The Bucs are in search of a new backup center after losing Robert Hainsey to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the offseason. Free agency proved to have a lack of options. It doesn’t help that center play in the NFL right now is not great. At the moment there may not be 10 good centers in the NFL. That’s partly why Hainsey received an impressive pay day given he was coming off a season where he only started one game.

Free agency proved to have scant few options. With other NFL teams in needy for starting options, backups included Josh Myers coming off of a serious injury, and underwhelming options Andre James, Will Clapp and Lucas Patrick. The draft offered scant little help outside the first round, with Grey Zabel being selected 18th overall by the Seahawks. Despite playing tackle in college, Zabel is seen a possible center-convert in the NFL. The Patriots took Jared Wilson out of Georgia late in the third round. Drew Kendall and Jonah Monheim were both selected on day three.

Tampa Bay opted to avoid any of these four and instead signed Texas center Jake Majors as an undrafted free agent. Given the specific need the team has, Majors has a clear path to a roster spot.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers and C Jake Majors – Photo by: USA Today

Jake Majors Measurements And Background

Part of the reason Jake Majors went undrafted lies in his outlier size. The term “sawed-off” is used quite often to describe offensive linemen. It may not be better suited for any other player than Majors.

Jake Majors physical profile per Mockdraftables. pic.twitter.com/ZDv4088Mo5

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) May 17, 2025

He is well-proportioned for his position, and I doubt there is much room for adding functional weight. As far as a transition to the NFL I think his body is as ready-made as it can be. Majors’ lack of arm-length shows up consistently on film and forces him to win with quick movements, angles and IQ. Those traits helped him succeed across five seasons and 57 games. As a pass blocker, his pressure rate allowed steadily improved year over year until this past year when it spiked slightly.

2020 – 6.1%
2021 – 4.3%
2022 -2.3%
2023 – 1.4%
2024 – 2.6%

Majors played in a multiple run scheme at Texas and did his best work when he was asked to get on the move and engage defenders in motion. For that reason, his most impressive reps were when the Longhorns were running zone. This is backed up by his Pro Football Focus grades, which were higher for his zone blocking than his gap blocking for most of his career.

When Jake Majors Wins

Jake Majors’ greatest asset is his IQ and preparedness. He handled all of the line calls and protections for Texas. Majors’ communication skills and ability to identify disguised pressures pre-snap are a true asset. It is likely one of the things that most impressed the Bucs and any other teams that were interested in him.

Texas C Jake Majors – Photo by: USA Today

Tampa Bay, especially general manager Jason Licht, value the center position more than most. And for good reason. They understand that a smart center who can properly call protections are a quarterback’s best friend. That impressive intelligence continues post snap as he can quickly identify and react to games like stunts, blitzes, and wave rushes.

He finds work when he is uncovered and does a good job of doubling as a pass protector using plus angles. His footwork and form are great with proper spacing and quick movements. And he does his best to stay connected through the end of the rep. As a run blocker he is weaponized when he is put on the move working horizontally or as a climber. He is at his best when he can get to the second level and works well against smaller, quicker linebackers and safeties.

Jake Majors isn’t the most athletic center in this year’s draft class, but he has more than enough functional athleticism for a zone blocking scheme.

Nice reach block here on Michigan’s Kenneth Grant on a split zone concept. pic.twitter.com/XX3piqargg

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 12, 2025

Majors is also quick twitched in his hips and that aides him twisting to trap and wall off nose tackles on counters. When doubling in the run game he finds advantageous angles and keeps his legs driving to run defenders out of the play.

When Jake Majors Struggles

Length and strength are going to be huge issues for Majors as he moves to the NFL level. Unfortunately for him, pretty much every defensive tackle in the NFL features both of those traits. Due to his historically short arms, it’s easy for longer-levered defenders to get into his chest and control him.

Texas C Jake Majors – Photo by: USA Today

His play strength is below average at best and when he has to solo-block stronger defenders he can get walked back as a pass blocker. And when blocking in the run game he struggles to generate the same vertical displacement he provides as a doubler. If he is pressed into service against a two-gapping nose tackle, he will likely struggle unless the offense works to provide him extra help.

When he can’t win off the snap with quickness to engage contact and establish control it can get ugly. That’s when he tends to lose the power battle along with ground. It also tends to be when he loses his pad level and starts to play high, reducing what power he had to begin with. If his speed off the snap does not translate to the NFL level, he has almost no hope of sticking long term.

What’s The Fit?

As it relates to the Bucs, who found the majority of their success running the ball last year on gap-based schemes, Jake Majors isn’t an ideal fit. His timing as a doubler on duo and inside zone concepts is good and works well as part of a tandem block. He will struggle to execute some of the down blocks on the exotic counters the Bucs ran last year.

But he can shine in the screen, toss, pin and pull game. The Bucs asked their linemen to get out in space more than almost any other team in the NFL last year. Baker Mayfield led the NFL in passing behind the line of scrimmage according to Next Gen Stats. Often, those plays had an offensive line move and climb element to it.

Per @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/r1ZwnVdgqM

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) May 17, 2025

Majors has a plus targeting system, quick feet and loose hips to change direction well in space. All of that would dovetail well with the Bucs multiple direction attack that attempts to turn offensive linemen into offensive weapons.

The Bucs leave their tackles out on an island more than any team outside of Philadelphia. In doing so they provide more help inside and that can help Majors perform at his best. As long as he is getting guard help most of the time or being asked to pick up second-level or mugged up linebackers, he can fill in admirably if called upon to spot start. And thankfully, the Bucs aren’t afraid to place a running back directly behind the A-gap on third downs to give additional help in obvious pass situations.

In that sense, Tampa Bay is in a perfect position to give a quick-footed, shorter-levered player with some play strength concerns and a high IQ a home.