3 NFL player comparisons for NY Jets rookie Joe Tippmann

The NY Jets had high expectations for Joe Tippmann when they selected him with the 43rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. While it's unclear if he will start Week 1, the Jets drafted him to be their long-term starting center.

Tippmann was a two-year starter at Wisconsin who was widely regarded as one of the best center prospects in this year's draft. A two-time Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection, Tippmann was a key cog in Wisconsin's offensive line over the last couple of seasons.

The Jets are center to enter the summer with an open competition for the starting center job, but the assumption is that it won't be long until Tippmann establishes himself as the starter.

The Jets remain incredibly bullish on Tippmann's future, but what exactly should fans expect? Let's take a look at a few NFL comparisons for the Jets' 2023 second-round pick.

Which NFL players are NY Jets center Joe Tippmann most similar to?

Josh Myers - NFL.com and Bleacher Report

You'll notice a common trend with each of the following three player comparisons. As an unusually tall and athletic center prospect, pretty much every NFL comparison for Tippmann is to a similarly tall and athletic center.

The most common comparison for Tippmann is also the most recent, that being Green Bay Packers center Josh Myers. A second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2021, Myers has been Green Bay's starting center in each of the last two seasons.

A knee injury limited Myers to just six games as a rookie, but the Ohio native returned and started 17 games this past season. Myers stands at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, and was one of the most athletic interior linemen in his class.

The comparison to Tippmann is an obvious one. It's too early to project how Myers' career might turn out, but it's easy to see why Tippmann reminds many of him.

Mitch Morse - The Draft Network

Mitch Morse is the prototype for how a tall center can carve out a long career in the NFL. A second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2015 NFL Draft, Morse has started 109 games across eight years in the NFL.

While he's battled injuries, Morse remains one of the betters centers in the league — evidenced by the fact that he was named to his first career Pro Bowl in 2022.

Unlike Tippmann and Myers, Morse was actually primarily an offensive tackle in college. His undesirable arm length pushed him inside, where he has been able to put together an excellent NFL career.

Morse is evidence that solid technique and impressive athleticism can help overcome the leverage concerns that tall centers face. The Jets hope Tippmann's career follows a similar trajectory.

Ethan Pocic - The Jet Press

When I watch Tippmann's tape, I can't help but be reminded of another strikingly tall center prospect who has developed into one of the best players at his position in recent years. That player is former Seattle Seahawks second-round pick Ethan Pocic.

Like Tippmann, Pocic was originally recruited as an offensive tackle before moving inside once he got to college. Pocic has a bit more experience at guard and even played there early in his NFL career, but he's really found his groove as a center.

The six-year NFL veteran finished as Pro Football Focus' third-highest graded center in the NFL this past season in his first year with the Cleveland Browns.

It took Pocic some time to find his footing in the NFL, but he seems to have finally turned a corner. Tippmann absolutely has the potential to reach the heights Pocic did this past season.