In four short years he is already recognized as one of, if not the best, center in the NFL - not bad for a guy who rarely gets noticed.
Despite the anonymity his position forces upon him, Mangold stands out on film. When I studied him throughout the season I found a guy who was very consistent and helped the offense in a variety of ways.
At 6-4, 305 he has good size for the position. He has a good punch off the snap and can usually stop the defender’s initial surge. He has good, not great, strength so you would think he’d struggle vs. the more powerful bull-rushers but that is not the case.
He uses his quick feet to get into position to wall off defenders and uses his hands extremely well to keep them at bay. He is very savvy with his technique and knows how to sink his hips and turn the defender away from the play.
A case in point has been his performances against Vince Wilfork of the Patriots. One of the best nose tackles in the business, Wilfork has struggled against Mangold who uses his great technique to contain him.
The Jets like to run up the middle more than most teams and that is because Mangold does a great job of getting to the second level. He blocks down well on the defensive tackle than slides off to take out the linebacker. A number of big runs were broken off this year because of these very blocks.
Mangold does not have great speed but it is good enough to use him on sweeps and to get him out in front of screens. He does not excel in space but he can certainly get the job done.
One of his biggest strengths is his intelligence. He rarely misses an assignment and shows a great understanding of defensive fronts. He also does a nice job of picking up stunts and identifying blitzers.
His toughness is unquestioned. He plays through injuries and is one of the first to mix it up with defenders when there is a dust up after the play.
When was the last time you saw a bad snap out of the shotgun formation? Maybe there has been one in the last four years. Although a small detail of the game, Mangold’s snaps have been great and he has made it easier for the team to incorporate other alignments such as the Wildcat (with Brad Smith) or a direct snap (to Leon Washington). Both players take few snaps and Mangold eases their transition.
The Jets are set at center for the next 7-8 years. Mangold’s smarts, durability and toughness make him a guy who will anchor the Jets line for years to come.
His play, although often unnoticed, has helped the Jets’ offensive line earn the reputation as being arguably the best in the NFL. If Mangold continues along his current trajectory and can stay healthy, he has what it takes to be mentioned among the best of all time.