Who are the guards and centers who’ll matter in the 2020 NFL Draft, and what’s the college perspective on all of the top prospects?
2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings
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The guards are fine, but it’s a center-rich draft with a few excellent starting prospects to be had from – likely – the second round on.
From the college perspective, here are the top guards and centers – interior linemen – in your 2020 NFL Draft, starting with the ones who’ll be in the mix, and then diving into the five who’ll actually matter over the next ten years of the pro football world.
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15. Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
Size: 6-5, 317
The Good: He bulked up a bit between the end of the season and the combine, but he should maintain his versatility and potential to be tried out at tackle. Able to be tried out anywhere, at worst he’s a good all-around possibility as a swing backup.
The Not-So-Good: A true-tweener, even at his bigger weight he’s still not quite a traditional bulk guard, and the athleticism isn’t there to be a tackle. There’s nothing that stands out at an NFL level.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Just take him and figure out a spot. He’s a tough blocker who can serve as good, reliable reserve at absolute worst, but he should be able to fight his way through to be a starting NFL quarter.
Projected Round: Fourth
14. Darryl Williams, Mississippi State (C/OG)
Size: 6-2, 304
The Good: Try to blow off the measurables. He’s got the versatility to be a rock-solid center from the start, or could move to either guard spot in a pinch. A true leader, he can take over a line from the middle.
The Not-So-Good: The NFL body type isn’t there. He’s not long enough and doesn’t have the raw mass to be any sort of a power blocker for a consistent basis. It’s not a knock that he’s probably just a center, but he’s only a backup at guard.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: More than able to hold his own for a long time as an SEC center, he was more than able to handle the work against the nation’s top defensive tackles. He’s too smart of a player to not be someone’s center.
Projected Round: Fifth
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13. Shane Lemieux, Oregon
Size: 6-4, 310
The Good: Very dependable and very experienced, he’s ready to go right now with the toughness to be a good grinder for the ground game. There isn’t any finesse about his style – he’s a true guard.
The Not-So-Good: Can he move well enough? He moved well enough at the combine to think he can do more in pass protection, but he’ll need to be flanked by athletic linemen.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He doesn’t necessarily look the part of a more modern day athletic NFL lineman, but get past it. He’s a veteran pounder who’ll start for a long time.
Projected Round: Fourth
12. Jonah Jackson, Ohio State (C/OG)
Size: 6-3, 306
The Good: Equally promising at any of the three interior spots at the next level, he’s a superior run blocker who gets great leverage and can maul. He’s not massive, but he uses his bulk and technique well enough to produce, especially if he becomes a next-level center.
The Not-So-Good: Good luck against the ultra-quick interior defensive linemen. He can pound, and he isn’t that bad at moving in short areas, but he isn’t enough of a pass protector to rely on.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: The former Rutgers-transfer turned-Buckeye has all of the intangibles to be someone’s starting center for a long time. He might not be an elite athlete, but he can pop.
Projected Round: Third
11. Matt Hennessy, Temple (C/OG)
Size: 6-4, 307
The Good: Able to play anywhere in the interior, he’s a center with just enough toughness and grit to work as a guard. There’s even the potential to try him out at right tackle if needed.
The Not-So-Good: He’s not quite big enough to not be scheme-specific – he’s not going to maul anyone at the next level – and he might be a center-only. The want-to is there to work as a guard, but the bulk isn’t.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He can be a leader of someone’s line as an athletic center who can get on the move. It would be nice if he could work at around 315 and bring a little more power, but he’ll be fine early on the second day.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings Top Ten
2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings Top Ten
10. Netane Muti, Fresno State
Size: 6-3, 315
The Good: Power, power, power. With brutish strength and the right body type for an NFL guard, he comes out of central casting. Big, bulky, and with the ability to use it all to generate a push, he’s a tough guy.
The Not-So-Good: Can he stay in one piece? He’ll play through problems, but he suffered two Achilles tendon injuries and missed almost all of last season hurt. Forget about anything in pass protection.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’ll drop because of all his injuries and leg problems, but as long as he can stay healthy he’ll be a key part of an NFL running game.
Projected Round: Third
9. Nick Harris, Washington (C)
Size: 6-1, 302
The Good: Able to play guard if needed, he brings high-end versatility to the interior – but he’s a center. He’s great at generating power from his leverage, he’s always moving, and he produced at a high level as the leader up front for a good UW O line.
The Not-So-Good: He’s just not big enough. The lack of length and raw bulk should make him just a center. He’s more of a technician and motor blocker than a blaster.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: The lack of prototype size will knock him down a few spots, but he’s purely a good football player. The athleticism is there to make up for the lack of NFL power.
Projected Round: Third
8. Keith Ismael, San Diego State (C)
Size: 6-3, 309
The Good: A rock of a center who could end up seeing a little time early on at guard it needed, he’s got the feet, the athleticism, and the quickness to be a perfect match for most schemes. The raw strength is there, too, to bring enough power to get by.
The Not-So-Good: The mass is missing. He’s big enough – and his quickness overcomes other issues – but he’s not going to work for a physical offense that likes to blast away.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Someone will be ecstatic when he falls in the draft. He’s not enough of a prototype to make him a must-have in the first few rounds, but he’ll be a fantastic value pick on Day 3 on the way to becoming a longtime starter.
Projected Round: Fourth
7. Ben Bredeson, Michigan
Size: 6-5, 315
The Good: Get past his lack of finesse and feet – he’s a ball player who has been through the wars. A great leader for the Wolverine line with a ton of experience, he’ll be fine at either guard spot. Consistent, he doesn’t make a whole lot of mistakes.
The Not-So-Good: He’s just not athletic enough. He’s not really a blaster, and he doesn’t have the quickness to handle the better next-level interior pass rushers.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: You’ll need more athletic linemen around him, but he’s a multi-year plug-and-play starter. He might be limited, but you won’t have to worry about the effort.
Projected Round: Third
6. Solomon Kindley, Georgia
Size: 6-3, 337
The Good: This is what you’re looking for in a guard in terms of size and power. He’s one of the bulkiest guards in the draft, and he can move a little bit, too. Able to play either guard spot, he’ll find a home.
The Not-So-Good: There’s a lot of technique work needing to be done – the consistency isn’t quite there with his balance. He’s an okay pass protector against the quicker lineman, but nothing special.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Put him on a line, tell him to blast away on the man in front of him, and the job will get done. He’ll bring an attitude to a running game.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings No. 5
2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings Top Five
5. Damien Lewis, LSU
Size: 6-2, 327
The Good: Do you really care that he’s only 6-2 and not 6-5? Length might be a wee bit of a concern for some, but he’s not going to work at tackle – his body type is just fine for leverage and for what he’ll need to do for the running game.
Shockingly quick and athletic for an interior blocker, he’ll almost certainly work at right guard with the raw strength and power to get tough in the interior.
The Not-So-Good: Yeah, the size. If you really get into a twist about arm length and frame for a guard, he’s not quite what you’re looking for. The monster-sized NFL defensive linemen will get into him in a hurry.
While he moved just fine in workouts and the combine, quickness isn’t really his thing in the rhythm of a game. He didn’t have too many issues with the more athletic SEC linemen, but he could be tabbed as a right guard-only.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Just get over the 6-2 height. Be happy that he’ll fall a bit because he’s not the prototypical NFL lineman in terms of overall size, but he’ll be a rock of a run blocker.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings No. 4
4. John Simpson, Clemson
Size: 6-4, 321
The Good: A terrific all-around combination of size, athleticism and experience, he was one of the relatively unsung stars on an always relatively unsung Clemson offensive line that helped make the machine go.
He’s got the bulk everyone wants at guard with a good body type that’s missing a ton of excess bad weight. He’s not going to keep up with the defensive backs in workouts, but as he showed at the combine, he can move for his size.
The Not-So-Good: Everything is fine once everything starts moving, but it’s getting it all going in the first place that’s a bit of a problem. There’s nothing all that sudden about what he does. He’ll have issues with the quick-twitch defensive linemen.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: In a draft full of technicians who don’t have the size to go along with their skills, here’s a guard who doesn’t need a whole lot of work. He can muscle up and be a tone-setter for a ground game, but don’t ask him to do much of anything on the move.
Projected Round: Third
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings No. 3
3. Cesar Ruiz, Michigan (C)
Size: 6-3, 307
The Good: He brings the blast, and he can do it from any of the three positions in the interior. The size is ideal for an all-star center, but his run blocking abilities can make him an instant guard if needed.
Able to move a little bit, he’ll be able to handle himself well in pass protection, he’s got the athleticism to go along with the body type NFL teams are looking for.
The Not-So-Good: There’s not a whole lot of bulk, and there’s not a lot of room to get any bigger. He’s an athletic center – hardly a bad thing – but he’ll need to be flanked by raw bulk. If you want to get a bit nitpicky, he’s a tad bit of a tweener if he gets drafted by someone who doesn’t instantly need a center. He can play at guard, but that’s not really is regular NFL position.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: A ten-year starter at center, it’s going to take a little bit to get up and going, but he’ll grow into rock-solid producer who’ll take over a line. It would be nice if he was a little bit bigger, but you’ll trade that for his ability to move.
Projected Round: Late First, Early Second
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings No. 2
2. Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin (C)
Size: 6-4, 314
The Good: You know what you’re getting – and that’s a good thing in a reliable, Wisconsin offensive lineman sort of way. His technique and style are flawless – there’s almost no work needed to get him ready for the next level – and he’ll be one step ahead of everyone as a quarterback for the line.
He might not have the athleticism of Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz, and he might not be quite the rock that LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry is, but there’s almost no bust potential with the ability to step in right away and be no-worry starter for the next ten years.
However …
The Not-So-Good: He’s not the shot for the stars. He’s bulkier than Ruiz and moves better than Cushenberry, but those two have All-Pro upside if everything works out. Biadasz has a hard ceiling to how good he can be – the NFL raw tools just aren’t quite there athletically – and he’s always going to be more of a cog than an anchor. But …
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’s an elite Wisconsin offensive lineman – hit the standup double. He’ll be there in the mid-to-late second round – and possibly even further – but he’ll be a sound pick without much to argue about. Take him, start him, and forget about dealing with the position for a while.
Projected Round: Second
NEXT: 2020 NFL Draft Guard, Center Rankings No. 1
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1. Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU (C)
Size: 6-3, 312
The Good: A brick wall, he can’t be moved off of his base – he’s the definition of a rock for an offensive line. The guy has everyone’s back as a great leader and main man for a national championship line. No one will outwork him, and no one will be able to power past him.
He’s hardly an elite athlete, but that’s not what you’re looking for out of a starting NFL center with his size and power. He’ll get on the move and he’ll blast away when he gets up a head of steam, but his job will be to anchor the inside on a consistent basis. He can do that.
The Not-So-Good: There’s not quite enough quickness to deal with elite athleticism on the defensive interior. He can move a bit, but he’s got to stick to his range – don’t ask him to do too much down the field. While there might be some who’ll think of him as a possible guard, he’s going to struggle for a while if he’s not a center.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: He’s what you want as the leader for your offensive line. He’s got the makeup, the experience, and the size, and the resumé as Joe Burrow’s center in the national title run. Some coaching staff will fall instantly in love the moment he gets into a camp.
Projected Round: Second
PHOTO CREDITS: Cushenberry Credit: Scott Clause/The Advertiser; Biadasz Credit: Jeff Hanisch; Ruiz Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
