PFF selects John Michael Schmitz as Giants’ 2024 breakout player

After a rollercoaster rookie season, New York Giants second-year center John Michael Schmitz aims to progress in his sophomore year.

Pro Football Focus designated Schmitz as the Giants’ breakout player for the 2024 NFL season. The list included 16 players from each NFC team.

PFF says:

There’s really nowhere to go but up for Schmitz after a thoroughly disappointing first season, in which he posted a 41.4 overall grade and a 26.9 pass-blocking grade as a rookie. If you’re looking for solace, his run-blocking grade was a bit better (51.3), and it’s worth noting that eight of his 30 pressures allowed came in Week 18.

Schmitz, a First-Team All-American from Minnesota, was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Giants and was named the starting center in Week 1.

As a rookie, Schmitz sat out three games due to a shoulder injury and another game due to a shin issue.

Despite growing pains during his rookie year, Schmitz allowed just five sacks in 484 pass-blocking snaps.

In January, the Giants hired Carmen Bricillo, the former offensive line coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Bricillo coached starting center Andre James to a breakout season, during which James allowed just four sacks and 18 pressures in 583 pass-blocking snaps in 2023.

Perhaps the change in position coaches could provide Schmitz with similar results in 2024.