Arkansas center Ricky Stromberg on Friday became the second Razorback to come off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Stromberg, a native of Tulsa, was selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 97 overall pick in the third round. Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders was also drafted in the third round with the 67th pick.
A steady presence on the Razorbacks’ offensive line in recent years, Stromberg is the first Arkansas center taken in the draft since Frank Ragnow in 2018.
More from WholeHogSports: Stromberg the center of attention at Arkansas and steady in his role
“Early impressions could leave evaluators unimpressed with his lack of control at times; however, his process and results should quickly grow on them,” analyst Lance Zierlein wrote on NFL.com prior to the draft. “Stromberg generates decent movement at the point of attack and is well-schooled with landmarks as a zone blocker. His waist-bending causes inconsistencies with his mirror and recoveries in protection.
“He has an innate feel for angles and positioning that leads to some unexpected block wins. Stromberg has a chance to become a starting center with the flexibility to play guard if needed.”
Stromberg (6-4, 313 pounds) started the final 25 games of his Arkansas career and had 44 starts in his career. He was an All-America honorable mention by Pro Football Focus, which gave him an overall offense grade of 82.4 in 2022 and 76.3 in 2021.
His grade of 82.4 last season ranked fifth among FBS centers and No. 33 among all offensive linemen.
Stromberg, according to NFL.com, received a pre-draft prospect grade of 6.22. The figure indicates he “will eventually be an average starter” in the league.
Late last season, Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman described Stromberg as tough, reliable and loyal.
“I love him,” Pittman added. “To be a 265-pound kid out of high school that probably not a lot of SEC schools recruited, to be where he is today, it’s all on him and his work ethic and who he is — and his parents. I’m going to miss him. I love him to death, and I think he’s a wonderful example of hard work and perseverance and toughness.
“That’s exactly who he is.”
Stromberg suggested at Arkansas’ Pro Day that playing against top-tier defensive linemen such as Georgia’s Jordan Davis, Auburn’s Derrick Brown and Missouri’s Darius Robinson during his career has prepared him for the NFL.
“There was a handful of them,” Stromberg recalled. “When you play in the SEC, I saw a lot of good guys. It was fun. I enjoyed it. … I got my butt kicked some plays, but that only helped. You only learn from that. It is what is is. It happened.
“But I learned from it and got better from it, so I appreciate it.”