Atlanta Falcons Make Major Elevation in Scouting Department

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons announced on Sunday that they have retained Tokunbo “Tumbo” Abanikanda within their scouting department, with the official title of director of scouting. In this new role, he will preside over the college and pro personnel scouting.

Abanikanda has been with the Falcons since 2012, first joining the franchise as a scouting assistant. He has since held various roles with the scouting department, including area scout for the southeast region in 2013. In 2021, Abanikanda was promoted to national scout, but he continued to climb the ranks. His last two have come on the college side as the director of college scouting.

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With Abanikanda in charge of college scouting, the Falcons have enjoyed two outstanding draft classes. In 2024, Atlanta found starters Michael Penix Jr., Ruke Orhorhoro, and Brandon Dorlus, while in 2025, they found starters Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr., Xavier Watts, and Billy Bowman.

Abanikanda, 39, is originally from the Atlanta area. He graduated from Osborne High School in Marietta, GA, in 2004 before moving on to play linebacker for Southern Mississippi. He went undrafted in 2009 and was invited to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie camp afterwards, but went unsigned.

He then signed with the Edmonton Eskimos, where he would participate on the practice squad, but his run would end just a few months later. Afterwards, he decided to go into the scouting ranks, and Sunday marked another step in his precipitous rise.

The elevation caught the eye of NFL insider Ian Rapoport, who called Abanikanda a “well-respected scout” on social media.

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Abanikanda new role will carry more weight, with the Falcons entering a new era and limited capital in the upcoming NFL Draft. They will not have a first-round pick after trading it for James Pearce Jr. last spring, and they hold just five total picks.

His elevation was one of many that the Falcons have made in recent weeks, with the most recent coming on Thursday with the hire of new general manager Ian Cunningham. He will be introduced to the Atlanta market on Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Atlanta has announced several additions to the new staff of head coach Kevin Stefanski. See here for a list of all the coaches that have signed on to join the Falcons this season.