The Falcoholic
The team needs to replace Drew Dalman. If they’re looking to the draft, these prospects could do the trick.
A position that was unstable not too long ago has once again become a need for the Atlanta Falcons with the departure of Drew Dalman.
Ryan Neuzil filled in valiantly in 2024, but he wasn’t good enough at his job to be considered irreplaceable. The team giving him the lowest tender possible is proof of that. If Atlanta has the opportunity to upgrade on him, they should.
Cutting corners on the offensive line is never a good strategy, and the Falcons need to set Michael Penix up right heading into his first year as a full-time starter. Terry Fontenot has elected to bypass the upgrade options via free agency—a move I agree with if the Falcons can find a long-term option in the draft.
Historically, centers don’t cost a lot of draft capital. Dalman was a fourth-round pick, and I believe the team can find another Dalman in this draft. They could also spend a premium on a couple of prospects that could take this line to heights Dalman never could.
Your local draft junkies’ favorite center prospect. Perry played DIII football but has D1 play strength.
The left guard turned center prospect has been preparing for the draft with OL guru Duke Manyweather. Manyweather has been boasting about Perry’s strength, and I saw it firsthand at the East-West Shrine Bowl as he stonewalled Georgia Bulldogs in pass rush drills. Off the field, Perry’s weightlifting reputation is legendary; he’s known as “The Tank” in the gym, he studies molecular biology and mathematics, and he comes from a family of decorated Ivy League athletes and intellectuals. It’s the dream background profile from Madden 2006’s Superstar Mode.
The talent level he faced and his adjustment to the league’s speed are concerns. Still, with the nod of approval from a respected member of the OL community (Manyweather is selective with his clients) and his strong showing at the all-star event, fans shouldn’t be overly concerned.
Quinn Meinerz—who the Falcons passed on in favor of Jaylen Mayfield—is a recent example of a DIII football player overcoming the talent level talk, and Perry looks like the next in line.
Kendall would bore the heck out of Arthur Smith. Nothing about Kendall’s game jumped out at me, but that works both ways. He’s a consistent player who rarely makes mistakes. His feet are his greatest asset, making him an ideal candidate for the Falcons zone-based run scheme.
He doesn’t have much power, but he shows a good understanding of leverage and blocking angles and has enough athleticism to run pulling concepts. He’s a high IQ player who’s always in position, and that’s the baseline for a quality NFL starting center.
Like Dalman, Kendall is a little underweight, and his shorter arms make it easier for his opponents to attack him in pass protection....
