Drew Dalman 2021 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Interior Offensive Line
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 300 Lbs.
School: Stanford
Pro Day Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.05
Vertical jump: 33”
Broad jump: 9’1”
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 33
Drew Dalman 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Joining the NFL after four seasons at Stanford, Drew Dalman comes into the league with solid blocking skills. Dalman was a three-star recruit out of Palma High School in Salinas, CA, as well as the class’s seventh-ranked center. Despite receiving offers from the University of Michigan and Arizona, he chose to stay close to home for his college football career. Now heading to the professionals via the 2021 NFL Draft, it seems he chose wisely. He also comes in with solid credentials, earning All-Pac 12 First-Team honors after the 2020 season. Interestingly, he’s attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps, as Chris Dalman played several seasons for the San Francisco 49ers.
While Stanford didn’t experience great success in 2021, it wasn’t the fault of Dalman, though the line did struggle. While Dalman played pretty good football, the group clearly missed their anchor in Walker Little, who missed the 2020 campaign. Still, Dalman held up his end of the bargain for the Cardinal line. He graded out as the fourth-best center in 2020 according to Pro Football Focus, earning an 86.9 mark. While he did well as a whole, he does leave a little to be desired as a pass blocker. However, if he can show professional teams that added strength will improve his pass sets, it will help his stock.
Strengths
- Good footwork and step back as a pass blocker;
- Pretty good speed allows him to move well in run blocking sets;
- Packs a punch in the running game;
- Moves well when required to perform pulls;
- Seems like he does a pretty good coordinating the line as a center;
- Never seems overwhelmed in pass sets, even when plays go off-script.
Weaknesses
- Gets too high out of his stance;
- Doesn’t always get his hands in the right spots;
- Shorters arms allow defenders to brush off his reach;
- Doesn’t do a good job turning defenders in the run game;
- Needs to do a better job holding his ground against bull rushes;
- Has a hard time getting much push up front in the run game.
NFL Comparison: Russell Bodine
Teams With Need at Position: Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams
Projection: Sixth Round
Bottom Line on Drew Dalman
Not the greatest physical specimen in the draft, solid technique will give teams a reason to target Drew Dalman. Certainly, once he’s in a professional locker room, adding strength will be the top priority for the young center. Still, a high motor and high intellect make Dalman an interesting target for teams looking for developmental pieces. He might need a couple of seasons of scout team reps to find his way in the league, but he’s got some upside. Given Stanford’s turbulent 2020 season in the wake of the pandemic, consistency will benefit the center in the pros. If he can add some extra muscle and improve his ability to maintain the pocket, he should have starting potential.
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