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Atlanta Falcons: Devonta Freeman is only going to get better

By Colin Hubbard

Oct 25, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) runs off the field after defeating the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Atlanta won 10-7. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) runs off the field after defeating the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Atlanta won 10-7. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Every once in a while teams hit the jackpot with late-round draft picks and the Atlanta Falcons did just that with their fourth-round selection of Devonta Freeman in the 2014 NFL draft.

Nobody on planet Earth saw Freeman’s breakout 2015 season coming and that’s what made it even more special. Who would have thought that the teams’ projected back-up running back would have led the league in touchdowns and accounted for more than 1,500 all-purpose yards.

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The Falcons have had their fair share of good running backs in their franchise’s history. The likes of Gerald Riggs, Warrick Dunn, Jamal Anderson and Michael Turner are just to name a few. All three of those backs had a special quality about them and Freeman is the exact same way.

Freeman isn’t the type of running back that is set up to fail. It’s virtually impossible for teams to try to key in on what he is going to do because not even his teammates around him know what he’s going to do.

Freeman’s cutting ability is out of this world. Freeman may not be the quickest running back in the league, but he makes up for it with terrific vision. Pair that with video game-like juke moves and you have yourself a special player.

To think that Freeman isn’t going to continue to get better is ridiculous. He was running behind an offensive line that in all reality wasn’t that great. And even if you thought it was a good o-line, adding pro bowl center Alex Mack to the picture makes it even better.

Will Freeman ever lead the league in rushing? Probably not. But can he consistently rush for over 1,000 yards and lead all running backs in receiving yards? There’s a pretty good chance of it.

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Sure, he may lose the occasional rep or two to second-year back Tevin Coleman, but this is clearly Freeman’s job to lose. The 5-foot-9 back didn’t waste his opportunity to be the Falcons’ feature back and I highly doubt that he’s going to let anyone get in his way.

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