The Atlanta Falcons entered the offseason facing a major question on defense after losing Kaden Elliss in free agency. But instead of looking for a replacement, the team put its faith in linebacker Divine Deablo to assume the role as the the green dot of their defense.
And so far… that decision seems to be paying off. Deablo dominated the middle of the field during red zone work on the Falcons' final practice of mandatory minicamp. According to Falcons senior reporter Will McFadden, Deablo's length and presence in the middle of the field were hard to ignore.
"Divine Deablo's length, which made him a nightmare for quarterbacks last season, will continue to be a problem," McFadden wrote. "He takes up so much of the middle of the field."
That's exactly what Atlanta was hoping to see after entrusting him with an even larger role heading into the 2026 season.
Falcons are counting on Divine Deablo to replace Kaden Elliss at middle linebacker
Now replacing Kaden Elliss was never going to be easy… But it's a challenge Deablo has embraced. Earlier this offseason, the veteran linebacker revealed he spent much of last season studying how Elliss communicated and aligned the defense.
"I watched him last year know everybody's position," Deablo said. "He put everybody in position, but he was so calm with it, and I just took a lot of notes from him, just in case."
The "just in case" arrived faster than expected, and the early returns have coaches sounding impressed. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has long compared Deablo's physical tools to an "avatar," but he's just as locked in on the intangibles now.Â
"I have been around guys who are really demonstrative leaders that can have that effect," Ulbrich said. "But (Deablo) does that in a way I have never seen before. He is so unique in his calmness and demeanor and his consistency in all that he does."
Head coach Kevin Stefanski, still getting to know a roster he inherited this offseason, didn't hold back either.Â
"He is wired the right way. Very, very intelligent," Stefanski said. "To have somebody like Divine, who can run sideline to sideline, can tackle, can affect the pass game, can align your defense, it's a calming influence on your defense, and your head coach."
Now none of this is a finished product. Deablo has never run a defense's communication before, and asking a naturally quiet player to become the verbal hub of a unit is a real adjustment, not a given.Â
There's also the financial aspect. Deablo is entering a contract year so conversations about a possible extension are coming.
Still, the tools were never in question with Deablo. What's changed is the role, and so far he's growing into it exactly how the Atlanta Falcons hoped.Â
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