Atlanta Falcons Newcomers: Immediate Starters, Sleepers and Longterm Bets

The Atlanta Falcons are fresh off what could be a franchise-changing draft, investing in prospects across a wide range of positions and potential immediate impact levels. Falcons on SI takes a look at which prospects should slide into an immediate starting role and could evolve into contributors with some needed development.

Immediate Starters

CB Avieon Terrell

Terrell leads the way for Falcons newcomers that could make an immediate impact. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Atlanta's only reliable cornerback is his older brother, A.J., making the Clemson product a prime candidate to fill Atlanta's other starting role at the position.

As a junior, he was a First-team All-ACC selection after grading among the top-10 highest-graded cornerbacks (min.600 snaps). While starting every game for the Tigers, he allowed receptions on just 56.9% of all targets while totaling 32 solo tackles and five pass deflections throughout the season.

A nagging hamstring injury during the pre-draft process tanked his original first-round projection, but Terrell still possesses the athletic traits and technique to develop into a high-end starter at the next level once his injury heals.

WR Zachariah Branch

Zachariah Branch is a first-round talent that slipped due to external factors. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While Atlanta has a classic No.1 receiver in Drake London, they lacked a twitchy, explosive playmaker of Branch's caliber last season.

Last season, Branch finished with the fourth-most yards after the catch among all FBS receivers with 634 while breaking Georgia's single-season reception record and leading the SEC with 81 catches. When operating with the ball in his hands, he effortlessly accelerates, decelerates, and changes direction laterally in a way that left even SEC defenses in disarray.

At 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Branch operates with a naturally limited catch radius, but he dropped just two passes all season and showcased impressive concentration when catching passes in confined spaces.

He won't need to step in as Atlanta's primary receiver, but expect the former Bulldog to provide a much-needed spark to the Falcons' passing game.

LB Harold Perkins Jr.

Before being slowed by injuries, Perkins Jr. was on pace to be a first-round pick | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

In a far more dramatic and unfortunate turn than Terrell’s draft-day slide, Perkins Jr. was an ACL tear away from likely skipping his senior season altogether and landing as a top-10 pick.

After leading the team with 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss while finishing with 72 tackles, Perkins Jr. earned First-Team All-SEC honors and was also named a Freshman All-American before following that up with another All-SEC campaign as a sophomore.

While the former Tiger may no longer be the same can’t-miss prospect he was as an underclassman, his 4.38-second 40-yard dash at LSU’s Pro Day would have ranked first among all linebackers at the NFL Combine, indicating that the explosiveness is still there. Last season, Perkins Jr. returned from injury to tie for the team lead with three interceptions while adding 56 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks, earning Third-team All-SEC honors.

With the recent departure of former starting linebacker and defensive anchor Kaden Elliss, expect Perkins Jr. to immediately compete for a role.

Sleeper

LB Kendal Daniels

After a productive season at Oklahoma, Daniels could quickly fill a role for Atlanta. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Versatility carves out careers for players and is often enough to get a young player on the field early in his development.

Daniels served as Oklahoma’s starting “Cheetah” last year, a hybrid linebacker-safety role that allowed him to showcase his athleticism by setting the edge against the run while also dropping into coverage and matching up with nimble tight ends. Last season, he finished with 53 tackles and nine tackles-for-loss while breaking up three passes and recovering a fumble.

Throughout his collegiate career, he has taken over 1,000 snaps at safety and 300 snaps at middle linebacker. Before transferring to Oklahoma, he played at Oklahoma State, where he was named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year with 71 tackles and three interceptions.

While Daniels may not post the high-profile accolades and impressive athletic testing numbers of higher draft picks, his consistency and positional flexibility give reason for hope.

Long-Term Bets

OL Ethan Onianwa

Onianwa didn't start a game for Ohio State last year, but his size and athleticism made him an intriguing prospect. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Onianwa didn’t win the starting job after transferring from Rice to Ohio State last season, offering little reason to expect a significant impact, if any, next year. However, positional flexibility is a young player’s best tool, and Onianwa has logged over 100 snaps at four of the five offensive line spots during his collegiate career.

While he’s unlikely to start, that flexibility could make him a valuable plug-and-play option across the line.

DT Anterio Thompson

Thompson started three games at Washington last season. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Selecting Thompson in the sixth round was Atlanta's most serious attempt at addressing a position of need, as the Falcons lost starting defensive lineman David Onyemata to free agency.

Last year, he totaled 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, and 1.5 sacks while starting three games and appearing in 13 for the Huskies. An interesting note is that he was a major contributor on special teams, ranking third in the nation with two blocked punts in 2023, indicating that even if he doesn’t carve out a role on defense, he could still make an impact.

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