2022 NFL Draft Preview: Offensive centers sleepers and Broncos fits
Apr 7, 2022, 6:38 AM
The Denver Broncos may be looking for a new quarterback – of the offensive line. The center position is arguably the most important position in the trenches, and the center is like the quarterback of the line as he makes all the calls and adjusts the blocking scheme based on the defensive front. This player needs to be in line with the guy he’s snapping the ball to – the actual quarterback – and be one of the smartest players on your team.
Lloyd Cushenberry, the projected starting center for the Broncos, is entering the third year of his pro career. The former third-round pick out of LSU is a player I had high hopes for when he came out of college. I gave him a late first-round grade, and I felt the Broncos got a value pick when they got him on Day 2 of the draft. I’m giving him another year to prove himself, but Cushenberry has not provided the value to the team I thought he would by this time. It does take time to adjust to the center position in the pros, and that’s why more patience – not much more but more – is needed with Cushenberry. However, the Broncos need to be prepared to move in a different direction if he doesn’t start playing up to his potential in 2022.
This class of centers has some interesting names to consider. The Broncos don’t pick until no.64 overall, the final pick in the second round, but they can get a quality player in the middle of the offensive line at that spot.
In this article, I will look at the market for the position. I will also write about sleepers at the center position and some players who could fit what the Broncos need in the 2022 NFL Draft.
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Market Watch
I’m going to take a look at the top three centers in this draft. One player is sure to be a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The other two players are going to be second-round picks, but perhaps one or both will be off the board by the time the Broncos pick at the end of the round.
Tyler Lindenbaum, from Iowa, is the best center in this draft. In fact, I have him graded as one of the 20 best players in this draft class. With how difficult it is to find a good center, I imagine that Lindenbaum will go in the first round.
Lindenbaum comes from one of the most run-heavy offenses in a Power 5 conference, so you’re getting a player who understands leverage, power and balance. His physical traits check all the boxes, as Lindenbaum plays with proper flexibility and strength for the center position. He has Vise Grips for hands, and Lindenbaum wins at the point of attack. A converted defensive tackle, Lindenbaum is tough and ready for the fight in the trenches.
Dylan Parham (Memphis) and Luke Fortner (Kentucky) are likely to be the next two guards off the board in this draft. Parham is a fantastic athlete who starred in football, basketball and track in high school. He was a linebacker and a tight end as a prep, but he switched to the offensive line and gained experience at Memphis at three positions up front. However, he never played at center – so any projection of him playing center takes a few steps to get there. He’s smart, tough and athletic – and that’s a good start. Most scouts in the NFL feel that center is his best pro position, so expect him to get the chance to prove himself there early in his pro career.
Fortner began his career as a guard for two seasons with the Wildcats. In 2021, Fortner was moved to center as the starter. He can be a driving force as a run-blocker and Fortner has the footwork to set up quickly when protecting the quarterback. He’s a smart and versatile player, but Fortner needs more experience and a better plan when facing delays and stunts in pass protection.
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Sleepers
Just like the guard position, sleepers at the center position are often players who have limited experience – and sometimes no experience – at the position. Last year, the Broncos selected Wisconsin-Whitewater OG/OC Quinn Meinerz, and even though he had never played center in a game they gave him reps at the position in camp in addition to his duties at guard. If the Broncos get a sleeper center, his path might be from another position to the middle of the line at the pro level.
I’m writing another draft preview and yet another Boston College player makes the cut. In my preview of the guards, I had Boston College’s Zion Johnson as one of the best at his position. In the sleeper section for centers, Alec Lindstrom gets the spotlight as a sleeper.
Lindstrom plays with a high football intelligence, a key for any successful center. He comes from a football family, and his older brother, Chris Lindstrom, was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2019 NFL Draft. He’s got almost flawless technique whether that’s run-blocking or pass-blocking. Lindstrom knows how to set his feet properly while timing his punch. In addition to his set, when Lindstrom is asked to combo block on the move, he hits moving targets with great impact. He’s a system-specific player who needs to go to a zone-blocking team.
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Broncos Fits
I like Cushenberry, but I do wish he was a little more physical at center. I like his intelligence level, but there are too many times his technique is broken down by an opponent. It’s a production-based business, and that’s why 2022 is a make-or-break season for Cushenberry. The Broncos are going to give veteran guard Graham Glasgow, who has starting experience at center, the chance to push Cushenberry in camp for the starting job. Glasgow could be the starting right guard, but Meinerz may win that spot and that could push Glasgow inside (or off the team). In addition to Glasgow, Cushenberry may have to compete with a rookie center as well.
There are five or so centers to really concentrate on in this draft class, so I’ve covered most of them in this article. We’ll see around that number drafted, and I can see another five or so picked up as priority free agents after the draft.
I think Lindstrom is the player the Broncos could draft at the position. He’s got the pedigree that teams want, he’s got the strength for the position, and (most importantly) the system the Broncos run is the one that fits him best.
Lindstrom is not position versatile, having never played anything but center during his time at Boston College. While he does not have the versatility of other players in this class, Lindstrom does have valuable experience and could at least be a depth player – and a valuable one. He also has experience as a long snapper which could help him get on board with the Broncos.
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