5 recent Falcons players who came so close to NFL stardom
Five players who were on the verge of being the best in the NFL for the Falcons.
4. Austin Hooper, TE
One of the many weapons Matt Ryan helped make who went on to do nothing for other teams.
Austin Hooper was a part of that fantastic 2016 Falcons draft class which included the aforementioned Keanu Neal. Hooper did not see much time as a rookie but did catch a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
In his third year, he was a breakout player for Atlanta as he reached 660 yards and his first Pro Bowl. He had an even better Pro Bowl season the following year which helped him land the largest contract for a tight end with the Cleveland Browns.
From there, things went downhill and he didn't see the end of his second contract. While he is still active in the league, he is on his fourth team since leaving the Dirty Birds.