Report: Falcons have “significant interest” in Matt Hennessy

As the days wind down until the NFL Draft, we are wrapping up our series of NFL Draft profiles. Among the last remaining prospects I was about to cover is Matt Hennessy, an interior lineman out of Temple. It turns out one of my favorite interior offensive line options for Atlanta happens to be on their radar as well, per Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network.

The Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, and Pittsburgh Steelers all have a significant interest in Hennessy. Of that group, Pittsburgh projects him to guard.

Typically, I am not the one to overreact to a player having an excellent Combine. I like to rely on the tape. However, I came away from the event blown away with the athleticism Hennessy possesses for an offensive lineman. He is a converted tackle and put on an absolute show, given his size, demonstrating incredible lateral quickness. However, the former Owl is not just some Combine star. He is a stud lineman who is ready to take his talents to the next level.

In 2018, Pro Football Focus recorded Hennessy as having allowed pressure on just 0.6-percent of his active snaps, which was good for the best mark in the entire FBS. That season he did not surrender a sack and allowed just two pressures. With that being said, he had an average grade of 70.4 as a run blocker. Hennessy was dominant once again in his redshirt Junior season and now is primed to be a mid-round selection in this year’s Draft. I am sure Atlanta is thinking that he could slot in at left guard, and hopefully become a starting center down the road.

Hennessy is a technician that likely would be receiving a lot more clout during the process if he went to a bigger school. He establishes excellent body position in the run game, using his bend and quickness to improve in that area. For a pass-happy team in Atlanta that has some of the best weapons in the sport, there is not a better interior lineman available past the crop that are expected to go in the second round. He is regarded as a tough and smart player as well, so the intangibles check out. I like his chances against Atlanta’s internal options at left guard.

The Falcons have their eyes on a good one. We’ll see if Hennessy heads to Atlanta in less than two weeks.