Creed

Humphrey

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the deal includes $50 million in guaranteed money. The two-time defending Pro Bowl center made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2021 and second-team All-Pro honors in 2022. Among 32 NFL centers with at least 1,500 offensive snaps over the last three seasons, Humphrey is PFF’s highest-graded center, boasting a 93.0 PFF offense grade.

Chase won the award with 42 of 50 votes, edging out Mac Jones (5), Creed Humphrey (2), and Rashawn Slater (1). Curiously, no mention of Penei Sewell. Chase exploded on to the scene with four touchdowns in his first three games and was a fantasy football league-winner from the start, finishing with 1455 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 81 receptions. He’s playing for a championship on Sunday, too, so not a bad year. He’ll be an easy WR1 in 2022 and should be in Round 1 consideration in most leagues.

The Chiefs’ badly-needed offensive line makeover rolls on. Humphrey (6’5/312) was a three-year starter who earned Freshman All-American honors in 2018 while helping the Sooners win the Joe Moore Award (country’s top offensive line). He went on to earn All-American commendations in each of his last two seasons, finishing as a top-10 graded PFF center in 2-of-3 campaigns. At his pro day workout, Humphrey tested as the most-athletic center to enter the league since 1987, according to Kent Lee Platte’s RAS system. Humphrey posted top-50 size-adjusted historical tests at his position in the 20-yard split (2.9), vertical (33 inches), broad jump (112 inches), short shuttle (4.49) and 3-cone (7.5). A former wrestler, Humphrey is a grizzly-strong grappler that latches on with Gorilla Glue grip in the run game and doesn’t let go. Humphrey does have a little hip stiffness, causing him to play high, and he lacks length with short arms, which led to him getting worked by Alabama’s Quinnen Williams. We see him as having a Tyler Biadcz floor with enough skill, athleticism and want to become a higher-level starter in the Maurkice Pouncey-vein if Humphrey improves his leverage and can stay healthy.

Humphrey (6'5"/320) was put through a battery of drills and was more than up to the task. His 4.46 20-yard shuttle drill would have ranked first in the 2020 OL class, tying Ezra Cleveland. The Sooner lineman also posted a 33-inch vertical jump, which would have placed fifth at last year’s combine, and a 7.54 second three-cone drill which would have ranked third. Humphrey solidified his place as one of the top-five interior linemen in the 2021 draft class.

“Humphrey excels at executing his responsibilities. He’s stout in pass protection-having not allowed a single sack despite playing close to 800 snaps over two years,” Schulte writes of the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Oklahoma standout. The evaluator is also sky-high on Humphrey’s intelligence and notes that Humphrey “checks off every box you could want in an elite offensive center.” As for who might be in play, here, Schulte ticks off the Cardinals, Chargers, Giants and Washington Football Team as outfits who could use Humphrey’s services.

Humphrey flirted with the NFL after being named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, but decided to return to Norman for his redshirt junior campaign. The 6-foot-3, 325-pound center was outstanding in 2018, as well, but Treash notes he actually struggled as a pass blocker in 2019 with a 58.0 PFF grade; down significantly from the 84 he put up in his redshirt freshman season. "...but if we take into account every single play over the course of the past two seasons, he remains among the best returning offensive linemen in the country,” he writes. “His two-year PFF WAA figure is actually among the three best among interior offensive linemen over that span.” Humphrey appears to be a scouting favorite, and if he does enter the draft next April, he’s likely one of -- if not the -- first centers off the board.

Humphrey (6'3/325) had an excellent 2019 season, as he was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy (given to the nation’s best center). With the winner of the award (Wisconsin’s Tyler Biadasz) off to the NFL, Oklahoma’s redshirt junior will begin the 2020 campaign as one of the favorites to win the award. Humphrey started all 14 of Oklahoma’s games in 2019, helping pave the way for an offense that averaged 537.6 yards and 42.1 points per game.

Humphrey (6'3/325) continues to make his case as the best center in the 2020 NFL draft. Generally speaking, only one center gets drafted in the first round in a given draft class, and Humphrey is looking like he might be that one guy this draft cycle. Humphrey is the leading force for Oklahoma up front and helped the Sooners pick up 276 yards against Texas last Saturday.

After an excellent redshirt freshman season, which was capped by his solid performance against Alabama’s Quinnen Williams in the CFP semifinals, Humphrey (6'5/325) should rate among the best centers in college football this season. And he’s now healthy after undergoing surgery and missing spring practice. “The Oklahoma coaches rave about Humphrey’s knowledge of the offense and mature leadership. And if he takes another step forward in his development as a sophomore, Humphrey has first-round potential next April,” Brugler wrote. The draft analyst praised Humphrey for his physical tools/technique, with his experience as a high school wrestler translating to the gridiron.

Humphrey (6'5/325) is the only starter coming back on the line for the Sooners from last season. Trotter believes the redshirt sophomore “should warrant preseason All-America consideration after a dominant first season in Norman.” Humphrey posted the highest pass-blocking grade of any returning Big 12 interior lineman this past fall. Hat tip to Pro Football Focus on that statistical note.