Now I dont know much about the center position and they really dont talk about what the center does during the game unless he messes up with a snap etc ...
- so what makes him so good?
Even Rodgers was mentioned he is glad we drafted a pure center
- Hes a rookie ya?
- How about compared to tretter or wells?
- What does he do that centers dont normally?
- What is it that makes him a good center?
Originally Posted by: Dulak
I like to think of the center as the quarterback of the offensive line. While Rodgers is making his pre-snap reads, Linsley is as well. He is reading what the front 7 are doing and calling out who is blocking where as well as what he himself has to do. He has excelled in pretty much everything he has done up to this point, which is more than anything any one associated with the Packers could ask for.
When he was drafted, "experts" weren't high on him and he was known to be a project or even career backup. However, he came from a school with a good football program and through his 4 years there he had to play against some pretty good defenses. It helps that he also played the position throughout his college career because I believe that helps immensely with his transition into the pros. Compared to JC Tretter, Tretter started as a tight end and then transitioned to the tackle position after his 2nd year with Cornell (a smaller school). I just think that already having the ability to be able to read the defense as a center in college has a big advantage coming into the NFL from a different position and having to learn it all (for any position, really).
I don't think it is necessarily what he does that centers don't do, but how he has caught on and done so well at the position at such an early time in his career. He's had very little mistakes up to this point and two were noticeable because Rodgers went ape shit on him for one and the other was the ball flying past Rodgers. I do believe that playing in between Sitton and Lang has helped him very much as he continues to grow into the roll but even when Lang has been out, he still holds his own.
He finishes blocks, both run and pass.
He has very good double team abilities on run blocks and leaves or retains the block while the guard leaves very well.
He has the praise of his quarterback and linemen during his rookie season.
So far, seems like Ted Thompson has found himself a little gem from the 2014 draft.