Cover 9@9: Falcons’ pro scouting database led team to Dee Alford

Alford, who signed a futures contract Jan. 10, made the roster and is slated to start at nickel back in the season opener Sunday against the Saints.

“It’s a dream come true just being a part of the organization, but to actually make the 53-man roster, it means a lot,” Alford told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday in the first open locker-room media session after practice this season. “It’s a goal that I had for myself, and I achieved it. Now I just have to move forward and continue to get better.”

Alford, 24, who played at Spalding High and is from Griffin, played in the Canadian Football League and in college at Tusculum.

Alford weighed 160 pounds when he signed. He had to bulk up. Alford had to work with Thomas Stallworth, the Falcons’ strength-and-conditioning coach.

“Yes, sir, when I first signed on Jan. 10, I locked in with coach Stallworth right away,” Alford said. “I would come in for nine weeks straight making the drive from Griffin, Georgia, every day (to work) with coach Stall.”

The work was tough, but when you have a chance to make an NFL roster, you do what’s necessary.

“Just lifting weights,” Alford said. “Training. Conditioning and eating a lot of food. He put some weight on me and got me more confident in my size. Shoutout to coach Stall.”

The Falcons liked Alford’s movement skills and toughness. The pro scouts had been following Alford and had favorable comments in their computer database.

“They’re trying to turn over every stone,” Smith said Monday. “That’s not just coachspeak or some cliché or some bumper sticker for you, but you look for help anywhere you can get it.”

The Falcons knew they had to find some players given their salary-cap situation. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot mined the CFL for several players, including backup safety Erik Harris, Marcus Ball and Delvin Breaux, while with the Saints.

“A lot of it is out of necessity,” Smith said. “When you don’t have money to spend, you have to find different ways. If you have an obstacle, find different solutions. That’s what we’re about here.”

The pro personnel department scouted Alford in the CFL, where he helped the Winnipeg Blue Bombers win the Grey Cup. He got a ring, too.

“They liked him,” Smith said. “Knew about him coming out of Tusculum, so we brought him in for a workout. We liked what we saw.”

Alford’s hard work in the weight room did not go unnoticed. He showed the commitment and dedication that the Falcons respect.

“He was in here almost every day in the offseason, got stronger,” Smith said. “I think Thomas Stallworth did a heck of a job, and to Dee’s credit, he came in here and worked, had a really good camp and earned a job.”

In the digital era, it’s easier to keep track of players than in the 8-millimeter reel-to-reel film days.

“You have all of that data now coming out,” Smith said. “It’s a little different than trying to get the original Rolodex or index cards to find the old scouting notes. That’s the one thing about modern technology, it allows you to keep track of that stuff probably a little easier than you used to back in your day, D. Led.”

Yeah, the reel-to-reel film was messy. You could burn the key frames, and you had to splice some things together.

“So, yeah, (the scouts) had him on their radar,” Smith said.

With Isaiah Oliver (knee surgery) on injured reserve, Alford is slated to start at nickel back.

“He’s a good player,” Smith said. “He understands what his strengths are, what his weaknesses are, and he continues to get better every day.”

2. Last season: The Falcons won the first meeting 27-25 in New Orleans to improve to 4-4. The Saints won the regular-season finale when Alvin Kamara rushed 30 times for 146 yards in a 30-20 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

3. Series history: The Falcons lead the series 53-52 in regular-season games and 1-0 in playoff games.

4. On the defense: Cornerback Casey Hayward believes the defense, which will have nine of 11 new starters, is ready for the season.

“It’s exciting,” Hayward said. “It’s a new team. A new defense. New players. (Defensive coordinator) Dean (Pees) put in more defense than what he ran last year. I know that he’s pretty excited. I think everybody is pretty excited to go out there and tackle somebody else.”

5. Year 2 view: Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom said the team knows what to expect heading into the second year under Smith.

“I just think there’s an understanding of the expectations of the program,” Lindstrom said. “You’re in Year 2. We know exactly what the staff wants. We know what we need to go out there and do. It’s just our job to go out there and execute.”

6. Game planning: The Falcons know they are in for a tough battle up front against the Saints.

“Just getting the game plan, getting ready to go,” Lindstrom said. “Trying to understand it. Just really sharpen in on the personnel and what they do. It’s really just time to focus in on that.”

Credit: File

Credit: File

7. Mickey Crawford-Carnegie, Lisa Guerrero go into Cheer Hall of Fame: Former Falcons cheerleaders Mickey Crawford-Carnegie and Lisa Guerrero recently were inducted into the inaugural class of the Pro Football Cheerleaders Hall of Fame.

Crawford-Carnegie and Guerrero, who also cheered for Los Angeles and New England, were inducted along with Terri Crane-Lamb (Washington), Angela King-Twitero (San Francisco), Jo Ann Gaulin (Buffalo) and Donna Bierlein (Washington).

Crawford-Carnegie cheered for seven seasons and was a captain. She also started the Falcons Alumni Chapter.

Guerrero used her platform as a professional cheerleader, choreographer and director as a foundation to build a 30-year career as an award-winning television journalist.

After cheering for the Rams, Guerrero was the cheerleader director and choreographer for the Falcons before moving to the Patriots.

Credit: File

Credit: File

8. Matt Ryan, Davis Mills to square off: Houston quarterback Davis Mills, who played at Greater Atlanta Christian, was in the fourth grade at Mason Elementary School in Duluth when Matt Ryan made his NFL debut for the Falcons in 2008.

Mills will lead the Texans against Ryan and the Colts at 1 p.m. Sunday in Houston.

Last season, Mills ranked second among qualified rookies in passer rating (88.8), TD passes (16) and completion percentage (66.8%) and third in passing yards (2,664).

9. Depth chart: No surprise that Drew Dalman won the center battle. He was drafted by the current regime, while Matt Hennessy was a holdover. I’ve been saying that I expected Dalman to “win” the job in my radio interviews for weeks.

The Falcons tipped this decision last season when they tried to rotate centers, but Hennessy was the steadier option.

Here’s a quick look at the Falcons’ first official depth chart, released by the team Tuesday ahead of Sunday’s season opener against the Saints:

OFFENSE

QB – Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder

RB – Cordarrelle Patterson, Damien Williams, Tyler Allgeier, Avery Williams

FB – Keith Smith

WR – Drake London, Bryan Edwards, Jared Bernhardt

TE – Kyle Pitts, Parker Hesse, Feleipe Franks

LT – Jake Matthews, Chuma Edoga

LG – Elijah Wilkinson

C – Drew Dalman, Matt Hennessy

RG – Chris Lindstrom, Colby Gossett

RT – Kaleb McGary, Germain Ifedi

WR – Olamide Zaccheaus, KhaDarel Hodge, Damiere Byrd

DEFENSE

OLB – Lorenzo Carter, DeAngelo Malone

DE – Grady Jarrett, Timothy Horne

NT – Anthony Rush, Abdullah Anderson

DE – Ta’Quon Graham, Matt Dickerson

OLB – Ade Ogundeji, Arnold Ebiketie, Quinton Bell

ILB – Rashaan Evans, Nick Kwiatkoski

ILB – Mykal Walker, Troy Andersen, Nathan Landman

CB – A.J. Terrell, Mike Ford

FS – Jaylinn Hawkins, Dean Marlowe

SS – Richie Grant, Erik Harris

CB – Casey Hayward, Darren Hall, Dee Alford

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Younghoe Koo

P – Bradley Pinion

LS – Liam McCullough

KR – Avery Williams

PR – Avery Williams

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Atlanta Falcons 2022 NFL schedule

Sun., Sept. 11 vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 18 at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 25 at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 2 vs. Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 9 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 16 vs. San Francisco, 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 23 at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 30 vs. Carolina, 1 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.

Thur., Nov. 10 at Carolina, 8:15 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 20 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 27 at Washington, 1 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 4 vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

BYE WEEK

Sun., Dec. 18 at New Orleans, TBD

Sat., Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Sun., Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.

Sun., Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD