Atlanta Falcons Tryout Signee TE Aron White

Tight End Aron White was one of the recent undrafted players who the Atlanta Falcons invited in for a tryout, and who is now a member of this team’s expanded roster.

He is also a player who could contribute to the team THIS season.

White is not going to set the world on fire in Atlanta by catching dozens of balls or really stretching the field on passing downs, but he is the type of player that can contribute on special teams, and add another pass-catcher for this Falcons team. Obviously White went undrafted in 2012 and only had 9 catches in his final season at the University of Georgia. However, that only says a little about this player.

Like I said, White will probably not surprise anyone and turn in a shocking Jimmy Graham-type season in 2012, but he is a good blocker, has solid hands, and has a nose for scoring in the red zone. Upon looking on his 2011 stats, 9 catches for 101 yards and an 11.2-yd. average is simply pedestrian. However, in that same season, White also had 4 TD catches. 45% of the time White was catching the ball, he scored. Granted, he didn’t have many receptions, but those he had were in key situations, in the red zone, and against solid opponents. He is at his best when the defense focuses on other elements of a team’s passing attack and lets White go uncovered or slip uncovered past the defense. He may be very reliant on his teammates to be open for plays, but that is the beauty of what White does.

The Falcons are a team that knows how to use a player like White, and throw to him in Goal-to-go situations, especially when those are a yard or so. The defense will key on Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez, and completely lose sight of where Aron White is on the field. He will probably serve a role similar to that which Justin Peele served for a couple seasons here in Atlanta—the undercover receiver who everyone forgets about, but makes the defense pay. Now White will probably be third string on the Falcons roster behind Gonzalez and his backup Michael Palmer, but I would not be shocked to see White occasionally slipped past the defense for a score, or used as a decoy. He is a solid football player, someone who the Falcons obviously like and who can help this team in any way possible.

Also, check out this clip of White crashing into the Hedges at Sanford Stadium. Yet another TD catch, and a Not Top-10 on Sports Center for sure.