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Joe Tippmann NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Wisconsin IOL
HEIGHT: 6'6"
WEIGHT: 313
HAND: 10¾"
ARM: 32¾"
WINGSPAN: 80⅜
40-YARD DASH: TBD
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: TBD
BROAD: TBD
POSITIVES
— Very good athletic ability, burst and change of direction.
— Excellent when pulling, wrapping and lining up targets on pin-pull.
— Efficiently works zone combo blocks; can adjust aiming points mid-play to account for post-snap movement, cover up the first level on overtakes and ricochet up to the second level to intercept linebackers on releases.
— Casts a wide net with his wingspan and frame with active feet to wall off and steer interior run-defenders on wide zone runs.
— Pops out of his stance to create space off the line in his pass set.
— Effortlessly redirects to cover adjacent gaps when uncovered and picks up late loopers.
— Quarterbacks the line pre-snap by making the calls and "Mike" points and is an active communicator on film.
NEGATIVES
— Plays with an exposed, open chest and a persistent forward lean that stout run-defenders gain easy control over.
— Wide, looping hand placement leads to "catching" blocks with marginal grip strength, sustain and control.
— Falls off too many blocks and is shed to the ground a few times per game.
— Needs to refit and releverage himself on first-level blocks sooner to boost his ability to stay attached.
— Inconsistent set points with a tendency to drift and overset or underset rushers, which leads to getting edged too easily.
2022 STATISTICS
— 12 starts at center
NOTES
— 4-star offensive tackle recruit in 2019, per 247Sports' composite list, out of Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana
— 22 career starts, all at center
— Three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection
— Will turn 22 years old March 24
OVERALL
Joe Tippmann is a two-year starter in Wisconsin's zone-based run scheme that features extensive pin-pull and wide zone with gap concepts sprinkled in. Tippmann is tall with a well-proportioned, muscular build, adequate arm length and excellent movement skills.
Tippmann is a weapon as a puller and when releasing to the second level off zone combo blocks while using his big frame with excellent burst, quickness and redirection skills to line up and erase smaller targets.
He is twitchy out of his stance, can line up three techniques on back blocks with solid play strength to steer interior defensive linemen further than they want to go and create lateral displacement in the zone run game.
While Tippmann gets into good initial position and has success on combination blocks, his wide hand placement and exposed chest lead to stalemates on drive and base blocks with marginal grip strength, control and sustainability. This causes him to fall off blocks and get shed to the ground a few times per game.
In pass protection, Tippmann has very good initial quickness to create space out of his stance with loose hips and light feet to mirror and redirect, leading to an impressive ability to cover adjacent gaps when uncovered and pick up late loopers.
He is an active communicator pre-snap, handling all of the points, calls and adjustments. Tippmann has the movement skills and mobility to improve his anchor and develop into a more reliable pass protector but plays with marginal pad level, posture and hand placement that leads to a lack of power and control.
Overall, Tippmann is a young, tall, impressively built center with outstanding movement skills, and is an adept zone run-blocker and quick processor. His strengths should allow him to win a job during his rookie year in a zone-heavy scheme, but his inconsistent leverage, posture and hand placement will pose issues with anchoring and sustaining on drive/base blocks.
GRADE: 7.3 (Potential starter)
OVERALL RANK: 68
POSITION RANK: IOL6
PRO COMPARISON: Josh Myers
Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn