Bell Cow? Falcons Have High Hopes for Rookie Running Back
In the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Tyler Allgeier, a running back out of Brigham Young University.
The move came on the heels of a total remodel for the team's offense, which has restocked with young stars such as tight end Kyle Pitts, 2022 first-round wide receiver Drake London, and 2022 third-round quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Though he was only a day-three pick for the Falcons, Allgeier is already generating significant buzz from the Atlanta coaching staff.
Per NFL Network, Allgeier is in the mix to be the starting running back for a Falcons offense that will likely rely more heavily on its run game in 2022 than in previous seasons. This presumption is a bit more obvious in hindsight when accounting for the team cutting 2021 starting running back Mike Davis.
Despite only being a fifth-round pick, Allgeier has all the tools to be a valuable contributor in the NFL.
At a compact 5-11 and 220 pounds, Allgeier has all the contact balance and toughness to be a true three-down bell cow for the Atlanta offense.
In the 2020 and 2021 college football seasons, the 22-year-old rushed for 1130 yards and 13 touchdowns, and 1601 yards and 23 touchdowns respectively. His production was the lifeblood of the BYU Cougars offense; his prior experience as a bell cow back could aid him in the pros as well.
Moving forward, one area of improvement for Allgeier will have to be in the receiving game. Though he had 174 receiving yards in 2020 and 199 receiving yards in 2021, he tends to look awkward when catching the ball. For the team's offense to remain versatile, Allgeier will have to develop this part of his game.
