Rookie Jalen Mayfield fits Falcons Offense Perfectly
Rookie Offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield is a round peg in a round hole in Arthur Smith's offense. Lauded for his nasty streak and ability to run block, Mayfield will add depth and competition to the Falcons line.
Mayfield was selected in the third round by the Falcons out of Michigan. At 6'5 and 326 pounds, has excellent size and power.
He is the feature of Wednesday's Rookie Spotlight from the Atlanta Falcons.
Having to wait until the third round, there's relief as well as jubilation when his name is finally called. Both reactions are on display when he tells his friends and family that he's going to Atlanta.
"I grew up in Michigan, and it's a little weird from somebody up north to follow a team a team down south," Mayfield said as a picture of him in a Julio Jones jersey shows on the video. "I loved Mike Vick from the very start. I loved the way he changed the game and brought his own swag to the game."
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein had this to say of Mayfield prior do the draft:
Athletic tackle with just over 1,000 college snaps to his name. He plays with alert eyes and well-balanced pass sets, but an excessive punch wind-up and lack of anchor will make it tough for him to slow NFL power rushers at this juncture. His initial quickness tends to help him more as a run blocker than in pass sets, where speed can be a problem for him from time to time. He's experienced in all run schemes, and his drive blocking should improve if he can drop the pad level and sharpen his hand placement and technique. Mayfield is tough and has upside, but he is going to need to get much stronger and play with better contact balance in order to handle the NFL bullies that are headed his way. He has starting potential, but it might take some time.
