Risen Star
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Steve Avila, TCU: 6-3, 332, RS senior, age 23
Steve Avila is South Grand Prairie’s own and a four-star recruit who kept it local and attended TCU. He served five seasons in Fort Worth and by the time things were said and done, he was a mainstay on the Big 12 All-Conference team with first-team appearances in 2021 and 2022 as well as an All-American team in ’22 when the Horned Frogs went on a run. He was a center until this past year when he took off after moving to guard.
Strengths: Avila plays with tremendous strength and is a man against boys in the interior. He can be a bully at times, has a huge frame and carries it well. He was a team leader, helped set the tone for the TCU offense and had experience and a disposition that was coveted. He gets displacement in the run and is aggressive to make a path. He is an absolute plug-and-play big man.
Concerns: As you would expect from someone more than 330 pounds, he may not be the quickest player in the world in pass protection, but looks like he can handle his business. It will be tough to recover if he only gets half-man and his feet may not always recover and compensate. But, if he wins with his feet, he is fine.
Overview: The overview is we have seen him hold his own very well against the best of the best and I have few concerns. His hands are solid and he handles his business well, even against Jalen Carter, who many think is the best player in this draft. This is a FIRST-SECOND ROUND grade for me.
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Cody Mauch, North Dakota State: 6-6, 303, RS senior age 24
Cody Mauch is one of those Minnesota kids who moves to North Dakota and becomes a target for FCS power North Dakota State, which has turned out some real NFL prospects recently. He arrived at ND State as a 221-pound walk-on tight end, so to see him now as a first-team All-American at left tackle is quite a study in five years of growth.
Strengths: He is an impressive prospect with the attitude and build for the part and versatility that really stands out. His best attribute is that his weight gain and transition to the O-line has not taken his athleticism as he moves as well as almost any offensive lineman you will discover. He seems to do everything well and plays with ferocity and edge for four quarters every week. I am a big fan.
Concerns: He is 24 years old and also plays at the FCS level, so we must concede that he hasn’t seen the pass-rush animals that he will face in the NFL. That hasn’t been a deal breaker for many, but it is a hurdle yet to jump. He also has very short arms that probably will make him play guard, like Alijah Vera Tucker a few years ago.
Overview: All things considered, I think he will be very strong in the NFL, but mostly as a guard right away. He is gritty and composed and gets to the second level like few others in this class. He exudes the disposition of a dude you would absolutely look to ride with into battle. FIRST-SECOND ROUND grade is an easy label for me to give. And no, he should not get fake teeth up front as that completes the look nicely.
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John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota: 6-3, 301, RS senior, age 24
John Michael Schmitz is one of two players on this list who followed a coach to a new locale, — he was committed to Western Michigan until head coach PJ Fleck took the Minnesota job. When that happened, Schmitz joined Fleck and has spent six seasons on his path to the NFL, using the bonus year that COVID-19 offered and turning it into a first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-American spot in 2022.
Strengths: He has played a lot of football and is a grown man. Fifty-seven games in six seasons will get you to that spot. He is mature and intelligent on every front, which you need from a center. He is remarkable in the running game and handles his business brilliantly. This is like signing a veteran, but on a rookie contract and he is able to seal guys off on zone runs at a level that is exceptional. You are getting a real player here. His hands are fantastic.
Concerns: He has age and miles on his odometer, but with offensive linemen, we almost see that as a plus, rather than a minus. Also, he is not considered to be anything close to an exceptional athlete. But, again, at center, how much of that will be an issue?
Overview: Schmitz is a high floor prospect because we know most of the elements and how it will take to the NFL. His Senior Bowl answered any questions and it is tough to say he isn’t a first-rounder. I am going to put him on a FIRST-SECOND ROUND because at center, that is probably as high as I would ever go, but he seems like a sure thing.
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Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin: 6-6, 313, RS junior, age 22
Joe Tippmann took a slow path at Wisconsin in development after being Indiana’s Mr. Football in 2018. He redshirted in 2019 and barely played in 2020. But his work in the middle of that line in the past two seasons after an apprenticeship under current Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz prepared him for impressive work for the Badgers.
Strengths: He is a real move athlete who gets to the second level and is able to pull into space like a champ. He can easily play guard and finishes as everyone wants from their guys up front. Also plays with a tackle-type body and while he is not going to be great in isolation, we believe he has a chance to develop into what the league currently looks for — movers in space. He is reliable in pass protection. Has a nasty attitude at times and that is a strength.
Concerns: I had issues with Tippmann’s work against 30 fronts with a nose tackle right on top of him and he needs to continue to improve his anchor. He is tall and at a position where we never see anything close to 6-6 and he will have to prove that he can still win in the trenches with leverage against some bowling balls up front.
Overview: I think he is still developing and has excellent versatility where he should be good at any of the three interior spots, but the question would be if he is excellent at one of them. I have issues with getting pushed back and for that reason. I would be more comfortable as a SECOND-THIRD ROUND pick.
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O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida: 6-5, 347, senior, age 23
O’Cyrus Torrence started for three years at Louisiana and was an All-Sun Belt Conference performer when his head coach Billy Napier took the job at Florida. Torrence joined his coach in Gainesville, Fla., and immediately earned All-SEC and All-American honors in his only year there. He was one of the big talks of the Senior Bowl and is squarely in the mix of this draft’s featured players.
Strengths: One of the biggest strengths had to be that he joined the best conference in America after being great at a mid-major and lost nothing in that translation. He has easy power and is a massive man who is as steady as can be. He has huge hands and knows how to use them to lock up his man with incredible effectiveness. He hulk smashes in the run game and his pass-pro mirroring ability is solid. So strong.
Concerns: There isn’t much here, but the quickness of his feet and the ability to recover will be in some doubt against the dancing bears of the NFL. He sometimes looks so casual due to the ease things come to him that he might actually need to ramp up his urgency. Also, on downfield blocks, he can get over his skis with balance and lunging, but this all seems minor.
Overview: There is next to nothing here that would chase me off the biggest guard you can imagine who seems to have few times when he looks outmatched. His quickness is not elite, so that would keep him from being in the top tier, but if he is the best in class, I’d submit. FIRST-SECOND ROUND grade and probably works into the back of Round 1.
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Luke Wypler, Ohio State: 6-3, 303, RS sophomore, age 21
Luke Wypler is the youngest player on our list and one who sat almost his entire rookie season. He has been the Buckeyes’ starting center the past two years and declared for the draft. He was a four-star recruit from New Jersey and started 26 consecutive contests. He was third-team All-Big Ten as a junior.
Strengths: He is fundamentally sound and has interesting traits that should develop nicely. He is solid and does many things well, and seems to possess the upper body grappling skills that indicate a background in wrestling. When you watch him seal off on a reach block on outside zone, you can see his ceiling is pretty high and that he has all the feel for pass protection and the line calls you want from the center of your offensive line.
Concerns: The issues are probably based on his body and whether it will continue to be enough for him in the NFL, especially against 30 fronts. His arm length is very short and his anchor and defenses against getting walked back make him a bull-rush target in the NFL. In other words, he is a bit of a projection who still has development in front of him — which we would expect from a 21-year-old.
Overview: He reminds me of someone like Biadasz, which means he is solid, but the questions of how much that is worth is in the eye of the beholder. When looking for draft-day value, there are too many plug-and-play guys in front of him unless a team prefers a projection. I would put him on a THIRD ROUND grade and stack him accordingly.
Steve Avila is South Grand Prairie’s own and a four-star recruit who kept it local and attended TCU. He served five seasons in Fort Worth and by the time things were said and done, he was a mainstay on the Big 12 All-Conference team with first-team appearances in 2021 and 2022 as well as an All-American team in ’22 when the Horned Frogs went on a run. He was a center until this past year when he took off after moving to guard.
Strengths: Avila plays with tremendous strength and is a man against boys in the interior. He can be a bully at times, has a huge frame and carries it well. He was a team leader, helped set the tone for the TCU offense and had experience and a disposition that was coveted. He gets displacement in the run and is aggressive to make a path. He is an absolute plug-and-play big man.
Concerns: As you would expect from someone more than 330 pounds, he may not be the quickest player in the world in pass protection, but looks like he can handle his business. It will be tough to recover if he only gets half-man and his feet may not always recover and compensate. But, if he wins with his feet, he is fine.
Overview: The overview is we have seen him hold his own very well against the best of the best and I have few concerns. His hands are solid and he handles his business well, even against Jalen Carter, who many think is the best player in this draft. This is a FIRST-SECOND ROUND grade for me.
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Cody Mauch, North Dakota State: 6-6, 303, RS senior age 24
Cody Mauch is one of those Minnesota kids who moves to North Dakota and becomes a target for FCS power North Dakota State, which has turned out some real NFL prospects recently. He arrived at ND State as a 221-pound walk-on tight end, so to see him now as a first-team All-American at left tackle is quite a study in five years of growth.
Strengths: He is an impressive prospect with the attitude and build for the part and versatility that really stands out. His best attribute is that his weight gain and transition to the O-line has not taken his athleticism as he moves as well as almost any offensive lineman you will discover. He seems to do everything well and plays with ferocity and edge for four quarters every week. I am a big fan.
Concerns: He is 24 years old and also plays at the FCS level, so we must concede that he hasn’t seen the pass-rush animals that he will face in the NFL. That hasn’t been a deal breaker for many, but it is a hurdle yet to jump. He also has very short arms that probably will make him play guard, like Alijah Vera Tucker a few years ago.
Overview: All things considered, I think he will be very strong in the NFL, but mostly as a guard right away. He is gritty and composed and gets to the second level like few others in this class. He exudes the disposition of a dude you would absolutely look to ride with into battle. FIRST-SECOND ROUND grade is an easy label for me to give. And no, he should not get fake teeth up front as that completes the look nicely.
-
John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota: 6-3, 301, RS senior, age 24
John Michael Schmitz is one of two players on this list who followed a coach to a new locale, — he was committed to Western Michigan until head coach PJ Fleck took the Minnesota job. When that happened, Schmitz joined Fleck and has spent six seasons on his path to the NFL, using the bonus year that COVID-19 offered and turning it into a first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-American spot in 2022.
Strengths: He has played a lot of football and is a grown man. Fifty-seven games in six seasons will get you to that spot. He is mature and intelligent on every front, which you need from a center. He is remarkable in the running game and handles his business brilliantly. This is like signing a veteran, but on a rookie contract and he is able to seal guys off on zone runs at a level that is exceptional. You are getting a real player here. His hands are fantastic.
Concerns: He has age and miles on his odometer, but with offensive linemen, we almost see that as a plus, rather than a minus. Also, he is not considered to be anything close to an exceptional athlete. But, again, at center, how much of that will be an issue?
Overview: Schmitz is a high floor prospect because we know most of the elements and how it will take to the NFL. His Senior Bowl answered any questions and it is tough to say he isn’t a first-rounder. I am going to put him on a FIRST-SECOND ROUND because at center, that is probably as high as I would ever go, but he seems like a sure thing.
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Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin: 6-6, 313, RS junior, age 22
Joe Tippmann took a slow path at Wisconsin in development after being Indiana’s Mr. Football in 2018. He redshirted in 2019 and barely played in 2020. But his work in the middle of that line in the past two seasons after an apprenticeship under current Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz prepared him for impressive work for the Badgers.
Strengths: He is a real move athlete who gets to the second level and is able to pull into space like a champ. He can easily play guard and finishes as everyone wants from their guys up front. Also plays with a tackle-type body and while he is not going to be great in isolation, we believe he has a chance to develop into what the league currently looks for — movers in space. He is reliable in pass protection. Has a nasty attitude at times and that is a strength.
Concerns: I had issues with Tippmann’s work against 30 fronts with a nose tackle right on top of him and he needs to continue to improve his anchor. He is tall and at a position where we never see anything close to 6-6 and he will have to prove that he can still win in the trenches with leverage against some bowling balls up front.
Overview: I think he is still developing and has excellent versatility where he should be good at any of the three interior spots, but the question would be if he is excellent at one of them. I have issues with getting pushed back and for that reason. I would be more comfortable as a SECOND-THIRD ROUND pick.
-
O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida: 6-5, 347, senior, age 23
O’Cyrus Torrence started for three years at Louisiana and was an All-Sun Belt Conference performer when his head coach Billy Napier took the job at Florida. Torrence joined his coach in Gainesville, Fla., and immediately earned All-SEC and All-American honors in his only year there. He was one of the big talks of the Senior Bowl and is squarely in the mix of this draft’s featured players.
Strengths: One of the biggest strengths had to be that he joined the best conference in America after being great at a mid-major and lost nothing in that translation. He has easy power and is a massive man who is as steady as can be. He has huge hands and knows how to use them to lock up his man with incredible effectiveness. He hulk smashes in the run game and his pass-pro mirroring ability is solid. So strong.
Concerns: There isn’t much here, but the quickness of his feet and the ability to recover will be in some doubt against the dancing bears of the NFL. He sometimes looks so casual due to the ease things come to him that he might actually need to ramp up his urgency. Also, on downfield blocks, he can get over his skis with balance and lunging, but this all seems minor.
Overview: There is next to nothing here that would chase me off the biggest guard you can imagine who seems to have few times when he looks outmatched. His quickness is not elite, so that would keep him from being in the top tier, but if he is the best in class, I’d submit. FIRST-SECOND ROUND grade and probably works into the back of Round 1.
-
Luke Wypler, Ohio State: 6-3, 303, RS sophomore, age 21
Luke Wypler is the youngest player on our list and one who sat almost his entire rookie season. He has been the Buckeyes’ starting center the past two years and declared for the draft. He was a four-star recruit from New Jersey and started 26 consecutive contests. He was third-team All-Big Ten as a junior.
Strengths: He is fundamentally sound and has interesting traits that should develop nicely. He is solid and does many things well, and seems to possess the upper body grappling skills that indicate a background in wrestling. When you watch him seal off on a reach block on outside zone, you can see his ceiling is pretty high and that he has all the feel for pass protection and the line calls you want from the center of your offensive line.
Concerns: The issues are probably based on his body and whether it will continue to be enough for him in the NFL, especially against 30 fronts. His arm length is very short and his anchor and defenses against getting walked back make him a bull-rush target in the NFL. In other words, he is a bit of a projection who still has development in front of him — which we would expect from a 21-year-old.
Overview: He reminds me of someone like Biadasz, which means he is solid, but the questions of how much that is worth is in the eye of the beholder. When looking for draft-day value, there are too many plug-and-play guys in front of him unless a team prefers a projection. I would put him on a THIRD ROUND grade and stack him accordingly.
