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Falcons tackle Schraeder made big leap from ‘D2’ to NFL

FLOWERY BRANCH —

Maybe if he’d grown to be so big earlier in life or started playing football sooner, Falcons offensive lineman Ryan Schraeder would have signed with a big-time NCAA program and heard his name called on NFL draft day.

Then again, taking the traditional route to the NFL would have meant missing out on what Schraeder says were some of the advantages of playing for Division II Valdosta State.

+Falcons tackle Schraeder made big leap from u2018D2u2019 to NFL photo
Falcons tackle Ryan Schraeder played at NCAA Division II Valdosta State. Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

“You didn’t have to deal with noise (in stadiums),” he said.