Center prospects the Falcons could target in the 2025 NFL Draft

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.

Thomas Perry, Middlebury (Late Day 3)

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.

Drew Kendall, Boston College (Day 3)

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. However, playing next to Chris Lindstrom helps, and the 23-year-old might need a year to get stronger like Dalman did. As it stands, Kendall could push Neuzil for the job and start establishing that chemistry with Penix and the veteran line early.

Jonah Monheim, University of Southern California (Early Day 3)

Monheim is my favorite option among the Day 3 projected prospects. He offers positional versatility (starts at RT, LT, and RG) and would immediately be the best pass-protecting center on the team. Monheim kicked inside this year after being a career tackle, a move other prospects will attempt to make in their rookie seasons. This move boosted Monheim’s stock and saved teams’ time.

Monheim’s anchor is impressive for an interior player and would keep Penix nice and comfortable in the pocket. He isn’t an exceptional run blocker, but he has the feet and movement skills to succeed in a zone-based scheme.

He’ll need to become a more efficient blocker and refine his angles, but with tutelage from Dwanye Ledford, I’m confident Monheim could get to a high enough level as a rookie to win the job and never look back.

Jared Wilson, University of Georgia (Late Day 2)

Wilson has been riding a high since the NFL Combine, where he posted the fifth-fastest 40 time by an OL since 2003. Wilson might have the RAS score of a first-rounder, but he doesn’t have the tape. Wislon’s inexperience occasionally shows up on film, but the athletic flashes are there. He can boogie in space, easily climbing to the second level and washing out linebackers. He can look dominant when he wins the leverage battle, and what he offers as a run blocker feels limitless.

He isn’t the most consistent in pass protection, but this was also his first year as a starter, so developing better technique will come with time and reps. He does have a good anchor to work with, and because he’s so green, the ceiling shouldn’t be close to tapped. Had Wilson stayed another year, he may have been a first-round lock; that’s how special he is as an athlete.

Wilson is projected to go later on Day 2, where it’s rare to find athletes like him. The Falcons had multiple staff members in attendance at Geogia’s pro day, and they likely kept tabs on Wilson from the moment he walked into the facility.

Grey Zabel, North Dakota State (Day 1 – Early Day 2)

Zabel was a tackle for the Bison, but at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, he took snaps at center and guard and dominated the competition. Zabel is the most pro-ready offensive lineman on this list, and he could give a team solid reps at any position, but the interior is where he will shine. Zabel is a technically sound player who blocks through the whistle. He is a fantastic fit for the Falcons scheme and would allow them to sprinkle in more duo and power concepts.

His strong first step allows him to pack a punch and get to the second level in a hurry. The lack of length shows up on film, but that’s also because he’s a tackle facing longer opponents, which won’t be as big of an issue once he’s playing inside. Zabel offers the team security at guard moving forward as well if Bergeron can’t take the next step or elects to leave after his rookie deal is up.

Fans may have trauma from the Mayfield experience, but these prospects are in no way alike. Zabel has more experience and technical refinement as a prospect. He would also be the second NDSU OT in the last few years to make this move. Cody Mauch had an impressive Senior Bowl performance, and the Buccaneers cashed in on it. Atlanta could look to do the same.

Marcus Mbow, Purdue (Day 1)

This is where things could get interesting. Mbow is one of the most fascinating prospects in this draft class. He’s undersized as a tackle, but his movement skills are so elite that some scouts still believe he can work there. I saw Mbow take snaps inside at the Senior Bowl. I didn’t get the sense he had the necessary strength to play guard, but center is a different story.

Mbow would be the best athlete on the line if drafted today; there isn’t an angle he can’t make as a run blocker. He already has a solid anchor and often beats pass rushers to the spot. His hands are always active, and he delivers a good initial punch. He needs to improve his pad level, and his technique can be sloppy at times overall. He isn’t the strongest player right now, but he’s also a true junior who will turn 22 in the summer, so he will continue to add muscle. Mbow feels like a move that would come out of nowhere, and that’s the Falcons specialty.

Games are won and lost in the trenches, and if there is a deficiency in its construction, teams will take advantage of it. Interior pressure causes a unique challenge to Penix, specifically because it forces him to roll out instead of step up when facing outside pressure. Penix’s on-the-move throwing has been a weakness in his game dating back to the University of Washington.

If the Falcons want to give him the best chance at success, they’ll need to ensure that the interior line is humming. Otherwise, they could ruin their next potential franchise quarterback before he can develop.