This is exactly what the NY Giants are hoping for. With John Michael Schmitz still on the board in the second round, the Big Blue faithful was over the moon when the star center fell to general manager Joe Schoen and head man Brian Daboll.
The Giants were in desperate need of a standout center for the future and that's exactly what they've been able to land in the former Minnesota hoss. So, how good can the young man be in his debut season for the G-Men?
The expectations are high. With that said, NFL.com Draft Analyst Chad Reuter thinks Schmitz has what it takes to be the real deal, as he has JMS as the center for his 2023 All-Offensive Rookie Team predictions.
John Michael Schmitz has high expectations for the Giants in 2023
""Schmitz is plugged into the middle of the Giants' line as a rookie, where I expect him to play for the next decade," wrote Reuter. "The sturdy pivot is effective in space and will lead the group up front to give quarterback Daniel Jones an opportunity to succeed.""NFL.com's Chad Reuter
The future sure is looking bright for Schmitz and the offense as a whole. Taken with the No. 57 overall pick, Schmitz knows there's going to be a lot of pressure on him to step in right away and man the center spot for Big Blue.
He and Daniel Jones were hard at work building their chemistry during the offseason program, which was great to see. There's definitely going to be plenty of ups and downs for Schmitz during his first year in East Rutherford, but offensive line coach Bobby Johnson is the right man for the job to help him out.
Johnson is closing in on 30 years of coaching experience. He, Daboll and Kafka will be ready to give Schmitz all the support he needs to grow on and off the field. We could look back on Schmitz being a spectacular pick for the G-Men. Reuter certainly thinks that will be the case.