Drew Dalman was a draft-day deal for new Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, and Dalman is now looking like a draft-deal steal.
After losing two starting safeties to free agency, the Falcons had to come out of April's NFL Draft with a player who could push for a starting spot at the safety position in 2021.
The Falcons held the 35th selection on day two of the draft, and they traded with the Denver Broncos to move to the 40th position while picking up an extra fourth round pick.
Richie Grant of UCF was the player the Falcons had targeted at 35, and he was still available at 40. With the fourth-round pick they received, the Falcons took interior lineman Drew Dalman from Stanford, and he's been getting rave reviews at multiple positions during the preseason.
Head coach Arthur Smith has been reluctant to heap praise on rookies, but Dalman has been getting cross-trained at center and guard and could find himself on game day rosters this fall. Smith will dress eight offensive linemen on game days, and Dalman is fighting for one of those spots.
"If he's one of the guys up, whether he eventually earns a starting job or he's one of eight guys up, we better be confident [in Dalman], or we've got the wrong eight guys to trust on game day,'' Smith said. "That's what's fair to the team."
"Like all rookies, they're going to go through struggles. [We're] pleased with what Drew's done. What we're throwing at him. It hasn't been perfect, but happy with how he's progressing."
Working at both guard and center, Dalman has gotten a first-hand look at Pro Bowl defensive lineman Grady Jarrett. His teammates have played a part in helping him adjust.
"I've been incredibly thankful to get to practice against guys like that," said Dalman to reporters after practice. "And learn from people like Chris [Lindstrom] and Josh Andrews and all those guys, because they're incredibly talented. I've really enjoyed getting to do both. It's just more stuff that I need to improve on, and I'm getting the opportunity to work it every day."
Rookies are said to make the next step in their progression when the game "slows down" for them. With all of the reps Dalman is getting, he's getting more comfortable pre-snap.
"I think the more confident I become with my assignments, the less I'm antsy at the line trying to get the call out,'' he said. "So that slows down a little bit, then I can really focus on the physical aspect."
Dalman was listed as the second-team center behind Matt Hennessy on Atlanta's first depth chart. While he may not elevate to a starting spot his rookie season, his versatility looks like it will pay dividends for the Falcons in terms of depth.
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