Tag: Draft pick profile

Falcons NFL Draft Profile: Breaking Down P Sterling Hofrichter

Sterling makes such booming kicks, you could say they set off the Hofrichter scale.

The Falcons cut a punter the morning of the third day of the draft because they felt they could get the punter they were targeting in the seventh round. Atlanta got that punter in Syracuse’s Sterling Hofrichter with the team’s final pick.

Hofrichter’s Combine/Pro Day Measurables

Sterling Hofrichter is a punter. His athleticism honestly doesn’t matter much because he shouldn’t be running down the field hitting guys.

Stats

2019: 12 Games Played, 69 Punts, 3,026 Yards, 43.9 Yard Average, 1-of-1 on all Field Goals, 64 Kickoffs, 62.5 Yard Average, 65.6% Touchback Rate, 3 Tackles

2018: 13 Games Played, 67 Punts, 2,874 Yards, 42.9 Yard Average, 101 Kickoffs, 63.9 Yard Average, 60.4% Touchback Rate, 3 Tackles, 1 Fumble Forced

2017: 12 Games Played, 57 Punts, 2,462 Yards, 43.2 Yard Average, 2-of-3 on all Field Goals, 1-of-1 on Extra Points, 5 Kickoffs, 60.6 Yard Average, 0% Touchback Rate

2016: 12 Games Played, 77 Punts, 3,289 Yards, 42.7 Yard Average, 1 Kickoff, 55.0 Yard Average, 0% Touchback Rate

2015: Red-shirted

Highlights

How does he fit on the field?

As a punter on the roster, Sterling Hofrichter’s only roles are being the punter, potentially being the kickoff specialist and potentially being the holder. He doesn’t have to overthink his role. He should be able to beat out Ryan Allen as a punter during his rookie training camp.

How does he fit the Comrade Filter?

Hofrichter has never been arrested or suspended. He seems to be competitive and is willing to go in and make tackles. He may have never been a captain, but as a punter, he simply did his job. Hofrichter is the kind of guy to go in, do his job and then go back to the bench.

How does he fit into the long-term plans for the Falcons?

Hofrichter should be the long-term starter at punter. As a kickoff specialist, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him beat out Younghoe Koo for the starting role there. Both have experience doing onside kicks, but both are effective at them. The Falcons will likely enjoy having both on the roster this season.

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Falcons NFL Draft Profile: Breaking Down S Jaylinn Hawkins

The Atlanta Falcons needed depth at safety with Keanu Neal missing much of the last two seasons with leg injuries.

The Atlanta Falcons needed depth at safety with Keanu Neal missing much of the last two seasons with leg injuries. Using their second fourth-round pick on Jaylinn Hawkins makes a ton of sense when looking for depth at safety and an addition as a core-four special teams player.

Hawkinns’ Combine/Pro Day Measurables

Athleticism is a question when looking at his pro-day and combine results because they just aren’t there. However, he has long arms and a larger frame for a safety at a projected 6-foot-1, 208 pounds. The film on him does show comparable athleticism to Keanu Neal and Sharrod Neasman.

Stats

2019: 13 Games Played, 56 Tackles, 4.5 Tackles for Loss, 2.0 Sacks, 3 Interceptions, 2 Fumbles Forced, 2 Pass Deflections, 2 Kick Returns, 47 Kick Return Yards

2018: 13 Games Played, 33 Tackles, 3.5 Tackles for Loss, 1 QB Hurry, 6 Interceptions, 3 Pass Deflections, 4 Kick Returns, 38 Kick Return Yards

2017: 11 Games Played, 41 Tackles, 1.5 Tackles for Loss, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Forced, 1 Pass Deflection, 3 Kick Returns, 44 Kick Return Yards

2016: 12 Games Played, 29 Tackles

2015: 1 Game Played, 1 Pass Deflection, Red-shirted after 1 game

The most surprising thing about Hawkins is how productive he was as a safety in the Pac-12. He didn’t get a ton of tackles, but his role kept him away from the ball unless it was thrown in his vicinity. The Falcons got a guy who seems to be a solid tackler on film but still needs to work on his technique. However, he is a true ball-hawk from cursory looks at things.

Highlights

How does he fit on the field?

Early in his career, the Falcons will look to use Hawkins as pure depth behind Keanu Neal and Sharrod Neasman at strong safety. His best fit is playing on special teams where he should be part of the “core four” units: punting, punt returning, kickoffs and kickoff returns. Atlanta got a guy who plays hard to be around the ball and create turnovers.

This will be useful if he’s forced onto the field due to injury. However, the Falcons are going to keep him on the special teams units early on in his career and could even see him make some cameos on the field goal blocking unit. Atlanta made a smart pick for this season’s depth, but this could be worth even more as he develops.

How does he fit the Comrade Filter?

Hawkins was a leader in his unit during his time at Cal, but more than that, he was a game captain for a couple of games there. He never got arrested or suspended and seems to be a hard-working leader who plays like he has that “dawg” in him. His swagger on the field should rub off onto the other players and allow the team to have more confidence in their special teams units.

How does he fit into the long-term plans for the Falcons?

For the long term, there’s a lot of questions about how Hawkins can fit. It’s all about how he develops and how the contract situations for Ricardo Allen, Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal all play out. But if he develops into a competent starting strong safety who has some additional ball skills, the Falcons could have a true successor to Neal. Worst case, Hawkins will provide good depth and has a ton of special teams value.

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Falcons NFL Draft Profile: Breaking Down LB Mykal Walker

The Falcons needed some talent at linebacker to compete for the starting strong-side linebacker position and took Mykal Walker out of Fresno State.

The Falcons needed some talent at linebacker to compete for the starting strong-side linebacker position and took Mykal Walker out of Fresno State with their first fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft. Atlanta got a great fit for what they like to do in their strong-side linebacker role with Walker’s versatility.

Walker’s Combine/Pro Day Measurables

The Falcons take their third player in this draft who scored above 8.0 in his RAS meaning that he’s above 80 percent of all athletes at his position in his athleticism. Walker has the great athleticism that Atlanta likes from its defenders and is a fast and physical player that Dan Quinn will love.

Stats

2019: 12 Games Played, 96 Tackles, 9.0 Tackles for Loss, 2.5 Sacks, 4 QB Hurries, 1 Fumble Forced, 4 Pass Deflections

2018: 14 Games Played, 87 Tackles, 14.0 Tackles for Loss, 4.5 Sacks, 5 QB Hurries, 1 Interception, 2 Fumbles Forced, 6 Pass Deflections, 2 Blocked Kicks, 1 Defensive Touchdown

2017: Red-shirted

2016: 12 Games Played, 102 Tackles, 11.5 Tackles for Loss, 3 Sacks, 4 QB Hurries, 2 Interceptions, 2 Pass Deflections, 1 Blocked Kick (Played at Asuza Pacific)

2015: 9 Games Played, 40 Tackles, 3.5 Tackles for Loss, 1 Sack, 1 Interception, 1 Pass Deflection (Played at Asuza Pacific)

The Falcons are getting a highly productive linebacker who also was a special teams ace for his college teams. Mykal Walker is a smart football player who will make an impact early and was able to fill quite a few different roles while he was in college.

Highlights

How does he fit on the field

Mykal Walker is an all-around player who can rush the passer, stuff the run and plays solid enough in coverage. The Falcons should expect him to contribute as a starter the way that De’Vondre Campbell did in the nickel packages and give Atlanta the true strong-side linebacker they needed.

Versatility is the name of the game with Walker. His special teams talent is readily apparent on film and should lead him to a ton of playing time there even if his defensive snaps are limited as a rookie. Walker should compete with Foye Oluokun for some snaps in nickel sets and could even be valuable as a 3-3-5 fit for some nickel sets.

How does he fit the Comrade Filter?

Mykal Walker was a team captain in college and was a vocal leader. His play on the field matches his work ethic off of it. Had he been more of a specialized player in college, the Falcons wouldn’t have wanted him, but he focused on being good at everything. Atlanta got a great fit for their locker room with Walker.

How does he fit into the long-term plans for the Falcons?

Long-term, the Falcons should see Walker be a special teams ace as well as an eventual starting linebacker for the team. His size, speed, and agility will make him a useful weapon. Atlanta got a great fit in Walker and this pick just makes more sense the more we learn about him.

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Falcons Draft Profile: Breaking down A.J. Terrell as a cover corner

Atlanta selected cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first round to be that cover corner the team lost when it cut Desmond Trufant back in March.

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Atlanta selected cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first round to be that cover corner the team lost when it cut Desmond Trufant back in March. The Falcons’ decision to take Terrell makes a lot of sense when you consider that the roster at cornerback was conducive for the team selecting a first-round pick. Terrell should come in expecting to be a day-one starter.

Combine/Pro Day Measurables

Terrell is one of the better athletes at cornerback that the Falcons could have taken. His poor agility grade by Kent doesn’t mean that he’s going to have issues with that in the NFL. Atlanta’s scheme calls for a lot of vertical drops from its cornerbacks. Terrell’s athleticism is a good fit for what Atlanta likes to do. Especially his raw 4.42 speed.

Stats

2019: 15 Games Played, 34 Tackles, 0.5 Tackles for Loss, 0.5 Sacks, 2 QB Hurries, 2 Interceptions, 4 Passes Deflected

2018: 15 Games Played, 54 Tackles, 2 Tackles for Loss, 3 Interceptions, 2 Fumbles Forced, 3 Passes Deflection, 1 Defensive Touchdown

2017: 14 Games Played, 15 Tackles, 1 Tackle for Loss, 1 Interception, 7 Passes Deflected

Terrell wasn’t super productive as a college player when it comes to interceptions or pass deflections. His best trait is that he can shut down a guy and not get targeted, which doesn’t grab as many headlines. Terrell’s modest tackle totals shouldn’t be too concerning. But the Falcons will need some more play-making from him in the NFL.

Highlights

How does he fit on the field

The Falcons could slot him in right away as a left cornerback in base and nickel packages. He instantly replaces exactly what Desmond Trufant did for the team functionally. Terrell is going to have to build on his current tackling and run defense, but the Falcons do have someone who will come right in and know how to cover wide receivers.

They’re going to need it too. Atlanta’s schedule in 2020 has a ton of great wide receivers on it already, and that’s not going to change, barring injury. Terrell will have to take his lumps in practice against Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley and learn his lessons there so that the team doesn’t have to worry about him come game-time.

How does he fit the Comrade Filter?

While he wasn’t a captain on a team that won a national championship his sophomore year, Terrell was someone who contributed heavily to that effort. He’s a hard-working player both on and off the field and keeps his nose out of trouble. He’s also from the Atlanta area and brings another home-grown talent back to the city as he begins his pro career.

How does he fit into the long term plans for the Falcons?

The long-term and short-term plans for Terrell are the same. He’s going to come right in and start at left cornerback until he gets beat out for the job, gets too expensive or the Falcons feel he can’t do it. This is a bit of a risky pick because the value didn’t seem to be there, as he seemed to be a second-round talent. But the vision is clear for him. Start now. Start for the next half-decade.

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