Coach Arthur Smith on Falcons Rookies: 'The Longest Year’
The Atlanta Falcons have relied on several rookies as first-team players this year, including tight end Kyle Pitts and offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield, but others such as safety Richie Grant have been brought along more slowly.
Even Pitts, the No. 4-overall draft pick, has seen his workload steadily increase during the season. He had three targets in Week 3 against the New York Giants and 19 the next two weeks against the Washington Football Team and New York Jets.
Head coach Arthur Smith understands this will be the toughest year rookies will face in the NFL.
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"It's a long year," said Smith. "I always felt for these rookies. It’s the longest year they'll have with a professional career because as soon as their season ends you jump right in."
Veterans have an offseason, but rookies have to showcase themselves for a job in the NFL. That can be incredibly stressful in a time when veterans are recharging for the upcoming season.
"A lot of these guys jump into the all-star game," said Smith. "So, they go practice for the all-star game, and then they all have places they go where their agents have deals where they work out certain locations and they prep. They didn't have the combine this year but prep for your pro days."
A lot of the wear and tear is not just physical as they prepare for their pro days, but mental as they go through the evaluation process.
"Then you're just constantly nitpicked as you go through the draft evaluation," said Smith. "It's just different for them. It's a long process."
Once the draft is over, it's about getting ready to make the jump from college football to the NFL, and that's no easy task for any of the rookies.
"Then you go to a new environment, and then it's kind of like drinking from a fire hydrant," said Smith. "Then you have a couple weeks before you start camp, and it's just a really long year for these guys.
"You try to prepare them mentally but a lot of things, you have to experience for first time. We try to do a good job educating them, making sure they understand where they are in the season, and how long the season is. To pick the brains of the veterans. Then everybody we try to support them."
"But yeah we got 12 games; it is a full season left ahead."
For the rookies, a 12-game season is what they're used to, and it could be time for players like Grant to start seeing more snaps as the rest of the season wears on.
Atlanta Falcons 2021 NFL Draft Class
Round 1) Pick 4 (4) TE Kyle Pitts
Round 2) Pick 8 (40) S Richie Grant
Round 3) Pick 4 (68) OL Jalen Mayfield
Round 4) Pick 3 (108) CB Darren Hall
Round 4) Pick 9 (114) OL Drew Dalman
Round 5) Pick 4 (148) DL Ta'Quon Graham
Round 5) Pick 38 (182) OLB Adetokunbo Ogundeji
Round 5) Pick 39 (183) CB Avery Williams
Round 6) Pick 3 (187) WR Frank Darby
