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AAF players the Atlanta Falcons should take a chance on

By Jeff Benedict

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - MARCH 31: Detail shot of Atlanta Legends helmet before the game against the Birmingham Iron during the Alliance of American Football game at Legion Field on March 31, 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - MARCH 31: Detail shot of Atlanta Legends helmet before the game against the Birmingham Iron during the Alliance of American Football game at Legion Field on March 31, 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) /
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Pass rush is also an area of need for the Falcons and one that they thought they had addressed starting back in the 2015 NFL draft when they selected Vic Beasley. Adding Takk McKinley to the team in the 2017 NFL draft, the Falcons really thought they had their guys for years to come.

Vic is more than likely playing his final season in Atlanta unless he turns back into the guy we saw lead the NFL in sacks in 2016 and Takk McKinley seems more interested in twitter at times than he does playing football. With just eight starts in his first two seasons, there are a lot of questions starting to develop in regards to Takk as well.

While edge rushers were not all that great in the AAF, there were a couple that stood out and will get a chance in the NFL; Damontre Moore and Jayrone Elliott.

Damontre Moore was drafted back in 2013 in the third round out of Texas A&M. The former all SEC and all American OLB looked like he was on the fast track to NFL fame and fortune. However, he had a terrible performance at the NFL combine and his stocked dropped. From there, the Giants eventually cut him after several altercations within the locker room. Moore’s issues have all been off the field and unfortunately overshadowed his on the field performance.

Moore is a guy that is looking for his last chance to prove he is the player that everyone saw at Texas A&M. During his eight stint in the AAF, he had 41 quarterback pressures, seven sacks and according to PFF was the highest rated edge rusher in the league.

Jayrone Elliott took a different path to the NFL. The former all MAC player out of Toledo went undrafted in 2014 and spent three years with the Packers. Like Moore, Elliott was extremely productive in the AAF with 7.5 sacks.

Both of these players have the potential to upgrade the Falcons pass rush and Thomas Dimitroff has a duty to improve the roster and these two would definitely do that.

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