Creed Humphrey Is Still the NFL’s Top Center, According to the People Who Actually Play Against Him

The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot riding on Patrick Mahomes’ knee in 2026. But they also have something else going for them: arguably the best interior offensive line duo in football.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler dropped his annual ranking of the NFL’s top interior offensive linemen this week, based on feedback from coaches, scouts and front-office executives around the league. And the Chiefs cleaned up nicely.

Center Creed Humphrey and guard Trey Smith both landed inside the top 10. Humphrey came in at No. 3 after holding the top spot last offseason. Smith slipped to No. 7 after finishing fourth a year ago.

One NFL personnel executive told Fowler that Humphrey has an unorthodox style but once he locks onto a defender, good luck shaking him. The exec called him the most consistent center in the league and praised his physicality and athleticism.

Humphrey was elite in pass protection during the 2025 season, even if his run-blocking grades dipped outside the top 10. Still, nobody in league circles seems to question his status as one of the best all-around centers in the game.

Smith took a small step back, but don’t overreact

Smith’s drop from No. 4 to No. 7 came with some honest critiques. Fowler noted that multiple voters described 2025 as a down year for Smith. But the numbers tell a slightly different story. Smith allowed zero sacks on 389 pass-block attempts last season.

Still, some evaluators pointed to a weakness that opposing defenses have started to exploit. One veteran defensive coach said they could knock Smith backward into the pocket, which is exactly what teams tried to do against Kansas City last year.

That kind of pressure is a bigger concern now with Mahomes coming back from a torn ACL he suffered late in the 2025 season. The offensive line’s ability to keep the pocket clean matters more than ever.

Training camp opens later this month and all eyes will be on how Mahomes moves, how the line holds up and whether Kansas City’s offense can get back to its dominant form. The rankings suggest the pieces are there. The recovery is the wild card.