6. Grady Jarrett, Atlanta Falcons
D.J. Reader is not the only fifth-round pick out of Clemson University to make this list. Joining him is his former teammate with the Tigers, Grady Jarrett, who was picked in the fifth round a season before Reader, back in 2015. While Jarrett played in a limited role as a rookie, playing just 266 snaps and notching 16 tackles, he took on a bigger part for the Atlanta Falcons in 2016 during their run to the Super Bowl. That season Jarrett logged 763 snaps, racking up 36 tackles and 47 quarterback pressures.
Over the past two years, Jarrett has grown into an elite player on the interior of Atlanta’s defense. While the Falcons struggled on that side of the football a year ago, you could not fault Jarrett. He set a career-high with eight sacks, and also added 43 tackles, another career-high mark. In a win over the hated New Orleans Saints back in Week 10, Jarrett played a massive role. he pressured Drew Brees seven times, getting to him three for a season-high in sacks.
“Power to speed” is a phrase that comes to mind with Jarrett, and this sack of Brees that he splits with Vic Beasley is a prime example. Watch as he drives the left guard back into the pocket, and then runs the arc akin to a defense end, knifing towards the QB:
With additions such as Marlon Davidson in the draft and Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency, the Falcons defense should be in better shape in 2020. Having Jarrett patrolling the interior will certainly help.