FanPost

2011 Scouting Report: Stefen Wisniewski C Penn State


Wisniewski

via www.post-gazette.com

Disclaimer: In order to prevent people from seeing this as I biased report based off of weather I want the guy or not I have used scouting reports from various football sites with links back to their sites for you to read them. I did not write any of the material other than the title and all of these reports belong to their corresponding authors and websites.

Overview:

Simply put, Stefen Wisniewski is maximizing his opportunities as a Penn State student-athlete. The first Nittany Lion true freshman offensive lineman to start a game since center Joe Iorio in 1999, Wisniewski has emerged as a physical, productive and instinctive offensive lineman in his first two seasons in Happy Valley. With the graduation of three all-conference starters from the O-Line, Wisniewski spent the off-season transitioning to the center position after playing guard the past two seasons, including 12 starts in 2008. Like his transition into collegiate academics and athletics, Wisniewski's move to center has been seamless. The highly-skilled, intelligent and physical student-athlete is poised to anchor and join senior tackle Dennis Landolt in leading an inexperienced unit in 2009. Despite not having played center at Penn State, Wisniewski's talents and productivity are evident, as he received preseason first-team All-Big Ten recognition from Phil Steele's 2009 College Football and preseason third-team All-America notice by Athlon Sports College Football.

He has worked hard to improve his skills and strength in his initial two years. The talented and driven Wisniewski also is among Penn State's most accomplished and community service-oriented student-athletes. A student in the Schreyer Honors College, he brought a 3.87 cumulative grade-point average in secondary education into the summer, having compiled a perfect 4.0 grade-point average during the 2009 spring and 2007 fall semesters. Wisniewski was selected a 2008 second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, one of a program-record five Nittany Lions so honored last season. He will be a strong candidate to earn first-team honors this year. One of the squad's most active members in community service, Wisniewski has participated in the Student-Athlete Advisory Board's Autism Awareness reading program, THON Make-A-Wish program, Pennsylvania Special Olympics State Summer Games, Habitat for Humanity, Athletic Directors Leadership Institute, Athletes In Action, The Second Mile and other activities.

A U.S. Army All-American at Central Catholic HS, Wisniewski was on the field for 748 snaps last year, third-highest among all returnees. Wisniewski is another Nittany Lion with strong family ties to the program. His father, Leo, was a standout for the Lions, lettering from 1979-81, and playing four years with the NFL's Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts. An uncle, Steve Wisniewski, was a two-time first-team All-America guard during his outstanding Penn State career (1985-88) and was selected All-Pro eight times during his 13-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. One of 10 returning Nittany Lions from western Pennsylvania, Wisniewski should have a significant impact on the fortunes of the Nittany Lion offense the next two seasons.

12/03/2010 - 2010 ALL-BIG TEN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM (MEDIA): OG Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State, has been selected All-Big Ten Second Team for the 2010 college football season as selected by the Big Ten media. A three-year starter, Wisniewski also was selected to the AFCA All-America Team, announced earlier this week. Last week, he became the first Penn State Football student-athlete to be selected an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American three times. - Penn State football

From: CBS Sports

Pros:

Stefen Wisniewski joins a talented crop of interior linemen in the 2011 NFL Draft. He is a seasoned player that possesses a lot of strength and the necessary athletic ability to succeed at the next level. Wisniewski has been starting since his freshman season at Penn State where he was the recipient of excellent coaching. He utilizes his above average strength to drive defenders backwards and open up holes for the running backs. He isn’t the fastest lineman but he has good quickness that allows him to get out in front of the back when he is required to pull. Wisniewski has rotated back and forth from guard and center during his career at Penn State. His versatility is a major positive in the eyes of NFL scouts. Wisniewski also brings a ton of leadership to the table, he was credited with helping bring along a young Penn State offensive line last season.

Cons:

Wisniewski needs to continue to perfect his overall technique. Wisniewski’s can benefit by spending sometime focusing on his pass protection technique. We mentioned that he is quick but he doesn’t have the necessary athletic ability to make a move to tackle. With many NFL teams making the switch to the 3-4 defense and massive nose tackles clogging up holes; some scouts could worry that Wisniewski lacks the ideal size to man the interior of the offensive line.

Thoughts:

Overall Wisniewski’s combination of quickness and strength will prevail over the concerns about his size. He has the skills to hold down a guard or center spot in the NFL for 10 plus seasons, while providing great leadership.

Projected Round:

We have seen interior line men taking early each and every year and that fact give Wisniewski a chance to sneak into the 1st round. There is no way he falls out of the 2nd round.

From: NFL Mocks

Strengths:

  • Outstanding technician and understands nuances of blocking
  • Natural knee bender and executes leverage
  • Good mobility and range
  • Athletic
  • Very quick with a nice get-off after snap
  • Blue-collar, physical demeanor
  • Gets nice hand extension and controls opponents
  • Instinctive and aware at the line; picks up stunts and blitzes
  • Competitor who really fights on running downs
  • Fluid on pulls and traps; gets to second level
  • Tough
  • Finishes blocks
  • Lots of experience at both guard and center against top competition
  • Nice genetics
  • Great work ethic
  • Line general and team leader
  • Smooth footwork
  • Highly intelligent
  • Weaknesses:

  • Average size
  • Struggles against bigger opponents
  • Not very strong or powerful
  • Sometimes gets caught reaching
  • Could still improve upper body strength
  • Lacks explosive initial punch
  • Only a good fit at this point for zone blocking schemes
  • Limited upside

    Summary: Wisniewski seems to get the most out of his abilities and he looks like a quality starting center (more so than a guard) in the right scheme. He doesn't have a lot of size or bulk, so he will best fit in schemes that emphasize intelligence, instincts, quickness and technique such as Indianapolis, New England, Houston, and Green Bay.

    Wisniewski's father, Leo, played three seasons for the Colts and his uncle, Steve, was an eight-time Pro Bowler in Oakland. Wisniewski enters the season with a second-round grade on my board and he will probably come off the board in the top 75 picks. He needs to improve his physique strength-wise if he wants to become a first-rounder.

    Player Comparison: Ryan Kalil. Kalil has similar size to Wisniewski, and his bread and butter is also his technique, quickness, awareness and toughness.
  • From: Walter Football.com

    The Skinny: This senior is already one of the most pro-ready prospects in the 2011 draft class. Wisniewski is blessed with excellent physical skills for an interior lineman, possessing quick feet, good burst out of his stance, wide shoulders, great knee bend, and an excellent upper body strength. The Penn State product is extremely adept at pulling and reaching the second level due to his nimble feet and once he gets his hands on defensive linemen, he finishes his blocks with aplomb. Where Wisniewski really shines though is in the mental aspects of the game, which have allowed him to be a first team All-Big Ten performer as both a center and a guard for the Nittany Lions. There is very little lacking in terms of technique as the Penn State product’s refinement in this department is beyond his years. Standing at 6’3" Wisniewski has more than enough length to line up on Sundays at either center of guard. However, the fact that he tips the scales at merely 297 pounds could limit him to the center position and make him useful in only certain pro schemes. He may be a master technician, but when he faces 340-pound nose tackles in the NFL his current frame simply won’t be enough to handle the situation one on one. It is indisputable that Wisniewski needs to add weight to his frame, especially in his lower body, if he is going to make it big in the league where they play for pay. It appears he is headed back to the guard position as a senior after starting at center in 2009 but things could change depending on how the other PSU linemen perform.


    From: NFL Draft Bible

    Coming from a family where his father and uncle both played in the NFL, Wisniewski is a versatile interior offensive lineman who has a very productive college career. The first true freshman Nittany Lion to start along the offensive line since 1999, Wisniewski played guard his first two seasons and has transitioned to center in his junior season. He is also known for having great grades, giving back to his community and teaches 10th grade English. As for his skills on the field, Wisniewski is very technical and fundamentally sound. Stays low with a good center of gravity, using his feet and body lean to maintain leverage and position. Not particularly strong and lacks a quick twitch for that initial burst. Very intelligent player who understands how to hold his ground. Needs to gain upper body strength and not overextend his arms.

    A hard-worker who understands the commitment necessary to be a professional football player. Obvious strong pedigree with close family being NFL players. Must bulk up to play guard in the NFL. Likely a good fit in a zone blocking scheme, which utilizes his talents and doesn't rely on athleticism.

    Wisniewski projects as a second round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

    From: fftoolbox