Atlanta Falcons

HEIGHT: 6'4 1/2"

WEIGHT: 260 lbs

       

POSITIVES

—Tall with 35.5" arms, and it translates on the field, as he builds his game around his length.

—Foot speed looks better on the field than his timed numbers.

—Has some bend for his size.

—Active hands help in the run and pass game.

—Strong inside hands.

—Has good pad level and leverage for a longer end.

       

NEGATIVES

—Does not provide much value as an interior rusher for a bigger end.

—Get-off is not great.

—Upside might be close to tapped out.

       

2020 STATISTICS

20 TKL, 6 TFL, 6 SK, 1 FF

      

NOTES

—Has not played a lot of football, as he only started two full years of high school ball (missed parts of his senior year because of a knee injury) and one year of college football.

—2020 team captain.

—Only had one start over 2016-2019 with the Irish before becoming a full-time starter in 2020.

     

OVERALL

Adetokunbo Ogundeji hasn't started many games of football but has the tools (length, hands, leverage, athleticism) to develop into an NFL starter. He does not have the upside to be a star, but the 2020 team captain is trending upward in his career and is close to a point where he would, at the very least, be a staple of a pass-rushing rotation.

The 4-3 defensive end prospect should begin his career as a rotational player before potentially blossoming into a starting role for a team.

      

GRADE: 6.9/10 (Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 180/300

POSITION RANK: EDGE25

PRO COMPARISON: College-sized Aaron Lynch

      

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/8"

WEIGHT: 299 lbs

         

POSITIVES

—Well-rounded thickness and muscularity throughout his compact build.

—Excellent short-area quickness with loose hips and an advanced understanding of angles needed to thrive in a zone-based run scheme.

—What he lacks in weight he overcomes with pad level, technique and efficiency.

—Roots his feet into the ground and generates impressive torque and grip strength to control, sustain and displace heavier defenders.

—Excels fitting on first-level shades on combo blocks, overtaking and knowing when to release to intersect smaller targets off of combo and screen blocks.

—Consistent finisher who knows how to tilt and deplatform defenders for knockdowns; eager to protect his teammates post-whistle.

—Deciphers games and stunts quickly for prompt post-snap adjustments to secure the "A" gaps in pass protection. 

        

NEGATIVES

—Smaller stature and being light in his backside leaves little margin for error in his anchor technique. 

—Adequate length will allow some bigger, higher end interior defensive linemen in the NFL to get into his chest and gain quick control.

—Middling square power will result in more stalemates than knock backs at the point of attack. 

—Can get picked and knocked back by the penetrator on stunts if he doesn't recognize it in time.

       

2020 STATISTICS

—Started all six games and didn't allow a pressure or sack.

—Team captain.

     

NOTES

—22 career starts with 20 at center (18 consecutive) and two at right guard.

—Father Chris Dalman played and coached offensive line at Stanford and was drafted in the sixth round by the 49ers before becoming a 64-game starter and winning the 1995 Super Bowl as a backup on the interior.

—Declared early for the draft as a redshirt junior and turns 23 years old in October.

—Set to graduate with his degree in mechanical engineering in June.

       

OVERALL

Dalman is a two-year starter and team captain with NFL bloodlines who is the son of a former pro and college offensive line player/coach. He has an athletic, compact build with adequate length and a center-only frame.

Dalman has a keen understanding of timing, leverage and angles to regularly put himself in the right position as a run- and pass-blocker with the lower-half mobility and grip strength to gain control, strain and sustain blocks. Dalman shows the natural leverage, short-area quickness, processing and toughness to overcome his physical limitations, secure an early starter position at the pivot and be an asset for a zone-based run scheme.

         

GRADE: 7.7/10 (Late Round 2/Early Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 66/300

POSITION RANK: IOL7

PRO COMPARISON: Nick Hardwick

      

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 5'11 1/4"

WEIGHT: 188

POSITIVES:

—Quick-footed athlete. Shows very good twitch.

—Able to shadow receivers, gets in and out of breaks well.

—Patient with the ball in the air. Can play through receivers' hands.

—Aggressive, willing tackler.

NEGATIVES:

—Short strider who has limited long speed.

—Lazy eyes. Falls for double moves too easily.

—Strength? Can get bullied by bigger receivers.

—Struggles to get his head around and find the ball downfield at times.

2019 STATISTICS:

8 Games: 37 tackles, 3 INT, 1 TD, 6 PBU

NOTES:

2020 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

First Team All-Mountain West Selection

                   

OVERALL:

Hall is a cornerback with a slightly undersized frame. He is a sudden athlete with very good short-area quickness. He has shown to be best in off coverage with given space. He does a good job shadowing and matching receivers in and out of breaks. He does well with his positioning and is able to get in phase.

When playing the ball, Hall does well with his timing and playing through the hands of receivers. When running downfield, he lacks the top-end speed needed to run with more elite athletes. Hall has not shown the ability to play in the slot and has been bullied by bigger receivers. Though a willing tackler, Hall still has some developing to do.

GRADE: 6.0/10 (Fringe Backup Potential—Round 7)

OVERALL RANK: 280/300

POSITION RANK: CB33

PRO COMPARISON: Jimmy Moreland

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'5 1/4"

WEIGHT: 326

             

POSITIVES

—Doesn't turn 21 until May.

—Solid athletic ability with the burst and movement skills to locate and fit targets as a puller around the edge.

—Flashes overwhelming power at the point of attack in the run game on kick-out and down blocks.

—Has a gallop technique to shorten space on double teams with the mobility and bend to locate the hip and knock over defensive tackles.

—Provides a physical presence in pass protection when uncovered to thump and cave in adjacent defenders.

              

NEGATIVES

—Messy footwork and limited range in pass protection; consistently misses his set points to over or underset variously aligned pass-rushers.

—Turns his hips too early in pass protection and creates a soft inside shoulder, leaving him prone to inside counters.

—Shows stiffness and marginal lateral quickness to redirect against shifty pass-rushers.

—Bad habit of dropping his outside foot and leaning into contact when attempting to widen rushers past the QB's drop, creating short corners.

—Struggles to maintain levels with the guard to effectively cover up and pass off basic stunts.

—Oftentimes is wide, late and high with his hand placement, allowing rushers into his chest without the leverage to drop his hips and anchor against power.

              

2020 STATISTICS

—Two starts in Michigan's shortened six game season.

              

 NOTES

—18 career game appearances with 15 starts (three appearances at left tackle during freshman year)

OVERALL

Mayfield is a young and inexperienced player with an intriguing blend of size, power and competitive toughness that can serve as a foundation for development as a pro. He is capable of generating easy movement as a run blocker in man and gap concepts while having the movement skills to pull and lead around the edge effectively.

He also provides a physical presence in pass protection and finishes consistently with a nasty demeanor. He likely needs an overhaul from the ground up starting with finding a consistent stance and then correcting bad habits with his footwork and use of hands so he doesn't get picked apart early on as a pro, especially in pass protection.

Mayfield needs to go to a situation with an OL coach who is a known developer of talent with a veteran OL room around him so he can have help while he improves his technique, fundamentals and can grow into his body. There are starter-level traits there, but the bad habits and poor technique will be a ripe target for opponents who will negatively impact game plans against above-average or better competition if he's thrown into the lineup too early.

              

GRADE: 7.2/10 (Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 139/300

POSITION RANK: IOL18

PRO COMPARISON: Cyrus Kouandjio

            

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 5'11 ⅝"

WEIGHT: 197

   

POSITIVES:

—Active player who is always around the ball.

—Performs well in the blox. Takes good angles to the ball.

—Solid tacking in the open field by taking good angles.

—Plays with quick feet getting out of breaks.

—Good vision and awareness in coverage. Plays quarterbacks' eyes well.

   

NEGATIVES:

—Poor field vision and block destruction. Rarely sees blocks to his sides and can get stuck to blocks.

—Plays with average speed and burst.

—Can struggle in man coverage. Lacks agility needed to be a consistent slot defender.

2020 STATISTICS:

72 tackles, 3 INT, 5 PBU, 2 FR, 2 FF

   

OVERALL

Grant is an athletic safety who had great overall production in 2020. The UCF defense allowed him to play at multiple levels. With less-than-average length, Grant is a physical tackler who takes good angles to the ball. He does just as well coming from deep or starting in the box. His overall lack of strength can show at times in both the run and pass; where he has melted off some bigger ball-carriers.

With good testing speed, Grant shows slower play speed at times, which can force him to readjust his angles in run support. Though he does have above-average man skills, Grant is best when he has his eyes on the quarterback and is able to sink and jump routes. Grant may not be a starter in his early NFL career, but he can add some depth to a room.

   

GRADE: 7.5/10 (Potential NFL Starter—Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 96/300

POSITION RANK: S4

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Edwards

   

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

The Atlanta Falcons and quarterback A.J. McCarron agreed to a one-year contract Friday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

McCarron spent the last two seasons with the Houston Texans, serving as a backup to Deshaun Watson. He will fill a similar role as Matt Ryan's backup in Atlanta.

A fifth-round pick in 2014, McCarron has played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders in addition to Houston. The Alabama product has thrown for 1,173 yards, six touchdowns against three interceptions in 17 career games (four starts). 

The Falcons were considered a possibility to draft a quarterback in the first round Thursday, but they have doubled down on their commitment to Ryan, who has been their starter the last 13 seasons. Ryan signed a restructured contract this offseason that made it unlikely the Falcons move on until at least after the 2022 season.

Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot said Thursday drafting a young quarterback is still a possibility. 

"There's still a chance we could definitely draft a quarterback," Fontenot told reporters. "We got a long way to go, and there are some good quarterbacks that I believe [are] in the draft still. Still a chance we could draft a quarterback or, again, we could get out of the draft and there could be a trade.

"There are still a lot of other opportunities to acquire quarterbacks and to fill out the roster the right way."

The Falcons have chosen to minimally invest in backup quarterbacks in recent seasons. Matt Schaub served as Ryan's backup from 2016 to 2020 before retiring this offseason.

Kyle Pitts became the latest pass-catcher to take advantage of the new rule allowing more players to wear single-digit jerseys, announcing he will wear No. 8 with the Atlanta Falcons. 

#8 The start of a new journey! I’m ready🙏🏽 https://t.co/cSnW7n3y2n

— Kyle Pitts👑 (@kylepitts__) April 30, 2021

Pitts, the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, wore No. 84 during his time at Florida. Recently signed return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson has worn No. 84 throughout his NFL career and will continue to do so in Atlanta.

The NFL approved new rules that will allow running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, linebackers and defensive backs to wear single-digit numbers beginning with the 2021 season. Previously, only quarterbacks, punters and kickers were allowed to wear single digits.

Running backs, tight ends and receivers are now eligible to wear Nos. 1-49 and 80-89.

Kyle Pitts is one of the most intriguing talents in this year's draft, to the point that the Atlanta Falcons selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round of Thursday's NFL draft. 

But will all that talent immediately translate to fantasy football success? It's one of the harder questions to answer regarding the upcoming fantasy season. 

On one hand, rookie tight ends are rarely very productive, especially from a fantasy football perspective. No rookie cracked the fantasy football top 25 at the position last year. 

On the other hand, the Florida product legitimately has the skill set of a wide receiver and might be used as one often by the Falcons. If ever there was a rookie tight end to buck the trend of the production struggles at the position, it would be Pitts. 

The NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah ranked the 20-year-old as the No. 2 overall player in this draft class in late March, behind only Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, calling him "a long, lean tight end prospect with excellent speed, ball skills and production."

He noted that Pitts "beat upper-echelon SEC cornerbacks on a weekly basis" and added that he's a "unique talent with the ability to take over a game. He is the definition of a mismatch player."

Kyle Pitts TE ⁦@GatorsFB⁩ 6-5 1/2, 245, 4.40 in the 40. Can line up at TE, WR & HBK. One of the best TE’s I ever scouted. I see some similarities to Travis Kelce ⁦@Chiefs⁩ as a player ⁦@NFLDraft⁩ ⁦@nflnetwork⁩ pic.twitter.com/0dhQ4y0WKf

— Charley Casserly (@CharleyCasserly) April 14, 2021

Kyle Pitts is a generational talent - as in one of the best players we’ve ever seen enter the draft. The “positional value” argument - old school says you can’t draft a TE so high - is irrelevant as a result. The team fortunate enough to select Pitts won’t regret it for a second!

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 14, 2021

It seems highly likely that the Falcons will line Pitts up all over the place and utilize him as much as a receiver as they do an in-line tight end. He looks like the sort of player who might put up big numbers at the tight end designation for fantasy players. 

Yes, drafting him in the TE1 range is risky. Adjusting to the NFL isn't easy, especially for pass-catchers. But in the middle rounds, Pitts has the opportunity to really pop. History suggests he won't. Sometimes, though, you have to ignore that and roll the dice on a high ceiling. 

Landing in Atlanta is a double-edged sword for his fantasy value, too. One one hand, he'll get a solid veteran quarterback in Matt Ryan who has fed wideouts like Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley to big fantasy seasons in the past. 

On the other hand, Jones and Ridley will still be the top two options in the passing game. They'll likely eat into his fantasy production, at least somewhat. Hayden Hurst isn't chopped liver at tight end, either.

But the Falcons will find a way to get Pitts involved immediately. He should be a major threat in the red zone. The safe bet is to consider him a high-end TE2, but there's no doubt he has the potential to be a TE1. If he falls in your draft, scoop him up. But don't be surprised if he's overdrafted, as people assume his talent will translate to immediate TE1 production. 

Don't make that assumption. Play it safe when it comes to Pitts. 

The Atlanta Falcons selected one of the 2021 NFL draft's most explosive players by choosing Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth overall pick.

Pitts, who will not turn 21 years old until October, caught 43 passes for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games in 2020.

Here's a peek at how Pitts should fit into the Falcons' offensive depth chart:

  

Falcons Depth Chart

QB: Matt Ryan

RB: Mike Davis, Qadree Ollison

WR 1: Julio Jones

WR 2: Calvin Ridley

WR 3: Russell Gage, Olamide Zaccheaus, Cordarrelle Patterson

TE: Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst, Lee Smith

LT: Jake Matthews, Matt Gono

LG: Willie Wright, Josh Andrews

C: Matt Hennessy

RG: Chris Lindstrom

RT: Kaleb McGary, Willie Beavers

          

Pro Football Focus noted that Pitts was the only college football player to have zero drops on 65-plus targets. He also never dropped a red-zone pass (31 targets) at Florida, per PFF.

PFF's Mike Renner raved about Pitts and his fit in any NFL team's offense:

“There’s not a team in the NFL right now that couldn’t use a Kyle Pitts in their offense.”

🗣 @PFF_Mike pic.twitter.com/QpuNlWJ2cG

— PFF (@PFF) February 18, 2021

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. called Pitts his highest-ever graded tight end prospect at No. 5 overall (h/t Marcus Mosher of Raiders Wire) and that the only other tight end who has received a similar grade out of college is Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Jr.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban discussed the tight end before the Crimson Tide's 52-46 win over Florida in the SEC Championship Game, in which Pitts snagged seven passes for 129 yards and a touchdown:

"Kyle Pitts, he's a fantastic player. His size and speed and athleticism, all those things make it very difficult to guard the guy. He's a very versatile player. He can play tight end, he can play on the line, he can play off the ball, out as a receiver. They move him around a lot. Creates a lot of issues and problems for you, no doubt. Probably as well as anybody we played against for a long time."

His 2020 highlight reel is filled with phenomenal catches all the way through:

Mosher provided some stills of Pitts' incredible catch radius to showcase just how big of a target the 20-year-old can be:

One of the reasons I love Florida TE Kyle Pitts so much is the catch radius.

I've never seen a tight end coming out of college with a bigger catch radius. pic.twitter.com/XU4UBqZObT

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 15, 2021

Pitts has the potential to be one of the game's best receiving weapons at tight end or wideout. Seeing him emerge as the top tight end in the game a la the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce or the San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle would not be a surprise, and his versatility should help him immensely at the next level.

He can line up everywhere and succeed, and NFL draft analyst Matt Miller notably made this remark regarding Pitts' versatility:

Just typed "WR Kyle Pitts, Florida" and it felt so right that i might leave it as-is.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 16, 2021

Pitts has gold jacket-level talent. We'll soon find out if that comes to fruition in Atlanta. 

The Falcons already featured a loaded pass-catching crew with wideouts Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, and now they've added Pitts to the mix. 

Atlanta's offense could be lethal under first-year head coach Arthur Smith, who arrives in town after a successful stint as the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator.

HEIGHT: 6'5 ⅝"

WEIGHT: 245

POSITIVES

—Long and tall TE built more like a basketball wing than power forward. Excellent frame that can get bigger as he gets older.

—A true “ball winner.” Attacks the football in the air. Good overall hands and consistently comes down with contested catches.

—Plays with a competitive edge and is a willing blocker. Shows good awareness for assignment and plays with no hesitation. Has a slighter build but doesn’t need to be hidden on the backside. 

—Matchup nightmare. Is comfortable lining up across the formation and is an actual tangible weapon as a lone receiver in a formation, unlocking potential matchup advantages in the NFL.

—Very good with the ball in his hands. Can open up in space and runs with good balance to generate yards after catch.

—Elite athlete across the board.

—Will be 20 years old when drafted.

NEGATIVES

—Leaner build will limit his ability to consistently sustain in the run game when he first enters the NFL, will need to continue to add to his play strength. Has the frame to do so.

 

2020 STATISTICS

8 G, 43 rec., 770 yards, 17.9 avg., 12 TD

   

NOTES

—2020 first-team All-SEC

—2019 first-team All-SEC

      

OVERALL

Kyle Pitts has all the makings of being a true matchup nightmare at the TE position with the athleticism, versatility, grit and skill set to play across the formation. Pitts has excellent length with very good height. He will need to continue to add strength but has plenty of room for growth because of his young age and long frame.

Pitts has the talent and skill set to run a full route tree when detached from the formation and would consistently win when he was the isolated receiver in a formation against CBs. He plays with a competitive edge and will fight when playing in-line as a traditional TE. He is merely a shield blocker at this point in time, but he will not have to be hidden from blocking duties like other receiving TEs.

Overall, Pitts may have an adjustment period early in his career as he adds play strength, but he has the incredible combination of elite athleticism, size, skills and work ethic that will allow him to be one of the best TEs and receiving threats in the NFL for years to come. 

GRADE: 9.4/10 (Potential All-Pro, Top-10 overall pick)

OVERALL RANK: 2/300

POSITION RANK: TE1

PRO COMPARISON: Darren Waller

   

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice