Sun Devil Fits for the Atlanta Falcons
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28-3, Kirk Cousins being benched, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones leaving the team; it is sufficient to say that things have been bumpy as of late for Atlanta Falcons fans. While this big bird team has had some turbulent seasons, there are brighter horizons on the way for the Falcons as they build around quarterback Michael Penix Jr. So, who are some future Arizona State Sun Devils that could help shine light on Atlanta once again?
Defense
Very much like with their NFC South Division rivals, the Carolina Panthers, defense is first for the Falcons. Like Carolina, Atlanta has a pretty good offense, so defense is on the table first.
It is important to note that the Falcons do not have a first-round pick next draft, as they used that pick to trade up for Tennessee Edge Rusher James Pearce Jr. So, the Sun Devils that the Falcons could target would be mid to later round draft picks.
The Secondary
The first player who could be playing for the Dirty Birds next year is current Sun Devil Safety, Myles Rowser. Rowser, or his nickname, "Ghost", is a physical hard hard-hitting safety that would be a great culture fit for the Falcons.
Continuing on with the secondary, a number two cornerback could be very handy for Atlanta. A.J. Terrell has established himself as one of the better corners in the league. So if the Falcons were to land a corner like Javan Robinson in the middle of the draft, the Falcons could have a great corner tandem.
That would be helpful in a division that has receivers such as Tampa's Mike Evans, Chris Godwin; Carolina's Tetairoa McMillan and New Orleans's Chris Olave. So great corner play is paramount for the Falcons' defensive success.
Linebacker is also a position that the Falcons could look to address in the draft. ASU's Keyshaun Elliott would be a great three-down linebacker to add to Atlanta's defense. A three-down linebacker is a linebacker who can do it all, whether it be pass or run defense at a solid level. Elliott has had a great career at ASU so far, as he is both mentally and physically talented. His talents would translate very well to the NFL.
Offense
As stated before, the Falcons have a pretty stacked offensive unit with players such as
- Bijan Robinson who has established himself as an elite running and receiving back.
- Wide Receiver Drake London who is a great physical receiver.
- Wide Receiver Darnell Mooney, who is a great slot, route running receiver.
- Michael Penix Jr. who has shown flashes of being the franchise QB in Atlanta.
So not a ton of needs for the Falcons on the offense. However, O-Line could be in play. Penix is a QB that works best when he has the time to process defenses and use his great accuracy to connect with playmakers. Current ASU Right Tackle Max Iheanachor would be a good fit as physical blocker for Penix.
There is a chance that Iheanachor could go Round 1 are somewhat high, but if he falls, it would be an excellent pick for the Falcons.
In conclusion, the Atlanta Falcons could get back to their ways of consistently being an NFC Playoff team. If they can hit on some of their mid-round draft picks, the light could shine once again on the Falcons.
We would highly appreciate it if you would discuss your thoughts on what Sun Devils could be a great fit for the Atlanta Falcons. Additionally, follow @Kevin Hicks on X to get updates on when new ASU on SI pieces drop!
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Tanner Cappellini holds a mass communications degree from Arizona State University and is pursuing his dream of being the person at the games, practices, and events who takes others inside the team they love.