Based on what Todd Monken recently said about Elgton Jenkins and his preference for having him play offensive guard in Cleveland, it looks like the Browns are planning to find their starting center in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This is also understandable from an overall value standpoint, seeing as the current center market in free agency is incredibly underwhelming.
Michigan State’s Matt Gulbin has been incredibly impressive at both guard for Wake Forest and center for the Spartans over the past two seasons,
and he could potentially be one of the most NFL-ready centers in this year’s draft class.
Name: Matt Gulbin
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6’4”, 305 pounds
College: Michigan State Spartans
2025 Stats: Started 11 games at center, voted team captain. Graded out as the No.1 C in the FBS in 2025.
Career Stats: 52 games, 34 starts
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 137th overall, projected fourth round
What an expert is saying
Three-year starter with average size and good power. Gulbin is better at climbing to linebackers than he is at moving laterally to seal in the run game. He can be outreached at the point, but he stays tight to his block to reduce length disadvantages. He excels when washing away targets on inside-zone plays with strong leg drive. He anchors well in protection, but he must stay square and be more alert to loopers on twists. Short arms reduce his margin for error but his consistent body of work suggests he has a chance to make a roster as a center who can swing to guard in a pinch.
What an expert is saying (bonus round):
Matt Gulbin is a guy NFL teams are aware of. I think he gets into that third, fourth-round range, and at that point, he becomes a future starter in the NFL, and at worst, he’s a really good backup at guard [or] center. I think he’s a starting pivot-man, starting anchor of an offensive line in the National Football League.
Fit with the Browns
The fact that Cleveland was incredibly interested in Tyler Linderbaum bodes well for Matt Gulbin as a potential target for Andrew Berry and Todd Monken. No, I’m not saying that Gulbin will be as good as Linderbaum, but they’re extremely similar when it comes to play style.
Similar to Linderbaum, Gulbin relies on strength and displacement power at the point of attack, which makes him an incredibly sought-after prospect by teams that utilize lots of power variations in their run game. It just so happens that Monken loves to run power, and Cleveland’s ground game should transition to more of this type of scheme in 2026. If this is actually the case, Matt Gulbin could be a top 2-3 scheme fit-type of center in the class.
Browns player drafting could impact
Elgton Jenkins. As mentioned in Jake Slaughter’s evaluation, drafting a center in the third or fourth round of this month’s draft will confirm a full-time move to offensive guard for Jenkins in 2026.
Priority: 7/10
What are your thoughts on Matt Gulbin? Should the Browns take a gamble on him? Let us know in the comments!
