He remains far from the finished product the Giants need him to be, but the signs are there that John Michael Schmitz is taking a second-year leap.
To merit what the Giants invested in him — their second-round pick (No. 57) in last year’s draft — significant improvement from his rookie year showing was badly needed.
Through two games, the second-year center owns a 60.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
It ranks 22nd among all centers in the NFL, but it marks progress from the 41.4 overall grade he finished with last year.
He’s yet to allow a sack this year, though he’s been beaten for one quarterback hit and three quarterback pressures, according to the outlet.
“I think this year he’s had a lot of growth,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said Thursday. “Just being a good communicator, going from year one to year two is always kind of that jump. And when you have veterans, there’s that urgency that he has to develop. And he’s growing with that and he’s developing that, and that’s been really cool to see.”
That communication is what Schmitz’s coaches and teammates have most noticed about his development.
The Giants’ offensive line features three new starters, but they’ve credited Schmitz for helping them gel quickly and the unit has emerged as one of the team’s rare silver linings after years of ineptitude.
Jon Runyan Jr., who has started the first two games next to Schmitz at left guard, lauded his ability to direct traffic for the rest of the offensive line.
“I feel like confidence is a big factor in communication,” Schmitz told The Post after practice on Friday. “Especially the guys around you, they have confidence in you to make the call and go out there and set the table for the line.”
Those new veterans — Runyan, right guard Greg Van Roten and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor — have been paramount for Schmitz “mentally, for the knowledge for the game.”
Drafted as a ready-now, plug-and-play center after spending six years at Minnesota, Schmitz still has plenty of work to do to reach that stature.
But he appears to be on the path.
“You can tell he’s more confident this year,” stud left tackle Andrew Thomas said. “Starting with just the [middle linebacker] points and understanding the calls. Last year he was also dealing with injuries too, so just seeing him, knock on wood, healthy this year, I think that’s something as well.”
