difficult to move him off his base.
Drake Nugent, Michigan, 6-1, 300, 5.23, Rd7
A two-year starter at Stanford, Nugent played his final year at Michigan, earning All-Big Ten First Team honors. The methodical middleman does a nice job setting up his blocks and traps, while calling out coverages at the line of scrimmage. Nugent boasts great smarts, experience and a fundamentally sound skill-set.
Charles Turner III, LSU, 6-4, 303, 5.05, Rd7
A rare center with long arms (34-inches), Turner III is a battle-tested bruiser with great length, having started the past two seasons in the SEC. He never ran the forty at the combine and pulled his hamstring on the first attempt at his pro day, so there is no official time on record, which could slight his draft stock some.
BEST OF THE REST
Andrew Raym, Oklahoma, 6-4, 314, 5.42, HPFA
A former four-star recruit, Raym finished with 29 starts in Norman, which has earned a strong reputation for developing polished pros along the offensive line. More of a technician, Rayn wins with timing and angles. He is somewhat limited athletically but compensates with a high football IQ.
Hunter Nourzad, Penn State, 6-3, 317, 5.17, HPFA
Kingsley Eguakun, Florida, 6-4, 304, 5.34, HPFA
Jacob Monk, Duke, 6-3, 308, 5.09, HPFA
Nick Samac, Michigan State, 6-4, 307, 5.22, HPFA
Nick Gargiulo, South Carolina, 6-5, 318, 5.25, PFA
Matt Lee, Miami, 6-4, 301, 5.03, PFA
Jalen Sundell, North Dakota State, 6-5, 301, 5.18, PFA
Darrian Dalcourt, Alabama, 6-3, 309, 5.38, PFA
Kyle Hergel, Boston College, 6-3, 304, 5.25, PFA
Clark Barrington, Baylor, 6054, 307, 5.17, FA
Will Putnam, Clemson, 6-5, 301, 5.48, FA
Sebastian Delasoudas, Rhode Island, 6-0, 298, FA
Mike Novitsky, Kansas, 6-4, 305, 5.18, FA
Bryan Hudson, Louisville, 6-4, 297, 5.23, FA
PATRIOTS SLEEPER TO WATCH
Hunter Nourzad, Penn State, 6-3, 317, 5.17, HPFA: An All-Ivy League left tackle at Cornell for four years, Nourzad took over the starting right guard spot during his first season in State College, before moving to center in 2023. He possesses excellent power, sound technique and has started at all five offensive line positions during his collegiate career.
UDFA CANDIDATE
Nick Samac, Michigan State, 6-4, 307, 5.22, HPFA: A menacing run-blocker, Samac is an overachiever who finished with 32 starts (nearly 2500 snaps) under his belt for the Spartans before a leg injury cut his season short. He has been unable to participate in any draft season events, so it's possible that he could slide.
“I’m a good guy that’s going to fight at the end of the day. I’ve fought through injury, I’ve been through a lot this year at Michigan State, so I'm just a student of the game, learning everything that’s been thrown at me and at the end of the day, I’m going to work.”
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