The Atlanta Falcons prioritized their explosive young defense over offense in the 2017 NFL Draft, drafting defensive end Takkarist McKinley in the first round and linebacker Duke Riley in the third round.
McKinley recorded 99 total tackles, 28.0 tackles for loss, 16.0 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 10 passes defensed over his three-year collegiate career at UCLA. His presence on the defensive line will be a good complement to defensive end Vic Beasley, who led the NFL in sacks last year.
“I’m relentless,” McKinley said in an interview on draft night. “I’ve got heart. I do have the best motor in this class. I’m just somebody that goes hard no matter what. If it’s a screen pass, I’m chasing you down.”
“We hope he will have a chance to contribute to our team, based on the speed, the finishing ability, the toughness, so we’re really pumped about having him here.” Quinn said of McKinley in an interview with the AJC.
Duke Riley, tallied 144 total tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 interception and 2 fumble recoveries in his four years at LSU. He is very mobile for his position and will play alongside his former teammate at LSU, Deion Jones. Jones proved himself to be a very valuable pickup last year, so hopefully Riley can emulate what Jones has accomplished.
Atlanta selected their first offensive player, Sean Harlow, offensive lineman from Oregon State, with the 136th overall pick in the fourth round. In the fifth round, the Falcons selected defensive back Damontae Kazee from San Diego State with the 149th pick, running back Brian Hill from Wyoming with the 156th pick and tight end Eric Saubert from Drake with the 174th overall pick.
The Falcons used their first pick of day three of the draft to select Harlow, who made 37 starts at Oregon State, 23 at left tackle and 14 at right tackle. Despite being a tackle in college, Harlow is projected to transition to guard to help fill the hole left by the recently-retired Chris Chester. As a senior, Harlow was a team captain and started the final nine games of the season. He was named second-team All-Pac-12 and helped the Beavers set an Oregon State single-season record with 5.2 yards per carry and.
Kazee started the final 41 games of his career at San Diego State at cornerback. He holds the SDSU career record for interceptions (17) and was also named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year for two straight seasons (2015-16). Kazee was the first player in Aztec history to record six or more interceptions in consecutive seasons.
Hill, a 6’, 219 pound running back, describes his running style as “violent.” He ran for over 4,287 yards on 775 carries during his career at Wyoming. Hill recorded 35 rushing touchdowns and chipped in 41 receptions for 403 yards in his four years at Wyoming. Last season, Hill rushed for 1,860 yards on 349 carries with 22 touchdowns. He set a career high with 289 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Nevada. While the Falcons already have the incredible rushing duo in Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman, Hill will no doubt be a solid addition to the team.
Saubert earned his fourth All-Pioneer-Football League selection after being named first-team PFL in 2016. He ranked 19th in the nation with 10 receiving touchdowns, and was second in the nation among tight ends with 70.5 receiving yards per game. In 2016, he recorded 56 receptions for 776 yards.
As the Falcons prepare for the upcoming season, it is yet to see whether or not these rookies will have a large impact. Head coach Dan Quinn is certain of his rookies’ potential though.
