NFL Draft Profile: Zak Zinter brings accolades, leadership, experience to the next level

An injury is the only thing in his way.

Zak Zinter was a four-year starter for the Michigan Wolverines and was superb in 42 career starts. The three-time All-Big Ten honoree, two-time Joe Moore Award-winner and unanimous All-American has the chance to continue his greatness to Sundays once he hears his name called in the NFL Draft .

NFL Combine Results

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 309 pounds

Arm: 33 1/2”

Hand: 9 3/8”

Strengths

• Ideal NFL size for the guard position.
• According to PFF, allowed only nine pressure on 389 pass-blocking snaps in 2023.
• Crushes interior pass rushers in double-team scenarios.
• Excellent at short-pulling for outside runs, taking great angles to give rushers lanes at the second level.
• Intelligent player: Three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and two-time CSC Academic All-American.
• Experienced leader (2023 team captain) who was a reliable starter in his four-year career (33 straight starts).

Weaknesses

• Broke his tibia and fibula in late November and didn’t perform at the NFL Combine
• Lacks quickness and explosiveness off the snap, which could be a problem on obvious passing downs at the next level.
• Overall average mobility for a guard in this class.
• Can be stood up at the line of scrimmage with poor jumps.

Tape

Zinter dismisses two off-balance Penn State pass rushers:

Another elite pass rush rep from Zinter:

Projections

Up until his injury, many projected Zinter as an early Day 2 pick. Michigan has been a factory for offensive linemen, and that won’t change as every starter from the unit anticipates hearing their name called in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Wolverines went toe-to-toe with some of the best defenses in college football in 2024 and beat every single one of them. They also practiced every day against some elite defensive line prospects for 2024 and beyond. Iron sharpens iron, and there may not be a more pro-ready player on Michigan’s 2023 roster than Zinter.

He has a chance to still be a top-100 pick in the NFL Draft, and I would be surprised if he falls into Day 3 because NFL franchises have become aware of what they are getting out of Michigan offensive linemen like Zinter for nearly a decade.