Three Center Prospects the Packers Can Consider on Day Three

The Packers might find help at center late in the draft. 

Center is one of the only positions on the Green Bay Packers’ offense that is a bit of a mystery heading into next season. Corey Linsley has been the starter for the last seven years, but he is now a member of the Los Angeles Chargers, where he will help groom a talented young quarterback in Justin Herbert.

The Packers have two viable internal options for replacing Linsley. Elgton Jenkins was a highly regarded center in college, and Lucas Patrick has also filled in in the past when Linsley got hurt. Both are possible veteran options, but the team may want to continue to add young talent to the interior. Last year, Green Bay used a sixth-round pick on Jake Hanson out of Oregon. Hanson had trouble adjusting to the physicality of the NFL and spent his entire rookie year on the practice squad. It’s possible the Packers may look for another center on day three of the upcoming draft. If they do, here are three candidates they could consider.

Drew Dalman, Stanford

6-3, 295 lbs

Dalman started every game over the last two seasons and was also named first-team All-Pac-12 for his play in 2020. Dalman floated between guard and center before playing center full time as a junior in 2019. He helped lead Stanford’s pro-style offense, emerging as an elite pass protector. Dalman has size concerns that will hurt his draft value, but his consistent technique will attract some NFL GMs. Dalman is potentially a good fit for Green Bay’s zone blocking scheme as a developmental center. Honestly, he is comparative to the prospect Linsley was coming out of Ohio State. Dalman may not be the starter that Linsley was early on, but he could go on to have a successful NFL career after sitting for a year or two.

Michal Menet, Penn State

6-4, 301 lbs

A three-year starter for the Nittany Lions, Menet has the necessary experience a team may look for later in the draft. In 2020, Menet started all nine games for the second-ranked offense in the Big Ten. Like Linsley, Menet is an athletic center prospect who can make effective blocks on the move and climb to the second level. Menet could struggle in pass protection early in his career, but he is an intriguing prospect nonetheless. If he falls to day three, the Packers might want to have Menet on their shortlist of candidates to help augment the center position as they transition away from Linsley.

Drake Jackson, Kentucky

6-2, 290 lbs

Jackson is another mobile center that could have an easier time transitioning to the next level if lands in Green Bay. In four years, Jackson ended up with 44 consecutive starts at center. He was named second-team All-SEC last season and first-team the year before that. Jackson has the functional athleticism necessary to be a starting-caliber center, but his size and length could be an issue. He can win with his instincts and technique, but there will be times where he is overwhelmed by the size and strength of NFL talent. Overall, Jackson is a solid day-three option, who can potentially be groomed into a future starter.

 

 

Brandon Carwile is a Packers writer who also enjoys watching and breaking down film. Follow him on Twitter @PackerScribe.

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Comments (35)

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Gman1976's picture

April 09, 2021 at 12:26 pm

I distinctly remember when Linsley came out of college, he was known for his strength. There's no mention that any of these guys can push the pile. Got to gave some bulldozers upfront!

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Coldworld's picture

April 09, 2021 at 12:38 pm

He benched 36. His strength was exceptional for a center, despite his build ( 296 lbs was, and is, slight for a 6’3” C).

I also remember him being perceived by fans and media as a reach at the time. Not all analysts thought he would be drafted at all and I don’t think any had him in the 5th.

Turned out well.

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dobber's picture

April 09, 2021 at 03:14 pm

Several years ago, one of the writers here did an article where they tried to correlate specific tests at the Combine to All-Pro selections. In essence: which Combine test did the All-Pro selections excel in? For those in the trenches, it was clearly bench reps...and as I recall, nothing else was even close. I think it makes sense: if you're lacking in technique--especially early in your career--you might be able to bully your way through to the reps you need to develop. It would be cool if someone could rework that piece and see if it still holds up.

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Stroh's picture

April 10, 2021 at 11:02 pm

The OL in the outside zone run game isn't about bulldozers , it requires athleticism and movement skills not brute strength.

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Gman1976's picture

April 09, 2021 at 12:26 pm

I distinctly remember when Linsley came out of college, he was known for his strength. There's no mention that any of these guys can push the pile. Got to gave some bulldozers upfront!

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Coldworld's picture

April 09, 2021 at 12:29 pm

These seem rather similar to Hanson, each have good attributes and bad. However, if we want competition, each shares the same drawback he did: not likely ready.

All are small, Hanson has had a year to add lower body strength (his perceived weakness), but weighed in heavier than all of these at 303. So if we are drafting any of these, it’s probably to develop. I am not sure that they will help much this year.

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dobber's picture

April 09, 2021 at 01:53 pm

I think you're onto something in that they've already drafted a C of the type listed above. Unless they've decided Hanson can't play, they aren't going to draft another. I think they only draft a true C unless he's a plug-and-play guy near the top of the draft.

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canadapacker's picture

April 09, 2021 at 05:55 pm

Kind of agree - we take the best guy in the Oline area - I am kind of hoping still for defense in the first couple of rounds - especially with the first pick because we should be getting a top 12 defensive college player ( according to the mock drafts all the QB's and Offensive players taken before we pick). So if there is a Dlineman/edge rusher or linebacker first and Dbacks second pick and then into the Oline project - but not specifying whether the guy has Center experience or not. I am hoping for some project bulldozers. I still think although we have been protecting AR and that is crucial - it would be nice to push the pile for those 3rd and 4th down conversions.

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stockholder's picture

April 09, 2021 at 02:31 pm

If it's such a need. I wouldn't take any of these guys. Your best late bet; is Hill. He has a wrestlers background. But I just can't picture anyone replacing an All-pro. And I sure would hate to see a OT and Center at the top of Gute' draft. Hopefully the packers already have their center.

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Coldworld's picture

April 09, 2021 at 07:30 pm

I just can’t justify a C, however good, in the first or second round this year. There is a reason centers are picked there less than any other non specialist position still on every roster. We have other needs, if we do take a center it’s later or a vet FA in the summer.

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Stroh's picture

April 10, 2021 at 11:12 pm

The biggest need on the roster is either OT or CB. As it stands the Packers have one OT, who is overmatched at LT. Bahktiari is out until midseason at the earliest and they have no RT. OT is a very real need and has to be addressed in either Rd1 or 2. You can get interior OL mid to late rounds, but very few OT come in rds 3 - 7. OT in rd 1 is almost a must!

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CoachDino's picture

April 09, 2021 at 04:00 pm

Hanson is a boy amongst men from all the reports Ive seen. Menet and Jackson are guys I've seen specifly for the scheme the Packers play. More Athletic than mauler. In this scheme the center needs to hold up on bull rushes (strength, more lower body than bench) as noted by posters but needs to be able to get out to the second level on Runs (LB, Safety). That's what these guys excel at. Weakness is they are both center only prospects so the lack of position flexibility. Both would be IMO valued draft picks in the 5th rd or later.

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Coldworld's picture

April 09, 2021 at 07:35 pm

Curious as to which reports you’ve seen. He came out needing to increase lower body strength, and thus wasn’t expected to play early, but he was decent in college. If you’ve got something to cite, be happy to read it.

I’m not a Hanson fanatic, just dubious about the reason to write off a player we just drafted knowing he needed weight room work. Since we have other needs, for now I think fretting about a likely back up center may be a fake one based upon groundless rumor.

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PeteK's picture

April 10, 2021 at 09:43 am

He might be a find; showed upper body strength with 33 bench reps, and a year to learn.

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Coldworld's picture

April 11, 2021 at 08:55 am

Hanson needed work on his lower body, yes. Strong upper body. I’ve not heard anything bad or good other than that his not being on the roster as a rookie wasn’t a shock.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 10, 2021 at 02:00 pm

Dalman:

Dalman measured 6-foot-3 3/8 inches and 299 pounds with 10 1/2 inch hands, 31 1/2 inch arms and a 76 1/2 inch wingspan. He also posted a 5.11 second 40-yard dash, 33 inch vertical jump, 9-feet, 1-inch broad jump, 4.52 second short shuttle, 7.33 second 3-cone drill and 33 repetitions on the bench press.

Menet: 6'4", 301 lbs, 26 on the bench, 31.5" arms. Has an undisclosed injury and did not run or do drills. No agility scores.

Drake Jackson:

Height: 6 feet, 2 inches [6.1.7 draftscout]
Weight: 293 pounds
Arm: 31 inches [31 and 1/8]
Wing span: 77 feet, 2/8 inches
Hand: 8 2/8 inches
225-pound bench press: Did not participate
40-yard dash: Did not participate
Vertical jump: 31 1/2 inches
Broad jump: Did not participate

No idea why he didn't fully participate. The linked article offers a description of Jackson that makes him sound like a 5th - 7th rounder, but then projects him in the 3rd.

https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/draft/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-draft-scoutin...

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HarryHodag's picture

April 09, 2021 at 05:46 pm

Turner left tackle, Runyan left guard, Jenkins at center, Patrick right guard, Nijman- or a draftee at right tackle.
When David B. returns, Turner shifts to right tackle and Nijman or draftee to swing tackle.

That setup shows the Packers don't have to do cartwheels to upgrade the offensive line, but a high-round tackle would really help.

They have two players already with center experience...Jenkins and Patrick, plus Hanson from the practice squad. They don't need to draft a center.

It's easy to see if you look at their roster an effective offensive tackle is needed before a center or guard.

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jannes bjornson's picture

April 09, 2021 at 07:28 pm

You left out the part about Rodgers going to IR.

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Coldworld's picture

April 09, 2021 at 08:07 pm

That line or similar with Wagner was out there reasonably often last year, and Rodgers was fine.

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PeteK's picture

April 10, 2021 at 09:48 am

Wagner might still be an affordable free agent option depending on who we draft at T.

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Coldworld's picture

April 11, 2021 at 08:59 am

If Wagner wants to/ is able to play with the knee issue, I’d certainly take him. Just not plan on him playing 10 games as a starter.

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jannes bjornson's picture

April 10, 2021 at 12:15 pm

They gave up Five sacks to Tampa in the NFC CH game with Lindsley.

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PeteK's picture

April 10, 2021 at 02:40 pm

Do you have any better ideas who could be a viable backup just in case rookie T needs some time to develop?

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dobber's picture

April 10, 2021 at 03:56 pm

Those sacks all came off the end from Barrett and JPP. If you're saying that Linsley blew the calls, that's one thing, but if you're saying that the sacks were otherwise Linsley's fault, that's a bit of a reach.

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LambeauPlain's picture

April 09, 2021 at 07:33 pm

Nijman is an intriguing prospect. Built like Hercules and an athletic freak, he only learned to play OL as a freshman at VA Tech. Highly recruited as a D lineman, Tech coaches quickly in his Freshman year said "you are gonna be an OT." He did pretty well.

He could have the highest ceiling of all the young OL guys on the team.

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Coldworld's picture

April 09, 2021 at 08:05 pm

Yes, athletically a better than top 5 athlete. The problem is, he had no technique. He never needed it. Just physically outclassed. He dropped because of an increasingly loaded argument by pundits and coaches over whether that was because he was untrainable or that the effort wasn’t made.

The fact he is still with the Packers suggests that the college coaches defensive statements might be a tad disingenuous. It is interesting that the Packers decided to focus him entirely at LT last year, the more technically demanding side.

He may yet vanish with out trace or start the season at LT (not RT most likely). Makes it fun doesn’t it? If he reaches his ceiling, he would be an all time steal.

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BradHTX's picture

April 09, 2021 at 10:10 pm

On a visit to Lambeau back in the summer of ‘19 (doesn’t that seem like eons ago?) for a pre-season game, my family and I ran into Mark Murphy — for real — in the atrium and he gave us sideline passes.

We were standing near the OL group doing their warmups, and there was one dude who stood out as just freaking huge... a massive human being. I walked around to see the back of his jersey... Nijman. I really think he has the potential to replace Bakhtiari in a few years.

We were standing by Jamaal Williams’ family and was hanging out with them. Gonna miss that dancing’ machine.

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Coldworld's picture

April 10, 2021 at 09:12 am

At the 2019 Scouting Combine, Nijman measured 6-foot-6 7/8 and 324 pounds with 34-inch arms. He ran his 40 in 4.88 seconds with a elite 20-yard shuttle time of 4.50 seconds. A 9.8 RAS for those who care.

According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed one sack and 12 total pressures to rank 29th in its pass-protection metric among the 2019 draft class of tackles. But, “ “The guy hasn’t the slightest clue of how to play his position, especially as a run blocker,” a scout said before the 2019 draft when asked why Nijman wasn’t more highly regarded.” Per SI.com.

“ When you ask the “create a football player machine” to make an offensive tackle, it comes out looking like Nijman. A first off the bus player, Nijman looks the part and has physical traits he should be able to win with. With that said, Njman has substantial technical improvements needed to have a chance at the next level.” Thedraftnetwork.com

A former state champ shot putter, he came to football late. He actually started out in college as a DE, only converting in his first year. Hardly surprising he needs a long apprenticeship, but the fact is, he came out raw.

At the time there was a debate about whether VT really made an effort to train him technically or just let him dominate naturally, countered by suggestions that he wouldn’t take training. That probably made the difference between UDFA and late round flyer.

I find the fact that the Packers have kept him a cause for optimism regarding his ability to take training. Whether this year is too early, hard to tell. He had a long way to come but elite upside if he could. Looking forward to seeing him in camp.

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PeteK's picture

April 10, 2021 at 10:11 am

The third year will tell all. It's a fact that most O linemen need time to develop.

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Coldworld's picture

April 11, 2021 at 09:02 am

I’ve no idea about Nijman at this point, but if you are going to invest time, he’s a prototypical candidate and I reckoned it could take 3 years when we grabbed him. Pre season last year would have helped give some idea.

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Stroh's picture

April 10, 2021 at 11:17 pm

Gotta be kidding with the Nijman talk. He's nothing. OT is a HUGE need and a premium position. Bahktiari is out until mid season at the earliest, possibly the year. Big men take longer to recover from ACL injuries.

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Coldworld's picture

April 11, 2021 at 09:11 am

You have no idea whether he is something or nothing. None of us do. All we know is that he has been retained in the roster when cutting cost nothing.

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LambeauPlain's picture

April 10, 2021 at 08:35 am

The Packers drafted a 300 lb, 6.2" center with a wrestling background in the 7th round in 2004.

Scotty Wells.

Amazing how many good O lineman the Packers have found in later rounds.

That said, I would like another former wrestler drafted this year for the interior....Meinerz from UW Whitewater. Plus, he looks like he could be Baht's little brother.

Lineman with wrestling backgrounds have advantages due to excellent core strength and balance. Wells, Daniels, Kenny Clark...

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Coldworld's picture

April 10, 2021 at 09:22 am

Meinerz is intriguing as a late round prospect, but I’ve seen him discussed in the second round. I think he will get drafted too high after the Senior Bowl hype.

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LambeauPlain's picture

April 10, 2021 at 11:02 am

I have seen 2nd round too which seems high for a DIII center but part of that is due to him projected by scouts as a C in a small class, not a G where he would be a mid rounder. Most analysts don't even list Meinerz as a G.

He has the measurables, has played G very well, has great feet and blocks effectively run, pass and is a weight room warrior. And he has what Matt likes, OL versatility. No one is going to replace Linsley unless it is Jenks, but could Meinerz earn a starting spot as a rookie? I think so.

If he is still sitting on Gutey's board in the 3rd, I would draft him.

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