Falcons center Ryan Neuzil celebrates a touchdown with running back Bijan Robinson
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Many Falcons fans were introduced to Ryan Neuzil after Drew Dalman went down with an ankle injury during Week 3 last season. Now, with a clear starting role and a new quarterback, The Athletic's Josh Kendall believes that Neuzil and the Falcons are ready to deliver a "Neuz Flash" to the rest of the league.
The Falcons boast one of the best offensive lines in the league, coming in at No. 9 in ESPN’s positional group rankings. But, how many offensive linemen can the average fan name? How many backups?
Many Falcons fans were introduced to Ryan Neuzil after Drew Dalman went down with an ankle injury during Week 3 last season. But, over the past three seasons, the former UDFA center has earned the trust of everyone in the building. Now, with a clear starting role and a new quarterback, The Athletic‘s Josh Kendall believes that Neuzil and the Falcons are ready to deliver a “Neuz Flash” to the rest of the league.
Neuzil’s Journey is Unique, Even for an NFL Player
Ryan Neuzil started his college career as a backup center at Appalachian State, eventually making the move to left guard. From there, he started the final 44 games of his college career at left guard, earning All-Sun Belt honors in each of his final three seasons (Honorable Mention in 2018, 2019 and Third Team in 2020). But, he went undrafted and signed with the Falcons as a UDFA for the 2021 season.
His work ethic and “surprising athleticism” have powered his journey from the scout team to the starting lineup. Kendall wrote that the Falcons center spent his first two years “holding the weighted bag that the first-line offensive linemen used to take practice reps.”
Neuzil’s teammate and three-time All-Pro (Second Team) Chris Lindstrom praised him for keeping his head down and making the most of his opportunities.
“He gave the best looks of anybody I have had in the NFL, wasn’t above doing anything, and when he got his reps, he got better,” Lindstrom said. “It’s really cool to see his progression as a friend and a teammate.”
Now, just three years after entering the league as a UDFA, Neuzil and the Falcons are ready to send a message to the rest of the NFL world.
Neuzil is New Centerpiece of Falcons’ Top-10 Offensive Line
While most of the focus has gone to the quarterback position, the Falcons built up some much-needed depth on their offensive line this offseason. Atlanta re-signed four linemen and extended star left tackle Jake Matthews.
Matthews represents the largest investment along the offensive line, and arguably, the most important one. The 11-year veteran has started 179 consecutive games, with almost all of them coming as a stalwart blindside protector. But, with southpaw Michael Penix Jr. taking over as the starter, Matthews will be responsible for keeping edge rushers out of the young quarterback’s face.
During the offseason, the Falcons earned high marks at every position along the offensive line. PFF’s analysts ranked the top 32 players at each position, with each position represented on their respective list.
Despite starting just eight games last year, the Falcons newest starter earned a spot in PFF’s center rankings. PFF’s Mason Cameron noted that Neuzil “performed well enough to earn the nod for a full season in 2025.” If he can limit some mistakes in the run game, Neuzil should take another step forward this year.
As the long-term anchor of the offensive line, LT Jake Matthews earned the No. 20 spot in PFF’s tackle rankings. He was joined by RT Kaleb McGary at No. 30, who PFF highlighted as one of the better run-blockers at the position.
At guard, Chris Lindstrom made his third consecutive appearance atop PFF’s rankings, as he earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod and third consecutive Second-Team All-Pro nod.
On the other side, 25-year-old Matthew Bergeron made his first appearance among the top 32. PFF’s Mason Cameron acknowledged that Bergeron “made big strides in 2024, showing improvements in all facets of his game.”