UA-59049186-1 2017 Top 10 NFL Centers - Good if it Goes

2017 Top 10 NFL Centers

1. Travis Frederick

Another year another first team all-pro selection for the leagues best center. What I like most about Frederick is the physicality he plays with which is why he is the best run blocking center in the NFL. He is also an elite pass blocker who has the strength to battle bigger interior defenders and the feet to move laterally and contain the quicker smaller ones.

2. Alex Mack

Mack has been one of the best centers in the league for sometime now but his last season in Cleveland during the 2015 season was a down year. However he found new life in 2016 with the Falcons as he was the best free agent pick up in the NFL. Mack was a huge reason why the Falcons offense took things up a notch in 2016. His run blocking was second only to Frederick and he did a nice job keeping Ryan protected all year.

3. Matt Paradis

Paradis is one of the best kept secrets in the NFL. The 2014 6th round pick got his first chance to start last season and was an above average player. However, he was a true breakout player in 2016 becoming one of the very best at his position.  He was top ranked center for 2016 by pro football focus grading system primarily due to his work in the running game. In line he was right there with Mack and Frederick as a run blocker, however he does not block quite as well as those guys on the second level.

4. Rodney Hudson

Hudson is a major reason why the Raiders offensive line is viewed by many as one of the best in the game today. He is the best pass blocking center in the league in large part due to his quick feet and instincts. His quickness also serves him well when blocking on the move as he is also one of the best in the game at blocking at the second level. Not quite elite run blocking inline but he is very good.

5. Cody Whitehair

Cody Whitehair is yet another rookie from the stellar 2016 class to break the top 10 at his position this year. Whitehair was fantastic for the Bears and a big reason why his rookie teammate Jordan Howard was able to finish second in the NFL in rushing. Of all the offensive lineman I evaluated from last years draft I thought Whitehair had the best tape and it showed when he got to the NFL. What stands out about him most is his athleticism. He may be the most athletic center in the NFL. He is tremendous blocking in space and making contact at the second level against superior athletes. His quickness also allows him to thrive as a pass blocker with the ability to size up and mirror opponents. Whitehair is so gifted he could probably play all five positions on the line. The belief was that he would play guard coming out of college but he moved to center out of necessity and never looked back. Just leave him there it works.

6. Brandon Linder

It has been an up and down career so far for Linder who had his best season yet in his third year as a pro. He also had a strong rookie campaign but took a step back last season in year two. He is one of the more balanced centers in the game providing quality blocking in both the run and pass game. He is one of the few offensive lineman graded by pro football focus that happened to have practically the same grade run blocking as he did pass blocking as a lot of lineman are usually significantly better at one or the other. He just needs to maintain this level of play next season and start to string together consecutive good seasons because that is what separates the greats.

7. Ben Jones

The Cowboys may have the best offensive line when healthy but their line was not healthy all season and thus the Titans received the highest grade as an offensive line unit for the 2016 by pro football focus. The play of their stellar tackles gets the most attention but its the steady hand at center Jones provides that really holds it all together. Jones came over in the offseason from the Texans and though he did not quite have the impact that Mack had for the Falcons I believe his experience of playing with a good O-line in Houston and his leadership was big for the Titans young group. Jones is not overly dominant but is pretty sound technically and makes really good decisions. He gets the job done both pass and run blocking.

8.  J.C. Tretter

Tretter had a very good season for the Packers and used it to cash in during free agency with a new deal that will send him to the Browns. He will start to turn things around immediately there if he can pass block there as well as he did in Green Bay. How the Packers were able to get so many quality pass blockers on one line is beyond me but they did. Though not quite as good as his pass blocking Tretter does run block well and is better blocking on the move than inline as moth finesse blockers are.

9. Max Unger

Unger looked a lot more comfortable in his second season in New Orleans and it showed in the results as he had the second best year of his career. He was one of the best pass blocking centers in the game which is why Brees was very comfortable and able to complete 70% of his passes. Unger has never been a great run blocker and 2016 was no different but he does his job in the running game and plays within the scheme not opting to do too much and when surrounded by the right teammates he can contribute to a great run game. He did it when Beastmode was at the height of his powers in Seattle and he did it again last year playing a part in Mark Ingram having the best year of his career.

10. Weston Richburg

Richburg had a down year compared to the high standards he set during his phenomenal 2015 season a year ago but he was still very productive in 2016. His pass blocking was as good as ever posting the highest pass blocking grade among centers in 2016 on pro football focus. However like his teammates the run blocking just was not there. Richburg was not a dominant run blocker last year but he was a lot more respectable. This season at times Richburg was a disaster in the running game like the Giants line as a whole. If he can play better in the ground game he can be a top five center in this league.

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