Guard/Center

Florida

6-5 303

Draft board overall prospect rank: #45

Draft board overall guard rank: #4

Overall rating: 78 (2^nd round)

40 time: 5.12

3/23/11: Mike Pouncey is going to draw the obvious comparisons to Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers Pro Bowl rookie center, simply because they have the same DNA. They are twin brothers. However, they do have some differences. Mike struggled with snaps at center when he attempted to play the position in college and for this reason he probably won’t be looked at as a center prospect.

Maurkice’s greatest strength might be his intangibles, his ability to bond with a quarterback. However, Mike is the more athletic prospect and, as a guard, I actually rate him higher than I did Maurkice last year, who I was not fond of (my bad…). Maurkice impressed me with his maturity as a rookie center, but this was just something that didn’t really show on tape at Florida. For this reason, and Mike’s better athleticism, I am giving Mike a better grade than I did Maurkice.

For another thing, Mike is, of course, another year older, another year more athletic, and another year more experienced than Maurkice was coming out. Mike’s arm length is a bit troubling, even for an interior lineman. He’s good got strength and good technique and is quick off the snap. He’s scheme versatile and can pass block as well as he can run block. He’s an elite blocker at the 2^nd level as well.

He has several weaknesses and inconsistency on tape is a real problem, as, actually, was the case with Maurkice in 2009 at Florida. He can be beaten by quicker interior pass rushers, which could end up being a problem with all of the athletic interior linemen in the NFL. He can play center, but he’s going to need more coaching at the position and he’d be a project as a center, so I wouldn’t necessarily call versatility a strength of his.

NFL Comparison: Ben Grubbs