The 2024 draft class for the Atlanta Falcons has not treated them well. It took a few weeks for us to see a single rookie take the field and things haven't been much better since.
Through ten weeks, all but one active player has yet to make their debut—Brandon Dorlus. The former Oregon Duck has yet to be active but it finally looks like he will take the gridiron in Denver on Sunday, much thanks to injuries.
Injuries forcing Falcons to play fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus
The Dirty Birds' defensive line has been awful this season. They are last in the NFL in sacks and have been routinely pushed around in the run game.
Now, the team has to deal with injuries to James Smith-Williams and Ta'Quon Graham. The two Front-7 players went down in Sunday's game with injuries that Raheem Morris categorized as "not good."
The positive in this is that we should finally see the debut of fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus.
Morris mentions the possible emergence of DL Brandon Dorlus this week. There's a "good chance" he'll be active. And he's done a "magnificent job" in practice. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) November 13, 2024
Dorlus has yet to see the field this season despite being a player the team is excited about. The six-foot-three, 290-pound talent has the talent to play on the edge or with his hand in the dirt. He lined up everywhere for the Oregon Ducks during his five years in Eugene.
This brings some resemblance of hope that maybe he can be the key to fixing the anemic pass rush. You just never know what a rookie will do when given the chance.
The bad news is he was never a dominant pass rusher in college. He set a career-high in sacks as a senior with just five. It seems unlikely that he will exceed those stats.
Nevertheless, you want to see the young guys get the opportunity. This team has been trying every different combination possible at edge rusher, except Dorlus, which will change against the Broncos.