Grading each of the Atlanta Falcons 2022 draft picks
Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State (Rd. 2, Pk. 58)
Stats: 17 games | 5 starts | 69 tackles | 3 tackles for loss | 3 QB hits | 1 pass defenses | 1 forced fumble
Troy Andersen ended up getting significant playing time toward the end of the Atlanta Falcons season. Half of that was to get him live reps while the other half was because the team didn’t have a better option.
Andersen looked like a typical rookie, he would make a flashy play and then struggle to make a clean tackle on the next. However, we got to see some flashes of why the team drafted him so high. He just needs to clean up some areas in his game.
I may be a little harsh on him but his grade won’t determine his potential or what he will do in his second season.
Grade: C+
Arnold Ebiketie, OLB, Penn State (Rd. 2, Pk. 38)
Stats: 16 games | 1 start | 516 defensive snaps | 2.5 sacks | 11 QB hits | 30 tackles | 3 tackles for loss | 2 forced fumbles
The Atlanta Falcons traded up for Arnold Ebiketie in the second round during the draft in hopes of finding a great pass rusher. During his rookie season, he struggled at times but also flashed some killer moves off the edge. His game against the 49ers was stellar as he put consistent pressure on Jimmy G.
Much like Malone, he plays a difficult position, and while our expectations were higher with Ebiketie, we still weren’t expecting him to transcend the team’s pass rush. Some may say he had a disappointing year, and some will say it was a to-be-expected-type year. Personally, I loved what he did in the first half of the season but then he fizzled out for whatever reason. If I was grading only the first half, his grade would be much higher.