At the end of the NFL draft, all 32 teams compete in a frenzy for the hundreds of undrafted free agents who suddenly become available. For the most part they either get cut before the regular season begins or at best they end up on the practice squad.
There are exceptions to the rule, though – and the Atlanta Falcons may have one of them on their roster. According to Nick Baumgardner at The Athletic, Atlanta’s best undrafted free agent signing this year was Miami center James Brockermeyer.
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“Known in scouting circles as one of the smarter offensive line prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, Brockermeyer is a limited athlete who is a bit undersized (6 feet 3, 298 pounds) but gets absolutely everything out of his body. He plays with great balance and, most importantly, always seems to know where he’s going and what he’s doing.”
Brockermeyer may be the rare UDFA gem or the Falcons. Last season he graded out at 71.0 overall at PFF, ranking 46th out of 307 qualifying centers. He earned a respectable 68.4 grade in run blocking and an excellent 83.4 in run blocking.
While it’s unlikely to happen right away, there could be a path for Brockermeyer to end up as Atlanta’s starting center. Projected starter Ryan Neuzil will be playing out the last year of his contract in 2026 and free agent pickup Corey Levin only signed a one-year deal. With no long-term option under contract, there’s room for Brockermeyer to move his way up the depth chart quick.
Brockermeyer will need to impress in a live game environment – especially during whatever action he sees during the preseason. From there, he may only be an injury away from a real chance to compete for the starting center position.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: James Brockermeyer named best UDFA signing