Overview
Position: Offensive guard / center
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 312 pounds
School: Ohio State Buckeyes
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.27 seconds
Bench press: 19 reps
Vertical jump: 32.5 inches (fifth-best among offensive linemen)
Broad jump: 9 feet, 8 inches (third-best among offensive linemen)
Three-cone drill: 7.71 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.71 seconds
Michael Jordan 2019 NFL Draft Profile
The first person who probably comes to mind when the name Michael Jordan is mentioned probably isn’t an immensely talented guard prospect in this year’s draft. But he certainly has a chance to expand his own level of notoriety as a pro athlete. Jordan, a Canton, MI native who starred at Plymouth High School outside of the Detroit area, was a Rivals Top 100 recruit with offers from both Ohio State and Michigan. He ended up spurning the in-state Wolverines and embarked on his college career in Columbus.
Jordan was an early enrollee at OSU which enabled him to participate in spring ball. It was those extra practice reps that gave Urban Meyer enough confidence to insert him into the starting lineup right off the bat. As a result, he became the first freshman starter on the Buckeye offensive line since Orlando Pace 22 years earlier. He acquitted himself well, starting all 13 games and receiving freshman All-American recognition.
Over the next two seasons, Jordan continued his emergence as one of the Big Ten’s most talented and versatile linemen. He would make a further 28 starts during that time, providing pass protection at left guard for J.T. Barrett as a true sophomore and at center for Dwayne Haskins a year later. His impressive play on the line earned him all-conference recognition (first-team, 2017; second-team, 2018) both years. It’s no surprise then, that he felt comfortable declaring for the draft with a year of eligibility remaining.
Strengths
- well-proportioned build with potential to add more functional muscle mass;
- possesses ideal length with 34″ arms;
- consistently keeps his body square with blocking target;
- effective at reaching laterally to plug gaps and help out on combo blocks;
- reacts and recovers if defender initially gets the upper hand;
- exudes versatility with the ability to play center or kick outside to guard;
- boasts a total of 41 starts over three collegiate seasons.
Weaknesses
- has a tendency to play too upright in pass protection;
- defenders who excel delivering blows with their hands can cause him issues;
- footwork’s a little inconsistent against defenders who cross his face;
- could do a better job dropping his weight to create better leverage against bull rush;
- tends to let the action come to him rather than being assertive and seeking it out;
- not a lot on film to suggest he’s an effective second-level climber;
- needs to become a mauler with more of a mean streak.
NFL Comparison: Brandon Linder
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Projection: Third round
Bottom Line
Jordan undoubtedly brings value at both positions on the interior of the offensive line. He has an intriguing combination of length, athleticism, and lower body power that enables him to effectively anchor and contain in pass protection. What’s also impressive is that he’s able to reset his feet and maintain his mirror if his blocking target breaks out a counter move. Not only that, but his overall experience is also a major plus as he started every single game he played over the course of his collegiate career.
Perhaps the most significant big picture issue with Jordan is whether or not teams will decide to move him back to guard. He played center in 2018 and there are concerns among scouts that his film didn’t match up to the season before when he kicked outside. Whichever position he ends up playing, there are some things he needs to clean up if he truly wants to reach his ceiling. His hand usage is a bit spotty at times and he needs to play with a little more knee bend in order to optimize the amount of leverage available at his disposal.
All in all, Jordan boasts one of the more wide-ranging skill sets among this year’s crop of offensive linemen. There’s certainly a lot that coaches at the next level can work with as a means to him further honing his craft. Jordan should be off the board no later than the end of day two. And there’s plenty to indicate that he can arrive at an NFL training camp and, at the very least, bolster the depth chart with the possibility of becoming a starter at some point during his rookie year.
