John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmitz

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About 35 friends and family are expected to join Schmitz at the house to see the All-America center drafted, which could happen as early as Thursday night's first round. The milestone is just the latest for a 24-year-old mauler whose commitment to family and football has been as unwavering as a smile that earned him the nickname "Cheesy."
Schmitz has plenty of reasons to smile. He could be the first Gophers offensive lineman drafted within the first three rounds since 1989.
"Thinking about the journey and how far I've come," said Schmitz, a former three-star recruit. "I've been playing this game since I was five years old. Just looking back at that, seeing where I am now — it's special."
https://www.startribune.com/john-michael-scmitz-nfl-draft-first-round-pick-minnesota-gophers-center/600269594/

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Schmitz's patience was rewarded in starting 32 of his final 33 games, beginning with the Gophers' 2020 Outback Bowl win over Auburn. He steadily improved through three seasons, preparing for Big Ten defenses with copious notes in a way that reminded Andries of former Gophers center Jared Weyler, who started ahead of Schmitz in 2017 and 2018.

"The way he studies and takes notes, he did it better than anyone," Andries said of Schmitz. "We actually probably [teased] him too much about it."
Andries has described Schmitz to NFL scouts as a "Tasmanian devil" in terms of his relentless effort. Fleck called him "one of the toughest" players he's coached. Running back Mohamed Ibrahim also praised Schmitz's doggedness.
"A dominating performer," Ibrahim said. "He never quits on a play. He's always finishing the play. He's always driving people out of bounds, finishing them to the ground.
"Schmitz's nasty on-field demeanor is juxtaposed with the gentle giant who generates glowing responses from teammates and former coaches. Like Ibrahim when he found out Schmitz was his roommate in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine.
"It brightened up my whole day," Ibrahim said. "He always has the same energy, a high-energy type of guy."
The NFL draft process has tested Schmitz nearly every way. He drew strong reviews after a week of all-star practices in the Senior Bowl. He underwent physical, medical and psychological testing at the combine. He ran drills for Vikings and Giants offensive line coaches at the Gophers' pro day in March.
Schmitz said he had formal combine interviews with at least seven teams, including the Seahawks, Cowboys, Dolphins, and Commanders. He went to the Steelers and Jets headquarters for top-30 visits this spring. The Jets — currently with picks No. 13, No. 42 and No. 43 before an Aaron Rodgers trade — came to Minnesota for an additional private workout with him.
The Training Haus in Eagan has been Schmitz's pre-draft prep area, where he's worked with former Vikings linemen Jeremiah Sirles, his agent, and Alex Boone, one of his trainers. Schmitz said he's learned from their NFL experiences about O-line technique, nutrition, recovery, workout habits and film study.
"What we need to get better at and the little details," Schmitz said. "Going through plays, formations, and how teams work."
According to draft analysts, Wisconsin's 6-foot-6-inch Joe Tippmann is the only other center regarded as a possible first-round pick like Schmitz. Tippmann was ranked over Schmitz by ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, who said the gap is small between the two blockers.
"[Schmitz] is tough to beat," McShay said. "He is strong. He's got that wrestling leverage to him. To me, he's a plug-and-play starter."
Those close to Schmitz don't limit his ceiling.
"He's surrounded himself with the right people," Andries said. "To take his extreme study habits where he's trying to understand it more than anyone, and he can take it from there. The sky is the limit at that point. He's going to do very well for himself."
https://www.startribune.com/john-michael-scmitz-nfl-draft-first-round-pick-minnesota-gophers-center/600269594/

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He is one big man