Atlanta Falcons: Is South Carolina’s Darius English an undrafted gem?

Could the Atlanta Falcons have found a gem following the 2017 NFL Draft with the signing of undrafted South Carolina defensive end Darius English?

Not every great player hears their name called on draft day. The Dallas Cowboys beloved wide receiver Drew Pearson reminded us all of that fact when he trolled the Philadelphia fans while announcing the second round pick for Dallas. Pearson went undrafted back when the draft consisted of 17 rounds and went on to have a remarkable career.

With the draft lasting just seven rounds now, it’s much easier to find contributors today after all the selections are made. The Atlanta Falcons are hoping they have done just that with their most recent crop of undrafted free agents, which includes a pass rushing specialist from the SEC in South Carolina’s Darius English.

Vitals:

Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 245-Pounds
Career Tackles: 134
Career Sacks: 15
40-Yard Dash: 4.7 at South Carolina Pro Day

The redshirt senior is incredibly raw, but had a breakout season for the Gamecocks in 2016, which could be the sole reason the Falcons are giving him an opportunity to prove himself. In his final collegiate season English had 60 tackles and nine sacks, which is an impressive feat given the level of talent he faced weekly in the SEC.

English’s production in 2016 was similar to that of a couple first round picks including Charles Harris — the Missouri defensive end who went 22nd overall to Miami — and even Atlanta’s pick in round one, Takkarist McKinley. The difference though is that English comes in incredibly thin for the position. While he has much more desirable height, he’s lengthy and lacks the upper body strength to hold up in the running game.

However, should the Falcons put him in as a situational passer, he could very well prove to be quite the steal. English ran a decent time at his pro day and showed that speed on the field for Carolina often. His long legs also come in useful when trying to chase down quarterbacks as he can cover a lot of ground in a hurry.

Must Read: Atlanta Falcons 2017 Draft Class: Undrafted Free Agent Review

The athleticism of English coupled with his length could go a long way towards helping him find a role as a situational pass rusher. If given such an opportunity, he may prove that the Falcons made a smart call in picking him up following the draft.