The Atlanta Falcons were far and away the worst team in the league last season at rushing the passer. And while they didn't address that need with their top pick (8th overall, WR Drake London), they did grab a few guys they hope to impact the QB on Day 2 of the NFL draft.
In the second round the Falcons took Penn State DE Arnold Ebiketie and followed that later in the third round with Western Kentucky OLB DeAngelo Malone. Former 3-Time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Hugh Douglas explains the biggest adjustments they will need to make to have an impact in their rookie seasons.
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"Speed of the game, learning technique, that's the biggest thing. Trying to understand what offensive linemen are trying to do," responds Hugh Douglas when asked what the biggest adjustments are. "You have to learn angles. In college I used to run around folks, but in the NFL it's different. You have OL that understand angles, understand where to lead you, and where the QB is going to be. You might see the QB, but are you actually touching the QB?"
So how big a difference can these two rookies make for the Falcons defense and more specifically the pass rush in their rookie seasons? If the unit wants to take a significant jump from their 2021 numbers, hopefully an immediate one.
Jim Nagy, the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl actually feels that third-round pick DeAngelo Malone could be set up for a bigger season than the second-round pick Ebiketie.
Malone ended his college career with 32.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles while Ebiketie totaled just 15.5 sacks across seasons at Temple and Penn State.
Both Ebiketie and Malone will have to win their spots in training camp after the Falcons added a few free agents to one-year deals in similar roles, and it would be a good sign for the future of the Falcons defense if they do.
