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New York Giants' John Michael Schmitz ranked among NFL's worst centers
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- New York Giants' John Michael Schmitz ranked among NFL's worst centers
New York Giants' John Michael Schmitz ranked among NFL's worst centers
New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. will enter a critical year in 2026.
Schmitz is an extremely talented big man despite an up-and-down start to his NFL career. The center has flashed his potential on numerous occasions over the past three seasons, but he has struggled to play at a consistently high level since being drafted in 2023.
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Schmitz was considered one of the top steals of the draft at the time. The former Minnesota star was listed as the top available center in the 2023 NFL draft, and the Giants landed the big man in the second round to the surprise of many.
Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron recently ranked each NFL team's starting center ahead of the 2026 campaign , and Schmitz was notably among the league's worst.
Although Schmitz is viewed as the incumbent for the Giants and not currently in danger of losing his status as the starter, that could change in the coming weeks or months under John Harbaugh's new regime. Across his three seasons in the NFL, Schmitz has yet to prove he's worthy of being the entrenched starter, having never surpassed a 62.0 overall PFF grade for a season. Coming into the final year of his contract, Schmitz will have to take a major step forward in 2026 to warrant an extension.
Schmitz started 13 games last season while missing a handful of matchups with various injuries. The center will need to prove himself in 2026, and his future in New York after this season will remain up in the air until further notice.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants' John Michael Schmitz ranked among NFL's worst centers
