NFL's best: The top 10 interior offensive linemen of 2011

[F.Chowds]

Apparently, it lies off the coast of Revis Island in the greater New York Jets archipelago. But ask around enough, and one discovers that it does exist … much to the chagrin of the man it's named for.

"Revis Island is the only one we need," Jets all-pro center Nick Mangold laughs, referring to the atoll named in honor of his teammate (all-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis), where elite receivers so frequently find themselves stranded.

But Mangold, anointed the best interior offensive lineman in the NFL by a panel of USA TODAY staffers who cover the league (Revis was named our No. 1 corner in the May 25 edition of Sports Weekly), has similar ability to negate an opponent despite playing a vastly dissimilar position.

"If you have an elite nose tackle and put Nick on him, it's like Mangold Island," says NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, an NFL offensive lineman for a dozen years. "He'll handle him."

Though he appreciates such compliments, Mangold also deflects them.

"It gives you great pride when you're in there and don't need any help and can go one-on-one and hold your own," he says before quickly adding, "not that I don't accept help to make my life a little easier. But it's great the coaching staff has confidence in me to do that."

The Jets' trust in one of their two 2006 first-rounders — Mangold was drafted 29th overall, 25 slots after left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, his Pro Bowl linemate — seems to know few, if any, bounds.

"Probably the best center I've coached in my lifetime," says Jets assistant head coach Bill Callahan, who also oversees the offensive line (as he has for most of a coaching career spanning three decades). "One of the best lineman in this league."

And the Jets have become one of the top teams in the NFL, in part because of their willingness to lay their foundation in the trenches.

"Just not many guys selected in the first round at that position," Callahan says of Mangold, a three-time Pro Bowler. "I go back to (general manager) Mike Tannenbaum and our scouting department in having the foresight in selecting him — playing against the matchup nose tackles in the AFC East, that's become huge because our scheme doesn't always allow the luxury of a double team. … Having the ability to have the center isolated in the run game and protection game, that's a huge aspect, and he gives you a huge luxury.

"(And) as a person, you're not going to find a better guy for your line — funny, cerebral, steady."

With the entire AFC East running 3-4 defenses, Mangold constantly is pitted against massive nose guards. But his ability to hold them at bay on his own, Callahan says, allows New York to release its guards to help double-team speedy edge rushers.

Mangold, a 6-4, 307-pound Ohio native and former Ohio State standout, relishes such physical challenges along with the mental demands of the game.

"I always look forward to playing the (New England) Patriots and getting Vince (Wilforks)," Mangold says of his battles with the 325-pound Pro Bowl nose tackle. "You know you'll be there for 60 minutes-plus."

Yet, Baldinger stresses Mangold is just as effective on the move and thrives regardless of defensive scheme.

"He's an exceptional pass blocker," he says. "But the thing that distinguishes him is his ability to get to the second level and get those linebackers. … And when he's going against 4-3 (defenses), he gets good push at the point."

Mangold reached this point of his career seemingly by snapping to a full spectrum of NFL quarterbacks.

He broke in with highly cerebral, accurate and fiery Chad Pennington. Two years later, he was guarding Brett Favre's golden gun and devil-may-care mien. Then in 2009, Mangold was charged with breaking in rookie Mark Sanchez.

"I was very fortunate; the football gods saw the path they wanted me to go down," Mangold says. "Chad and his mind for the game and the way he studies, then the transition to Brett Favre — he's seen everything, his experience is unmatched, and making plays was nothing new to him.

"Having those two lead the offense before Mark gave me a good blend and a good idea how to help Mark. We would only go as far as Mark would take us, and he's done fantastic — always studying the playbook and always studying film.

"(But) I was very fortunate having Chad and Brett before Mark."

Likewise, the Jets felt fortunate to have Mangold in place before Sanchez's arrival.

"When Mark came in — (rookies) have got so much to know, and Mark wasn't at the point where he could redirect the offensive line or change a protection to pick up a safety or blitzer," Callahan says. "Nick did all of that for him and took all the mental pressure off him.

"Mark learned and got better, and Nick helped him in that maturation process. They're both now on the same page, which is great to see."

Says Baldinger: "A great center can really calm down any quarterback. … A lot of young QBs can go into a funk very easily. Nick's an unflustered guy. You're not going to confuse him."

Callahan further details Mangold's football aptitude, saying it exceeds his substantial physical gifts.

"He's got such temperament and poise, he doesn't get rattled or get out of sync," he says. "A lot of (defenses) time their pressure on the 40-second clock (as it winds down) and disguise it to the last second.

"He's got the ability to make that adjustment on the fly seconds prior to the ball being snapped."

Now, after two seasons with Sanchez, Mangold looks forward to settling in for the long haul with his battery mate, an underrated aspect of an offense in his estimation.

"It was overlooked and has come to light more (that) having two guys together for a while," is important Mangold says, while referencing the typically formidable Indianapolis Colts.

"Look at Peyton (Manning) and Jeff (Saturday, the fourth center on USA TODAY's list); they finish each other's sentences. Great working relationship, and they can do things on the fly. It's interesting to see them interact. I'd love to go eight to 10 years with Mark and have that kind of relationship."

It also would give Mangold, 27, the opportunity to track the leadership style of Sanchez, who will be 25 in November.

"He's so mature and does the right things and knows when to turn it on and when to turn off … and then he'll make a fart joke," Mangold says of the irrepressible quarterback who has led New York to consecutive AFC Championship games. "You're asking, 'How old are you?' in the huddle."

Guards get their due

Of course, NFL huddles also contain two guards, and, after Mangold, they filled out USA TODAY's top five among interior O-linemen.

New England's Logan Mankins finished second to Mangold but was ranked 39th among all players on NFL Network's The Top 100 Players of 2011 (a list determined from votes of active players), eight slots above Mangold, the top center.

"Both physically and mentally, he's as tough as they come," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said of Mankins for The Top 100 series.

Mankins has started at left guard throughout his career, though the 2005 first-rounder was a tackle at Fresno State.

His immediate position switch in the NFL is becoming a common theme among pro guards. Mankins is so good in his new role that he was named first-team all-pro in 2010 despite sitting out the first seven games in a contractual spat.

"He runs, and he's a finisher — nice little nasty streak," NFL Network analyst Jamie Dukes, who played guard and center during his 10-year NFL career, says of Mankins.

"He will flat get after you."

Mangold and New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans, who is third overall in USA TODAY's rankings, have been first-team all-pros each of the last two seasons. Evans ranked 34th in The Top 100 series, No. 1 among guards-centers and second only to Miami Dolphins left tackle Jake Long (No. 28) among all O-linemen.

"The strength of Jahri Evans is he has unbelievable balance. He's never on the ground," Baldinger says of the 6-4, 318-pounder.

Evans and teammate Carl Nicks (6-5, 343 pounds), a second-team all-pro last year, form the league's top guard tandem. Baldinger notes their strength and ability to hold ground at the line of scrimmage enables quarterback Drew Brees, who stands 6-0, to fire away with minimal fear of batted balls. Evans also credits quick-triggered Brees for much of his and Nicks' success.

"It just kind of worked out well," Evans says of the New Orleans line, noting that he and Nicks (like Mankins) were tackles in college. "Now nobody can come up the middle.

"We know we're a pass-heavy team. With Drew's timing, he gets it off and allows us to be more aggressive up front. There's times you get beat, but Drew has it out in three steps. You can attack more."

When he's not attacking, Evans enjoys watching the work of Nicks, who has played three NFL seasons and was seventh on USA TODAY's list and 55th on The Top 100, trailing only Evans and Mankins among guards.

"It doesn't look like anything's hard for him," Evans says of his close friend. "Once he gets his hands on you, he finishes. And he loves to get out on screens. How many 360-, 370-pound guys are blowing up guys downfield?

"He likes to get guys into his body, then he forklifts them. … He's strong as an ox. I've seen him bench-press 405 pounds 15 times."

Nicks might be the positional bench mark in the near future. But Baldinger also cites Green Bay Packers guard Josh Sitton as a rising star.

"I think Josh Sitton is as good as anybody out there right now," Nicks says. "He's in that conversation with Logan and Jahri for sure."

Mangold is trying to stave off Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey on the awards circuit. Pouncey was a Pro Bowler and second-team all-pro as a rookie last season.

"The guy that I think has a chance to be a rock star if he puts 20 bricks in his pocket is the Pouncey kid," says Dukes, suggesting he needs to add 20 pounds to more effectively battle the Wilforks of the world. "He's a young Dermontti Dawson (a perennial all-pro center for the Steelers in the 1990s) — athletic, quick, uses his hands well.

"Nicky (Mangold) is strong, cut from that old-school cloth — good athlete, not a great athlete. Pouncey reminds me of a tight end that moved to center. Nicky reminds of a lineman that's always been a lineman.

"Pouncey's an athlete."

Mobility key to success

Today's NFL requires better athletes at guard and center amid the proliferation of the pass and growing popularity of 3-4 defenses.

"With the different defenses you see, it's never vanilla. (Defensive backs) coming at you, and the athletes up front are changing — not as many big hogs around with teams passing so much," Evans says. "You get to the second level much faster against the 3-4 and have to locate the linebackers.

"It's definitely a change of pace against those AFC teams that play it a lot."

The need for such mobility could render 350-pound guards of recent vintage obsolete. Evans has noticed ever "sleeker" defensive linemen trying to short-circuit pass-based attacks such as the one the Saints run.

"The Giants won the Super Bowl using four defensive ends (simultaneously)," Baldinger says. "I'm looking for the day you can put four good pass rushers up front and say, 'The hell with (defending) the run.'"

Hence the trend of recasting collegiate tackles to guards.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who also live by the pass but need fluid blockers with quarterback Michael Vick constantly on the move, took Baylor left tackle Danny Watkins in the first round of the 2011 draft but plan to deploy him at guard.

Newcomers such as Watkins must be ready to cope in a league in which trench warfare seems to be phasing out as defenders walk around trying to sow confusion amid veiled intentions.

It's Mangold's favorite facet of the game, the challenge of solving the exotic defensive schemes of Jets coach Rex Ryan during training camp.

"There's not a dull day going through camp mentally," he says

Adds Callahan: "When we come out of training camp, we've seen 90% of what we're going to see all year."

Not that they'd readily cope without a player of Mangold's caliber.

"You can't hide 'em," Callahan says of pass protectors without nimble feet.

"They're going to get exposed at some point. (Defenses) are going to find that matchup and get somebody on that player's hat."

Luckily for the Jets, Mangold is wearing the crown.

[stoicsentry]

Mangold is a really awesome player. We got a winner with that pick for sure.

[serphnx]

Vick is constantly on the move because the Eagles can't block at all. This is also why Kolb was worthless, and why I doubt anybody could have replicated Vick's year last year on the Eagles. We all know what happens to Tom Brady when someone goes near him, let alone hits him.

[CTM]

Mangold was the biggest surefire pick I think I've ever seen. Dude was a beast at the senior bowl

[DMaynard]

The Jets have really been lucky to have had an almost uninterrupted string of good to great centers in their history. Joe Schmitt of the SBIII Jets was a very good one in the sixties into the seventies. Then Joe Fields, another good one, took over and brought them into the eighties. Along came Jim Sweeney in the eighties and into the nineties. I forget the name of the guy who was in between Sweeney and Kevin Mawae. He was OK. Kevin was an all pro (still pretty good) and now Mangold. Not bad.

[Larz]

The Jets have really been lucky to have had an almost uninterrupted string of good to great centers in their history. Joe Schmitt of the SBIII Jets was a very good one in the sixties into the seventies. Then Joe Fields, another good one, took over and brought them into the eighties. Along came Jim Sweeney in the eighties and into the nineties. I forget the name of the guy who was in between Sweeney and Kevin Mawae. He was OK. Kevin was an all pro (still pretty good) and now Mangold. Not bad.

I had to look it up, but I bet you mean roger duffy

[TNJet]

Just one of the many reasons I loved the 2006 jets draft.

[Klecko73isGod]

The Jets have really been lucky to have had an almost uninterrupted string of good to great centers in their history. Joe Schmitt of the SBIII Jets was a very good one in the sixties into the seventies. Then Joe Fields, another good one, took over and brought them into the eighties. Along came Jim Sweeney in the eighties and into the nineties. I forget the name of the guy who was in between Sweeney and Kevin Mawae. He was OK. Kevin was an all pro (still pretty good) and now Mangold. Not bad.

Its a weird thing but its should be a point of pride for the organization. You better be damn good if you're going to play the pivot in green and white.