Zak Zinter selected by Browns with 85th overall pick in NFL Draft
The Cleveland Browns have selected former Michigan offensive lineman Zak Zinter with the 85th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After four years at the University of Michigan, Zinter will take his talents to the next level.
In his four seasons in Ann Arbor, Zinter racked up numerous awards, and he leaves as one of the most decorated Wolverines in program history.
Originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts, Zinter arrived at Michigan with a 6-foot-6, 300-pound frame, which are solid metrics for an incoming freshman.
In the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Zinter appeared in all six of Michigan's games, making four starts at right guard. His first career start came against Indiana on Nov. 7. He followed up his first start with three consecutive starts against Wisconsin, Penn State and Rutgers to finish off the season.
In 2021, Zinter established himself as the team's best right guard as just a sophomore. He appeared in 13 games that season and made 12 starts. He was also a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, and an honorable mention by the coaches.
He was part of the offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award, joining Ryan Hayes, Trevor Keegan, Andrew Vastardis and Andrew Stueber, among others.
During the 2022 campaign, Zinter started all 14 games for the Wolverines. Michigan went 12-0 during the regular season, but it was eliminated by TCU in the College Footballl Playoff Semifinal.
Zinter and the Wolverines won the Joe Moore Award for the second consecutive season in 2022. He was a consensus All-Big Ten first-teamer according to both the media and the coaches.
As any Michigan fan would have expected, Zinter continued to start throughout the entirety of his senior season. He started all 12 regular-season games before suffering a season-ending broken tibia and fibula against Ohio State.
Just one play after Zinter exited the field at Michigan Stadium to fans chanting "Let's go, Zak!", running back Blake Corum took the ball 22 yards to the house, making for one of the best moments in Michigan Stadium history.
At 6-foot-6 and 309 pounds, Zinter is one of the most proven offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft. His injury set him back, but he is still expected to be a solid NFL player for years to come.
"Zinter does a nice job using his size to initially cover up his target with good hand placement to create leverage before churning his feet and straining to finish," NFL Scout Brandon Thorn wrote for Bleacher Report. "This usually results in him being able to wall off defenders with his body positioning. He has middling power and redirect skills due to an upright, high playing style and below-average quickness that results in him getting stacked, stalemated and stepping under himself if caught off-guard by movement.
"In pass protection, Zinter is a physical presence with good enough feet and hands to win most matchups by gaining quick control, corralling and grinding down momentum while looking to deliver body blows when uncovered. When rushers know how to tempo their moves with stutters, hesitations and feints, he usually takes the cheese, drifting into oversets and losing across his face."
"Overall, Zinter is a competent, accomplished and mature player with the size, football intelligence and competitive toughness to add value to an NFL offensive line room as a quality depth piece. He has serviceable starter upside if he fully recovers from his leg injury."
Zinter will head to Ohio to play for Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. He'll block for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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