The Washington Commanders added depth to their interior offensive line by drafting Michigan State center Matt Gulbin in the sixth round. Here are five things to know about the newest member of the front.
1. He did a little of everything in high school.
Gulbin is familiar with having position flexibility. He said after he was drafted that he feels comfortable playing all three interior spots for the Commanders, and there's a chance they will try him out at each of them before settling on one spot.
But Gulbin did more than that at the high school level. Wilton High School head coach E.J. DiNunzio used him on the defensive line as well, and while his main responsibilities were still on offense, he did record 47 tackles, four sacks and 10 tackles for loss in his final two seasons with the Warriors. He also bumped over to left tackle during his junior season, earning all-conference as well as all-state honors and helping Wilton get to the playoffs for the first time in 24 years.
Gulbin was also an offensive weapon in the backfield. He scored two rushing touchdowns as part of Wilton's goal-line packers during his junior year. The team canceled the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he participated in the seven-on-seven matchups the team held in its place.
Gulbin ended his high school career as the No. 5 prospect in Connecticut and a two-time all-conference player. He received offers from the likes of UMass, UConn and Vanderbilt before ultimately committing to Wake Forest.
2. He was a highly productive center in college.
If you're looking for an offensive lineman who puts up elite athletic numbers, Gulbin is not the player for you. There's more to playing football than being athletically gifted, and when it comes to everything else, Gulbin was actually one of the Commanders' best options.
Despite only playing one season at Michigan State, Gulbin established himself as one of the better centers in his class. Pro Football Focus gave him the second-best overall grade for a center and the best for his draft class, beating out players drafted earlier in the draft like Sam Hecht, Jake Slaughter and Logan Jones. He received the best run grade in the class and third in pass protection, earning an efficiency grade of 99.1 for allowing just five pressures on 405 pass blocking opportunities.
PFF grades aren't the deciding factor in a player's performance, but they do provide context in a general sense, and Gulbin, who regularly faced off against tougher competition in the Big Ten, never recorded a grade lower than a 61 last season. It was a noticeable improvement from the 2024 season, when he allowed 19 pressures as Wake Forest's starting left guard.
Gulbin might not have the flashiest tape in his class, but he was effective, and that's what really matters for an offensive lineman.
3. He brings a lot of intelligence to the position.
One of the factors behind Gulbin's production was his mind. He was an All-ACC Academic team member with Wake Forest, and for those who have a firm grasp of offensive linemen can see how important Gulbin's intelligence was to both him and the Michigan State offense.
"He's wicked smart at center," Commanders analyst Logan Paulsen said on the "Drive to the Draft" podcast. "You see him down there on the ball with his hand on the ball, and he's calling the protections and identifying the Mike point. He's offloading that responsibility from the quarterback. He's got a really good feel for angles; understands where the helmet needs to be; understands how to apply pressure in terms of grip to keep it flat down the line of scrimmage."
Other draft analysts picked up on how smart Gulbin is, too. Dane Brugler wrote in “The Beast” that Gulbin is a "hyperaware player" who can quickly decipher blitzes. It's helped him overcome weaknesses like his size; although he only weighs 305 pounds, he has solid technique and uses that to his advantage in the run game.
There's certainly room for Gulbin to grow, but in terms of understanding the game and an NFL offense, he should have no trouble getting up to speed.
4. He was one of the most reliable players on Michigan State's roster.
The old saying is that the injury rate in football is 100%. Gulbin did miss some time during his college career, but it wasn't often.
With the exception of the season finale against Maryland, Gulbin was the embodiment of reliability on Michigan State's offensive line. He played and started every snap of the first 11 games last season -- that's 727 snaps -- without injury. That wasn't an anomaly, either, as he played 806 offensive snaps as a redshirt junior and 706 in 2023.
"Physical, tough, leader, just an all-around guy," Michigan State starting quarterback Aidan Chiles said of Gulbin. "He's a center and that's what he is. If you want an ideal center, that's who you're going to get."
The Commanders need reliable depth on the offensive line, particularly after dealing with multiple injuries in 2025. It should be a comfort to know that Gulbin will find ways to stay on the field if called upon.
5. He "plays the game the way we want to play it."
In some ways, Gulbin doesn't quite fit the mold of offensive linemen the Commanders have searched for over the last two seasons. Players like Laremy Tunsil, Josh Conerly and Sam Cosmi all have some athleticism in their skill sets, and that will be useful as the team tries to rework their offense.
But the Commanders were big fans of Gulbin, mostly because they just like the way he plays the game. He's physical, nasty, plays with grit and finds a way to get the job done.
"He's a guy that we feel…plays the game the way we want to play it," assistant general manager Lance Newmark said.
Not much is known about how new offensive coordinator David Blough will run Washington's offense, but the Commanders are expected to run the ball more often. They could use a player like Gulbin, who might not have the athletic ceiling of other players on the roster but does know how to play the position well.
There's no guarantee that he makes the roster, of course, but Gulbin is ready to compete.
"I'm focused on getting to work and doing whatever I can to be my best version of myself and do whatever I can to help the Commanders win," Gulbin said.
