The Falcons drafted safety Keanu Neal and linebackers Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell and got them ready to start from Game 1. Circumstances led to college free agent Brian Poole becoming the nickel back, which is essentially a starting position because the defense frequently plays an extra defensive back against spread-out offensive alignments.
How did the rookies hold up? Here are some numbers, courtesy of Pro Football Focus:
Keanu Neal
- Four passes defensed tied for most among NFL rookie safeties
- Missed six tackles all season
- Allowed 51 receptions on 82 targets for 564 yards
Deion Jones
- Third-best coverage grade among rookie linebackers
- Passer rating of 89.0 against, second-best among rookie linebackers
- Seven passes defensed most among rookie linebackers
De’Vondre Campbell
- Three quarterback pressures on 37 pass rushes
- Five passes defensed, second-most among NFL rookie linebackers
- Allowed 36 receptions on 48 targets with five touchdowns
Brian Poole
- Eight quarterback pressures on 18 pass rushes, most among NFL rookie cornerbacks
- Passer rating of 90.0 against, fifth-best among NFL rookies
- Six passes defensed, tied for sixth most among NFL rookie cornerbacks
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