Matt Gulbin

NFL Draft Profile: Matt Gulbin

Position: Interior Offensive Line (Center/Guard) | School: Michigan State (via Wake Forest) | Class: Redshirt Senior

Height: 6'4" | Weight: 312 lbs | Archetype: Balanced (Technician / Zone Scheme Anchor)

College Career Summary

Matt Gulbin is the definitive "stabilizer." After spending four seasons at Wake Forest, where he appeared in 41 games and was an All-ACC Honorable Mention as a guard, Gulbin transferred to Michigan State for his final season in 2025. In East Lansing, he made the transition to Center, a move that arguably saved the Spartans' offensive line from total collapse.

During the 2025 season, Gulbin emerged as a statistical outlier. He spent the first half of the season as the highest-graded center in the Power Four according to PFF. Despite playing on a unit plagued by injuries and coaching changes (the mid-season hiring of Nick Tabacca), Gulbin remained a model of consistency. He was a Rimington Trophy Watch List selection and was frequently cited by scouts for his "high-floor" reliability and intelligence in calling out defensive fronts.

Career Stats & Highlights

• Career Starts: 35 (23 at Wake Forest, 12 at Michigan State)

• 2025 Sacks Allowed: 1

• 2025 Pressures Allowed: 6 (on 350+ pass-blocking snaps)

• Pancakes: ~45 (2025 Season)

• Holding Penalties: 2 (2025)

• 2025 Honors: Rimington Trophy Watch List; PFF Midseason All-American; All-Big Ten Second Team.

2025 Game-by-Game Grades

Week	Opponent	Grade	Scout's Notes
1	vs Western Michigan	A	Flawless debut at Center; 0 pressures allowed, total interior control.
3	vs Youngstown State	A-	Dominant run push; multiple second-level blocks to clear lanes.
5	@ Nebraska	B+	Handled elite noise and interior twitch; anchored a 150-yard rushing day.
7	@ Oregon	B	Challenged by elite speed; held his own but pad level rose late.
8	vs Iowa	B+	Gritty "trench war"; effectively neutralized a top-tier Big Ten nose tackle.
10	@ Michigan	B-	Worst Game. Struggled with leverage against massive size; 1 sack allowed.
11	vs Indiana	A-	Exceptional pass protection; diagnosed several exotic blitz looks perfectly.
12	@ Illinois	B+	Solid; provided the key block on a 40-yard touchdown run.
13	vs Penn State	A-	High motor; fought through a late-game stinger to finish dominant reps.
14	vs Maryland	A	The Apex. Perfect pass-pro grade; absolute road-grader on inside zone.

Scouting Grade Rubric

Intangibles (.20) — Grade: 96/100

• Leadership: Elite. Voted team captain immediately upon arriving at MSU.

• Mental Toughness: High; thrived amidst a 5-game losing streak and a shaky O-line.

• Competitor: Plus; high-effort player who seeks out contact through the whistle.

• Team Player: Credits his guards and tackle for his PFF success; locker room favorite.

• Star Power: Moderate; an "impact player" through consistency rather than highlights.

Physical Tools (.20) — Grade: 82/100

• Height/Weight: 6'4", 312 lbs. (Borderline height, Meets weight).

• Stamina: High; rare agility for a center that carries into the fourth quarter.

• Durability: Plus; started every game in 2025 until a minor late-season injury.

• Injury History: Mostly clean; missed only one career start due to a medical scratch.

Attributes (.20) — Grade: 92/100

• Run Block: Strength. Elite reach blocks and ability to seal off defenders.

• Pass Block: Plus; very reliable anchor; rarely gets walked back into the QB.

• Strength: Plus; 700lb+ squat translates to elite "lower-half" power.

• Technique: Elite. Master of hand-fighting and maintaining a wide base.

• High Motor: Constant; a "search and destroy" blocker on screen passes.

Athleticism (.20) — Grade: 80/100

• Speed: Average; effective climber to the second level, but not a vertical burner.

• Agility: Plus; short-area quickness to mirror twitchy sub-package blitzers.

• Flexibility: Good; natural "knee-bender" with loose enough hips to reach the 3-tech.

• Acceleration: Good; explosive first step when firing out of his stance.

• Footwork: Clean; efficient, choppy steps that prevent him from getting "turned."

IQ (.20) — Grade: 98/100

• Awareness: Outlier. Exceptional ability to pass off stunts and loopers.

Scouting Report

• Strengths: Pro-ready technical foundation; elite IQ for line calls and identifying blitzes; statistically one of the cleanest pass-blockers in the Big Ten (0 pressures allowed over the first month of '25); positional versatility with double-digit starts at Guard and Center.

• Weaknesses: Elite Twitch. Can be beat by sub-package pass rushers with extreme lateral quickness; Size Profile. At 6'4", he is slightly on the shorter end for Tackle but has prototypical Center length; overall ceiling might be lower than "freak" athletic outliers.

• Scheme Fit: Ideal for a Pro-Style / Zone Scheme that prizes communication (e.g., Packers, Vikings, Rams).

• NFL Comparison: David Andrews / Ben Jones.

Scout's Final Word

"Matt Gulbin is the 'safe bet' of this interior class. He doesn't have the 99th-percentile explosive metrics that make scouts drool, but his tape is a textbook on how to play Center. His ability to transfer to a new conference and immediately become the highest-graded player on his line speaks volumes about his pro readiness. He will be a 10-year starter and a future captain. Draft Projection: 4th Round (High Positional Value)."