1 week Ago
Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Jack Nelson might have a quiet start to his career with the Atlanta Falcons , but he's in a good spot to develop into a future contributor. As a seventh-round pick , he isn't even guaranteed a roster spot in year one. But if he's patient and puts his head down and gets to work, he could have a real future in Atlanta.
He joins a Falcons offensive line that has two well-respected, established veterans at offensive tackle. Left tackle Jake Matthews and right tackle Kaleb McGary both have more than 5,000 snaps under their belt as long-time starters for the team. Both can serve as valuable mentors for a young offensive tackle like Nelson.
Atlanta's offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford also has a track record of developing young linemen to exceed their draft expectations. He joined the Falcons in 2021 when the team drafted center Drew Dalman in the fourth round. After one year on the bench, Dalman took over a starter and went onto become one of the NFL's highest paid centers as a free agent this offseason.
His replacement in Atlanta will be Ryan Neuzil, an undrafted free agent who spent his first two years developing on the practice squad. His hard work and patience has paid off as he's set to take over as the starter in his fifth season. Ledford can have the same impact on Nelson.
It's going to take time. It might require a season or two on the practice squad as he loses out to more established veterans while he refines his technique. But in the long run, Nelson should be in a good spot to maximize his potential and go as far as he can in the NFL.
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