2023 NFL Draft: Top 10 Interior Offensive Linemen and their fits with the Atlanta Falcons
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No. 10: Chandler Zavala, North Carolina State
2022: 12 Games Started at Left Guard
2021: 5 Games Started at Left Guard before suffering a back injury that kept him out for 7 games
2020: Team didn't have a fall season, and transfered to North Carolina State before spring 2021.
2019: 10 Games Started at Left Guard at Fairmount State
2018: 11 Games Started at Left Guard at Fairmount State
2017: 3 Games Played at Left Guard at Fairmount State
Chandler Zavala has exceptional athleticism for a guard. It's so good, that Duane Brown, a career left tackle, was the only good comparison for him athletically. pic.twitter.com/QZJ5KS9XrD
— Scott Carasik (@CarasikS) April 7, 2023
Chandler Zavala is arguably the best pass-blocking left guard in the entire draft. He's got the frame to dominate any 3-tech defensive tackle in the league on size alone. He has the quickness and footwork to slide out to left tackle in a pinch as well. While he's not the best run blocker, he's such a great athlete that he can fit in well in the zone or gap-blocking schemes both very well. Teams will love the idea of grabbing a pro-ready pass protector that has a high ceiling as a run blocker and potential Pro Bowl-level talent.
The main concerns with Zavala come from his back injury and age, though. Zavala is going to start in the NFL at 24 years old, which is around two years older than the average NFL rookie. His back injury from 2021 is also scary, but he had his best year the season after. So that might not be a huge worry, but it could drop him to day three. Nonetheless, the Falcons could turn in their card on him as early as round two and have a long-term starter at left guard.
Player Comparison: Duane Brown if he was a career guard
All stats are courtesy CFBStats.com or official team websites. RAS athleticism comparisons are courtesy Kent Lee Platte's Relative Athletic Scores.
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