As Falcons fans will recall from the end of Matt Ryan's tenure in Atlanta, poor offensive line play can make even the most talented of players look average. While the Falcons currently have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL, it's fair to wonder how long it might last.
With Jake Matthews' career winding down, and both Jawaan Taylor and Ryan Neuzil headed for free agency in 2027, the team will likely target an offensive lineman early in next year's draft.
Plus, considering how well quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is playing this season, investing in more protection probably isn't a bad idea. When Penix has time in the pocket, he has routinely made opposing defenses pay.
Pro Football Network analyst Jacob Infante released a new 2027 NFL mock
draft which has the Falcons taking Kentucky offensive tackle Lance Heard. Infante liked the Tennessee transfer's nastiness.
"After the retirement of Kaleb McGary, the Atlanta Falcons pivoted to sign Jawaan Taylor as their new starting right tackle. However, he’s had a rocky NFL career, and left tackle Jake Matthews will be 35 years old in February. The Falcons will eventually need to invest in a long-term option at one of their starting tackle spots.
An argument can be made that Lance Heard is the nastiest offensive lineman in the 2027 NFL Draft. I liked his tape at Tennessee, where you could see his elite play strength and physicality on display. This year at Kentucky, though, he’s shown much improved body control and weight distribution. The more I watch him, the more sold I am on him as a first-round prospect." - Jacob Infante, PFSN
Adding a potential successor to Matthews makes a ton of sense, but the Falcons should look to re-sign both Taylor and Neuzil in free agency. Neuzil has developed into a solid starter, and the team could certainly do worse than Taylor at right tackle.
The Falcons have received major contributions from general manager Ian Cunningham's first draft class. Rookie Kendal Daniels, a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, came up with two key turnovers in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Linebacker Harold Perkins, another Day 3 draft pick, looks like another future starter. The sixth-round pick out of LSU would be getting more love if not for the remarkable production of Daniels. If Atlanta can find more gems in 2027, this could quickly become one of the NFL's elite rosters.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons land 'nastiest offensive lineman' in 2027 NFL mock draft
