2013 NFL Draft all-overrated team: Will Barrett Jones be overrated at center?

Between now and April 25, we will be unveiling our All-Underrated and All-Overrated teams for the 2013 NFL Draft. Each team will be revealed position by position with a first-team selection, second-team selection and honorable mentions as we see fit. We continue with the all-overrated centers.

by Matthew Fairburn

Apr 20, 2013, 3:00 PM UTC

Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

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2013 NFL Draft all-overrated team

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It's hard not to like Alabama center Barrett Jones. He's charismatic in interviews and a leader on the field. But he's just an average NFL Draft prospect.

While many consider Jones to be the runaway favorite as the best center prospect in this class, there are some concerns about his game. Other centers in this draft class may actually have a chance to come off the board before the Alabama star.

On to our selections for the all-overrated squad:

First team: Barrett Jones, Alabama

The biggest concern with Jones is his limited athleticism. Once he gets to the second level of the defense, he doesn't excel in space. When he is forced to pull and engage in blocks on the move, he tends to lunge and become easy to beat. Jones is definitely a smart player and a solid inline blocker, but the flaws he has make a guard such as Travis Frederick a more attractive prospect on the draft's second day. Add to this Jones' Lisfranc injury, and he's being a bit overrated at this point.

Second team: Khaled Holmes, USC

At the center position, consistency is important. He’s the quarterback of the offensive line and needs to be able to deliver as a snapper play in and play out. Holmes is undoubtedly talented; he showed that plenty at USC. But the consistency is a big issue. Since he’s taller, Holmes has a tendency to waist bend, and he also tends to lose track of blitzers. The talent warrants an early day three pick, but if he goes any earlier, then that it would be a reach.