C, Alex Mack, California

C, Alex Mack, California

Pros:  Positives: Tall, athletic center with large biceps and a solid lower body build. Puts in full effort on every play, often getting downfield for a second or third block. Nimble enough to get in front of screens, trap block inside and eliminate linebackers at the second level.

Cons:  Plays a bit high at times, occasionally losing leverage or getting pushed back against wide-bodies. Does not play with a particularly wide base.

Styg's Broncos Fit:  A solid all-around center with terrific speed and balance, but who can lose leverage battles against quicker 3-techs.  He has above-average intelligence and football smarts, even for a center, and has mastered his duties on the line, in terms of getting other players in position and making the correct reads.  He has a classic competitor's mindset and plays through the whistle every time.  Tough and ornery, this is one near-elite level player who figures to be gone by the time Denver gets around to addressing the O-Line depth, but no doubt ranks highly on Denver's board.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From "Who Dat Draft Prospect" at Canal Street Chronicles:

Of course—it always happens this way—others aren't so sure. The best comparison CBS Sports can make is to new Miami Dolphin Jake Grove, formerly of the Raiders. Who would spend a first-rounder to get Jake Grove?

Mack is also one of those rare prospects who seems to have just one thing wrong with him: he winds up on the ground after a lot of plays. All the pundits pick up on the same characteristic, but there's no clear consensus on why Mack goes to the turf so often. Is it lack of strength? Is he overbalancing? Is it just the sign of a high-motor lineman trying to make a play on every snap?

From "Rob Rang Interview" at Revenge of the Birds:

ROTB - Alex Mack has gotten plenty of publicity this season and he's seems to be the consensus #1 center. It's rare that centers carry a first round grade (only three since 2000), so what makes him so special? How does he compare to Nick Mangold (the last center taken in the first round)?

RR - I wouldn't say that Mack is the consensus top-ranked center. My highest rated center, in fact, is fellow Pac-10 star Max Unger from Oregon. I also know of clubs that have Louisville's Eric Wood as the top center prospect of the 2009 draft. This is an exceptional center class at the top (though the talent drops significantly after these three players). Mack, like Unger and Wood, are career starters. Mack has good strength at the point of attack and gets to the second level effectively. He can break down in space and make the next level block. Unger isn't as strong a run blocker, but has even more active feet, perhaps because of his experience at left tackle. Wood might be the most explosive of the bunch due to his rare initial quickness. None of the three are the locks to make the first round Mangold was, as he was blessed with a rarer combination of size, athleticism and strength than this trio. One or perhaps even two of the centers could go in the first round. All three will be taken by the end of the second round.

From "Rumblings Scouting Report" at Buffalo Rumblings:

1. Alex Mack is said to be the best center to come out of college in the last 15 years. How close is that to being true?

He is very, very good.  Mack certainly has a physical presence that I usually don't see out of an offensive lineman, an explosive ability to open up holes, grapple the defender and keep him anchored to his body until the play ends.

CGB writer Hydrotech adds: He's better at run blocking than pass blocking but still very good at pass blocking.  Excellent work ethic and leadership.  Serious guy in practices.  Smart guy too.  Willing to learn.  Great awareness.  Mentally, I think he's all there and a perfect football player (smart, intelligent, mentally tough, disciplined).  Physically he's a great player too.

From Scouting Report at Mocking the Draft:

An attacker at the second level. Seeks out opponents instead of letting them come to him. Really good cut blocker. Mack has great snap quickness to get the ball off and get into his stance. Mauling run blocker who uses his powerful lower body to push back tackles. Exceptional trap blocker. Never stops competing, even when a play is halfway down the field. Plays with a lot of intensity. Possesses great base strength. Play overall is very similar to Matt Birk of the Minnesota Vikings.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• The big story of yesterday was the work that Mack had done on the man-beast defensive tackle from Boston College, B.J. Raji.  Apparently, Raji was either told about the manhandling he received at the hands of Mack or he's got a laptop with him in Mobile, Alabama, because the kid was pretty much unstoppable today and moreso against Mack.  [see more...]
• Alex Mack has been rated by many experts as the best offensive lineman in college football. Because he plays center and not guard or tackle, he may not be a top 10 pick in the 2009 draft. Mack is a very intelligent player who is capable of making all line calls. He always plays with his head on a swivel and is the anchor for one of the top running attacks in college football.  [see more...]
• Recipient of the prestigious Draddy Trophy as a senior, which is also known as the "Academic Heisman", and is given to college football's top scholar-athlete...Redshirted as a true freshman, backed up Marvin Philip in 2005 then started the next three years...Went to the state wrestling tournament as a heavyweight in high school...Four-time Academic All-Pac-10...Graduated with a 3.61 GPA and a bachelor's degree in legal studies...Three-time first-team All-Pac-10...Won the Morris Trophy as the best offensive lineman in the Pac-10, as voted by the conferences defensive lineman, two years in a row...The total package who has everything you look for in terms of both physical tools and intangibles...Rare pivot who is a legitimate first round talent.  [see more...]
•  Despite his upper body strength, Mack is light in his base and can have trouble against larger defensive tackles.  He is not great in short yardage situations and can sometimes be overpowered.  Big, strong tackles will rock or push him back.  He needs some work with a pro line coach to perfect his technique and help eliminate old habits.  Mack certainly possesses the work ethic to work hard at improving his craft.  He gets too high in his stance at times and does not always play with a wide base.   [see more...]
•  A well-built, physical offensive lineman with good power and girth in his base. Snaps and steps quickly and does a nice job getting into defenders. Has a powerful punch and jolts defenders off the line. Drives his legs through contact and gets his hands inside at the point of attack. Shows natural short-area quickness and plays with a nasty mean streak.  [see more...]
• An outstanding center prospect, and most of his weaknesses are correctable...Will get criticized for not being a great athlete, but what center in the NFL is? ... Best center prospect in a very long time and will carry a higher grade than Nick Mangold ... Lack of value and demand at the center position could drop him to the second round, but he should carry a first-round grade.  [see more...]
• The All-American center seriously considered leaving school early to apply for the 2008 NFL Draft. He submitted his paperwork to the league's advisory board, but when he was told that he would be a second-round draft choice, he decided to return to college for the 2008 campaign.
  
  "This is a really great opportunity for me to help the team," Mack said. "There is a lot I can do at Cal to improve my game and to further my career. I didn't want to miss the experience of my senior season and helping the team get back on track and finish things right. This also gives me an opportunity to finish my degree and continue my education. I came to Cal because of the outstanding education and I want to finish that before I'm done. I'm really just looking forward to getting into spring ball and seeing how the team comes together for 2008."
  
  Mack was again awarded with All-American and All-Pac-10 Conference honors as a senior. He was a finalist for both the Lombardi Award and Rimington Trophy and received numerous national honors for academics. On the field, he started all 13 games in the pivot. He again paced the Bears with 92 knockdowns/key blocks and matched his junior season total with 11 touchdown-resulting blocks.  [see more...]