Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Center
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wv.
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March 30, 2019 at 8:31 pm #99481
znModeratorI’ve read where various Rams fans wonder if Allen can play at his size. Well his size is not rare among NFL centers. He is listed at 6’2″ 303. Compared to guards and tackles that might be “small,” but not compared to a lot of other NFL centers.
Jason Kelce, the Eagles’s first rate center, is listed at 6’3″ 295.
Corey Linsley, the Packers’s first rate center, is listed at 6’3 301
Rodney Hudson, first rate center for the Chiefs then the Raiders, is listed at 6’2″ 300.Those are 3 of the best in the game, they say. There’s more.
David Andrews, the Patz center, is 6’3 300.
Pat Elfein, the Vikes center, is 6’3 303.
Ryan Kalil, the Panthers center, is 6’2 300.6 is enough to make the point so I stopped looking. You’re right–being that size is just not rare at center.
Can Allen play? Stay tuned. But if he can’t, it won’t be because of size.
What about Kromer’s centers? How have they done?
In N.O. he inherited Goodwin, who became an pro-bowler for the first time in 2009, when AK took over the OL. Goodwin was replaced in 2011 by bounce-around UDFA De La Puente, who played well for the Saints before following AK to Chicago. Before AK, De La Puente had been on 4 teams going back to when he was a UDFA in 2008. AK’s first year in Chicago, AK inherited Garza, who had his best year as a pro when AK came in (2013). AK then inherited Eric Wood in Buffalo when he went there in 2015. That year was, you guessed it, Wood’s best and his first pro-bowl year.
Every one of AK’s inherited centers played better when he took over that team’s OL–or in the case of De La Puente, when he finally got a chance to start under AK after Goodwin left.
Those 4 guys–Goodwin, Garza, De La Puente, Wood–include one 1st rounder among them (Wood obviously). The others were originally a 4th rounder, a 5th rounder, and a UDFA.
To pick up on a different point that came up before, 2 of those AK centers btw were Allen’s size and weight. 2 of them were 6-7 pounds heavier and an inch or 2 taller. Made no difference, they all played well for AK. Allen’s size is just not unusual for an NFL center.
March 30, 2019 at 8:44 pm #99482
JackPMillerParticipantWho cares about the size of the Center. But when the size of your Center and one of your Guards are hovering the 300 pound mark, going against a much bigger NT, like Eddie Goldman(Bears), Fletcher Cox(Eagles), and Danny Shelton(Patriots) the OLine will always have problems.
March 30, 2019 at 8:51 pm #99483znModeratorWho cares about the size of the Center. But when the size of your Center and one of your Guards are hovering the 300 pound mark, going against a much bigger NT, like Eddie Goldman(Bears), Fletcher Cox(Eagles), and Danny Shelton(Patriots) the OLine will always have problems.
I think Blythe has some issues with the better DTs and I don’t think he would improve at that if he were bigger.
IF Allen starts it will be because he’s better than Sullivan, so half of that problem is solved (ie. again if Allen can play, it is).
March 31, 2019 at 4:00 pm #99504wvParticipantAs usual (going back to the Mack draft) I am in favor of drafting a Center with the number one pick. If there’s a cant-miss prospect ie.
To me having a great center is like having a great DT.
w
vMarch 31, 2019 at 5:14 pm #99506JackPMillerParticipantAs usual (going back to the Mack draft) I am in favor of drafting a Center with the number one pick. If there’s a cant-miss prospect ie.
To me having a great center is like having a great DT.
w
vI’m shocked. I thought you love Long Snappers? I was thinking you would come in here, and say everyone of our picks should go to a Long Snapper. That has always been the old wv way of thinking.
April 1, 2019 at 9:59 am #99520
snowmanParticipantAllen’s combine scouting report lists him at 6′ 1″, but his arm length is 32 & 3/8 inches. That’s longer than Blythe (30 & 1/4) and comparable to Jason Kelse (32 & 1/2), Corey Linsley (32 inches even) and Rodney Hudson (32 & 1/2).
His height will likely limit him to center only, but his arm length is right there with the other centers. Maybe that’s more important than his height?
April 1, 2019 at 11:26 am #99526znModeratorAs usual (going back to the Mack draft) I am in favor of drafting a Center with the number one pick. If there’s a cant-miss prospect ie.
To me having a great center is like having a great DT.
w
vIf they think they have a center in Allen, why would they draft one high?
As I say in the first post in this thread, Kromer has a long and very good record with centers. So I would trust that. If they don’t think Allen can do it, they will draft one (and probably not high in the draft). If they don’t draft one it’s because a top OL coach who has a good record coaching centers believes in Allen.
Mack wasn’t the best center over the last few years. If you listed the best 10 centers who played over the last decade, at best 2 would be first round picks. You don’t need a 1st round pick to have a good center.
April 1, 2019 at 11:27 am #99527
HramParticipantI believe arm length and functional strength (as well as smarts and nimble feet) are more important than height and weight, particularly at center.
The rams are taking risk at their oline imo, more than any other position group. I’m sure they have a plan to promote from within, draft and pickup folks late in free agency.
April 1, 2019 at 11:29 am #99528znModeratorAllen’s combine scouting report lists him at 6′ 1″, but his arm length is 32 & 3/8 inches. That’s longer than Blythe (30 & 1/4) and comparable to Jason Kelse (32 & 1/2), Corey Linsley (32 inches even) and Rodney Hudson (32 & 1/2).
His height will likely limit him to center only, but his arm length is right there with the other centers. Maybe that’s more important than his height?
And on top of it every center in the league listed at 6’2 is probably really 6’1. That would include top guys like Kelce etc.
Size is not an issue with Allen. It just isn’t. There are good (and in fact top) centers in the league who play at Allen’s size, and 2 of Kromer’s 4 centers going back to when he was the OL coach in New Orleans are Allen’s size. Kromer has been there and done that.
Blythe being an issue does not make Allen an issue.
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April 2, 2019 at 1:24 am #99547
ZooeyParticipantAs usual (going back to the Mack draft) I am in favor of drafting a Center with the number one pick. If there’s a cant-miss prospect ie.
To me having a great center is like having a great DT.
w
vI have been whining about a Center forever. I don’t think he has to be a first rounder (or she), but I think he has to be good. I have no idea if Allen is any good. Nobody does. But a good Center is important. And the gooder he is, the gooder.
April 2, 2019 at 1:35 am #99548JackPMillerParticipantAs usual (going back to the Mack draft) I am in favor of drafting a Center with the number one pick. If there’s a cant-miss prospect ie.
To me having a great center is like having a great DT.
w
vI have been whining about a Center forever. I don’t think he has to be a first rounder (or she), but I think he has to be good. I have no idea if Allen is any good. Nobody does. But a good Center is important. And the gooder he is, the gooder.
I’m OK with Allen at C, but I want a big RG.
April 2, 2019 at 11:03 am #99601wvParticipantAs usual (going back to the Mack draft) I am in favor of drafting a Center with the number one pick. If there’s a cant-miss prospect ie.
To me having a great center is like having a great DT.
w
vIf they think they have a center in Allen, why would they draft one high?
As I say in the first post in this thread, Kromer has a long and very good record with centers. So I would trust that. If they don’t think Allen can do it, they will draft one (and probably not high in the draft). If they don’t draft one it’s because a top OL coach who has a good record coaching centers believes in Allen.
Mack wasn’t the best center over the last few years. If you listed the best 10 centers who played over the last decade, at best 2 would be first round picks. You don’t need a 1st round pick to have a good center.
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If they think Allen is a top center then sure, but I’m saying I think center is the number one priority (to me). Its not arm length or weight or that stuff either — its ‘football intelligence.’ A great center has be intelligent and be able to handle all them calls and cues and football IQ things.
Seems like the OLine kinda cracked a bit in the later stages of the season (other than the cowboy game).
For me center is a higher priority than pass rusher or safety or cb or lb.
w
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