Can BC’s stalwart center make an impact on a pro offensive line?
Drew Kendall
Junior from Boston College. Norwell, MA native.
Position: Center
Measurables: 6’4”, 308 pounds
Draft Projection: Rounds 4-7
Player Analysis:
Drew Kendall comes from a Boston College family, as his father Pete Kendall played for BC and was drafted in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He bleeds maroon and gold and made a big impact at BC during his time on the Heights, leading the offensive line unit as its center for the past three seasons. Kendall earned his spot on the All-ACC first team as he led the BC O-line to a comeback in 2023 and 2024 after a disastrous 2022 campaign when he was in his first year as a starter.
Kendall is not one of the best OL prospects in this year’s draft, but teams are valuing players in the trenches more highly than ever. Kendall generally ranks as one of the top-5 centers in the draft and as a top-20 inside offensive lineman. Scouts really like his athleticism, his footwork, and his football IQ and, with some additional training at the pro level, he could earn his way to a starting spot in the league. But right now, Kendall’s lack of strength is keeping him from truly being a top prospect. Scouts expect that Kendall could get bullied by some of the NFL’s bigger defensive lineman, which would certainly limit his opportunities to see game action.
Takeaway:
This is not a deep class of centers, and Kendall is departing from school early to take advantage. I would expect that he will have some trouble breaking into a starting role for an NFL offensive line, but he definitely has plenty of potential and should hear his name called in a later round.
Ideal Fits/Mocks:
Will Patriots fans see a homegrown talent added to the roster? It’s definitely possible. Mike Vrabel’s squad needs to start building an offensive line for Drake Maye as quickly as he can, and Kendall could be a good late-round option to try to replace center David Andrews, who was cut from the team in March. There are also a lot of connections between Bill O’Brien and his staff and the folks who work for New England, so I’m sure that they have been sharing notes about the BC guys who could make an impact in the pros.
But it would be rather disappointing for Pats fans if the team tried to address that gaping hole with a 5th, 6th, or 7th round pick. If Vrabel decides to target a higher-ranked center in an earlier round, then Kendall could fall to any number of teams that need a center, including the Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, or Carolina Panthers.
The NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 24th.