Baltimore Ravens select Nick Samac in seventh round of 2024 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens selected Michigan State Spartans offensive lineman Nick Samac in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He enters the NFL after spending five seasons at Michigan State.

In the last two seasons, Samac was one of the best offensive linemen in the Big Ten. Last year, the Ohio native was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after playing 579 snaps at center. He was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2022 after playing in all 12 games and registering a lead-leading 803 snaps.

In 2021, Samac played in 13 games as a reserve and worked with teammate Matt Allen. In 2019 and 2020, Samac played in a total of 14 games and had 10 starts. For his career, Samac played in 49 games, with 32 starts at center and nearly 2,5000 snaps in five years.

“If not for a late-season injury, Nick Samac would’ve gotten a lot more attention on social media and viewed as a top-tier center in the draft,” Eric Galko of the Shrine Bowl wrote on social media. “One of the best OC run blockers in the draft, Samac is an elite finisher who can get his hands on and win consistently vs. both nose tackles/A-penetrators and linebackers in space. He allowed just one sack in 2023. He’s played center for five years in college, starting a majority of the last five seasons for the Spartans.”

Samac played high school football at Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio, where he was a three-star recruit. He ranked as the No. 657 overall prospect and the No. 45 interior offensive lineman in the 2019 class, according to the On3 Industry Rating.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Nick Samac

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com shared his analysis of Samac for his draft profile and predicted that he would be selected in either the sixth or seventh round.

“A three-year starter with good feet and technique, Samac could be in consideration for a move-blocking rushing attack,” Zierein wrote. “He is strong at the point of attack but will have limitations against NFL power. He operates with good hand placement and nimble feet and is a demon once he’s on the move as a pulling center leading the way. He’s fluid and agile in the run game, but those traits fail to do as much for him in protection.

“Samac punches with inside hands but can struggle to widen his protection base in order to protect his edges. He has eventual starting talent as a run blocker but needs to add more mass and improve in pass protection to get there.”