2019 NFL Draft Prospects: Centers

By Charlie Campbell.
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The top 2019 Center prospects available for the 2019 NFL Draft. * – denotes 2020 prospect. ** – denotes 2021 prospect.

This page was last updated April 24, 2019. Follow Walter @walterfootball for updates.

1. Erik McCoy*, C/G, Texas A&M
   Height: 6-3. Weight: 303. Arm: 32.63. Hand: 9.25.
   40 Time: 4.89. 10-Yd: 1.72. Three Cone: 8.28.
   Bench: 29. Vertical: 31. Broad: 8-11.
   Projected Round (2019): 1-2.
   4/24/19: In surveying team sources, McCoy was mentioned as a player who enjoyed a steady rise during the draft meetings. Veteran coaches have been really impressed with McCoy and how assignment sound he is. With his high football I.Q., McCoy doesn’t give coaches the typical concerns that come with rookies. McCoy also was a star of the pre-draft workouts, and team sources believe that he could be a pick in the back half of the first round and should not last long if he slips to Round 2. Some evaluators have McCoy graded higher than where they had Billy Price and Frank Ragnow last year.
   
   At the NFL Scouting Combine, McCoy was phenomenal with a great workout, a freaky 40 time, and a good round of interviews. McCoy played well for Texas A&M and decided to skip his senior year to enter the 2019 NFL Draft. He could be a plug-and-play starter at guard or center. It would be ideal for him get more powerful, but McCoy has a lot of good tape, including his performances against Clemson and Alabama last year.
   
   McCoy has strong hands and is able to control defenders when he latches on them. He has decent feel and awareness, plus is athletic. McCoy shows a nice ability to hit blocks on the perimeter, at the second level, and in the open field. In the ground game, McCoy is not a powerful pile mover and does not generate a lot of movement in the run game. Hence, he should add more functional strength for the NFL.
   
   8/28/18: McCoy started at guard and center for the Aggies during the 2017 season after being the starter at center during his freshman year. McCoy has good size to him, and his run blocking is ahead of his pass protection. For the NFL, he could fit as a guard or a center.





2. Garrett Bradbury, C, N.C. State
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 306. Arm: 32.50. Hand: 10.63.
   40 Time: 4.92. 10-Yd: 1.74. Three Cone: 7.41.
   Bench: 34. Vertical: 31. Broad: 8-8.
   Projected Round (2019): 1-2.
   4/24/19: At the Senior Bowl, Bradbury had a solid week of practice. Bradbury continued his strong postseason with a good combine performance. He showed his quickness and athleticism in Indianapolis. There are some projections of Bradbury being a first-round pick, and he shouldn’t get out of Round 2.
   
   Bradbury’s top traits are his athleticism and quickness at the point of attack. He is agile to get to spots with the athletic ability to put himself in position to hit blocks that other centers are unable to do. In pass protection, that athleticism comes through with him being an asset to execute double teams or pick up blitzes. Bradbury is an intelligent blocker with good technique. He plays with nice leverage and can anchor against some bull rushes.
   
   Bradbury is a quick center who is athletic at the point of attack. He has steadily added weight since playing tight end in high school and could be a second-day pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Bradbury broke into the starting lineup as a redshirt sophomore. In 2017, he had a good season protecting Ryan Finley and opening holes for Nyiem Hines and Jaylen Samuels.



3. Elgton Jenkins, C, Mississippi State
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 310. Arm: 34.25. Hand: 10.00.
   Projected 40 Time: 5.05. Three Cone: 7.77.
   Bench: 29. Vertical: 28. Broad: 9-1.
   Projected Round (2019): 1-3.
   4/24/19: Team sources told me they have graded Jenkins in the second round, and he looks like a potential plug-and-play starter in the NFL. Other teams are not as high on Jenkins. He was a steady blocker in the middle of the Mississippi State offensive line in 2018, and his strong play earned him an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Jenkins put together a solid week in Mobile.
   
   At the point of attack, Jenkins is quick to the second level and does a nice job of beating defenders to a spot to wall them off. He is quick, agile, and athletic on the inside with the ability to fire to the second level. Jenkins is very effective at double-team combo blocks with guards and is reliable to get gaps open with his double-team skills. In pass protection, Jenkins has a good anchor with the size to handle bull rushes. He may not grade out as a first-round pick, but he could be a good second-day selection who is a plug-and-play starter in the NFL.
   
   8/28/18: According to NFL teams’ preseason data provided by team sources, Jenkins checks in at 6-foot-4, 304 pounds. He is said to run the 40 in a quick 5.05 seconds. His arms measure at 34.25 inches, his hands at 10.13 inches, and his wing span at 83.38 inches.
   
   Jenkins is a athletic and quick interior blocker who has been very impressive for the Bulldogs over the past two seasons. Sources who have done some advance work for the 2019 NFL Draft say that Jenkins has impressed them and possesses early-round potential. Jenkins has good size to be a starting center in the NFL, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the change in offense under the new Mississippi State coaching staff.



4. Michael Jordan*, C/G, Ohio State
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 312. Arm: 34.25. Hand: 10.00.
   40 Time: 5.27. 10-Yd: 1.86. Three Cone: 7.71.
   Bench: 19. Vertical: 32.5. Broad: 9-8.
   Projected Round (2019): 2-3.
   4/24/19: Jordan moved to center in 2018 and proved to be a good starter there, which really improves his value for the NFL. In speaking with sources, they see Jordan as a potential second-day pick. Some scouts who were through Ohio State told me that they thought that Jordan was unlikely to enter the 2019 NFL Draft, but after the season, he announced he was skipping his senior year instead.
   
   8/28/18: According to NFL teams’ preseason data provided by team sources, Jordan checks in at 6-foot-6, 312 pounds. He is said to run the 40 in 5.20 seconds. His arms measure at 34.63 inches, his hands at 10.25 inches, and his wing span at 84 inches. He has excellent size and length for guard, and his measureables would fit as a tackle.
   
   Jordan broke into the starting lineup as a freshman at guard and showed improvement in 2017 as a sophomore. Jordan should keep up the recent tradition of early-round interior line prospects from Ohio State. He has good size to go with strength and athleticism. After gaining experience and developing, Jordan could dominate as a junior and senior to become an early-round pick in his draft class.





5. Connor McGovern, C/G, Penn State
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 308. Arm: 34.13. Hand: 9.88.
   Projected 40 Time: 5.31. Three Cone: 7.66.
   Bench: 28. Broad: 9-4.
   Projected Round (2019): 3-5.
   4/24/19: McGovern played well for Penn State in 2018. He has the flexibility to play guard or center in the NFL. His run blocking is ahead of his pass protection. At the combine, McGovern interviewed well, but did not run the 40.
   
   8/28/18: McGovern was a quality run blocker for Penn State in 2017, helping to open a lot of holes for Saquon Barkley. In pass protection, McGovern was generally a reliable protector for Trace McSorley. McGovern has good height and length to him. It would help him to get stronger for the NFL.



6. Ross Pierschbacher, C/G, Alabama
   Height: 6-3. Weight: 307. Arm: 33.25. Hand: 9.50.
   40 Time: 5.20. 10-Yd: 1.85. Three Cone: 7.83.
   Bench: 20. Vertical: 22.5.
   Projected Round (2019): 4-6.
   4/24/19: Pierschbacher blocked well for Alabama in 2018. He is quality run blocker and reliable pass protector, but has some limitations for the NFL. Sources are lukewarm on Pierschbacher and see him as a mid-rounder.
   
   8/28/18: According to NFL teams’ preseason data provided by team sources, Pierschbacher checks in at 6-foot-3, 297 pounds. He is said to run the 40 in 5.34 seconds. His measurements include 32.53-inch arms, 9.88-inch hands, and an 80-inch wing span.
   
   Pierschbacher started at left guard and blocked well for Alabama in 2017. He is a tough run blocker who opened a lot of holes for Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs and Jalen Hurts in 2016. Pierschbacher has played left guard and center for the Crimson Tide. He is a plus run blocker and should continue to improve as a pass protector. With Bradley Bozeman moving on to the NFL, Pierschbacher will probably move to center as a senior.



7. Sean Rawlings, C/OT, Ole Miss
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 294.
   Projected 40 Time: 5.20.
   Projected Round (2019): 6-FA.
   4/24/19: Rawlings opened the season well against Texas Tech, although he was banged up for a lot of the year. The senior started at center in 2018, and that is probably his best fit for the NFL.
   
   8/28/18: Rawlings has mostly played right tackle during his career at Ole Miss with some time at center. For the NFL, he is going to need to get stronger and add weight to his frame. Rawlings could be a candidate to be a backup tackle, guard or center as a late-round pick.





8. Sam Mustipher, C, Notre Dame
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 305.
   Projected 40 Time: 5.20.
   Projected Round (2019): 6-FA.
   4/24/19: Mustipher played well for Notre Dame in his college career, but he has some size and length limitations for the NFL. He could be limited to being a backup center.
   
   8/28/18: Mustipher would be rated higher if he were taller and had more length. As it stands, his size limits in how he will get graded. That being said, Mustipher played well and was an impressive blocker for Notre Dame in 2017. He opened a lot of holes in the ground game and was steady in pass protection.



9. Alec Eberle, C, Florida State
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 300.
   Projected 40 Time: 5.11.
   Projected Round (2019): 6-FA.
   4/24/19: The Florida State offensive line struggled all year and Eberle was no exception.
   
   8/28/18: Eberle and the Florida State offensive line had problems in many games during the 2017 season. They struggled to open holes in the ground game, plus allowed a ton of hits on the quarterback.
   
   Eberle was a rock on the inside of the offensive line for the Seminoles in 2016 with an impressive sophomore campaign. He opened holes for Dalvin Cook and was generally reliable in pass protection. It was his first season as a full-time starter, so Eberle could be even better as a junior in 2017. As a redshirt freshman in 2015, he started at center for the last six games of the season.



10. Jesse Burkett, C, Stanford
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 302.
    Projected 40 Time: 5.20.
    Projected Round (2019): 6-FA.
    4/24/19: Burkett really struggled against Notre Dame, and that exposed some problems for the next level. He needs to get stronger for the NFL.
    
    8/28/18: Burkett has played well for Stanford, showing a nice combination of skills. He has some size and athleticism to him, possessing the ability to get to the second level. He was a good pass protecter and opened a lot of holes for Bryce Love in 2017. Burkett is a smart blocker.





11. Sean Krepsz, C/G, Nevada
    Height: 6-5. Weight: 325.
    Projected 40 Time: 5.50.
    Projected Round (2019): 6-FA.
    4/24/19: Krepsz missed some time early in the 2018 season with an elbow injury. He probably will be an undrafted free agent.
    
    8/28/18: Krepsz is a 3-year starter for Nevada and has been a solid center. His reliable play at center landed him on the Rimington watch lists in the spring and fall during the 2017 season. Krepsz is big for a center, and his body type would fit well at guard as well.



12. Jared Weyler, C/G, Minnesota
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 296.
    Projected 40 Time: 5.22.
    Projected Round (2019): 7-FA.
    4/24/19: Weyler was unimpressive against New Mexico State and looks like a late-round or undrafted free agent.
    
    8/28/18: Weyler has played well for Minnesota at times, but he also has missed a lot of games with injuries over the past couple of years. Weyler needs to gain weight for the NFL and stay healthy as a senior to have a shot at getting drafted.

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