FLOWERY BRANCH—Just up the road a bit in Athens back in March 2008, Georgia coach Mark Richt made a decision that would later impact the fortunes of the Falcons.
The Bulldogs decided that because strongside linebackers were basically being pushed out the college game with the increased use of three- and four-wide receiver sets, that they would some of their players around.
Richt moved Akeem Dent from strongside to middle linebacker, in order to keep his tackling ability on the field. Back then, the Bulldogs didn't want their bulky linebackers getting caught in space trying to cover wide receivers.
Fast forward to 2012, Dent, who was selected in the third round of last year's NFL draft, took his spot in the middle of the Falcons' first-team defense Thursday, the opening day of training camp.
With the release of Lofa Tatupu because of a season-ending pectoral injury that required surgery, Dent will get his chance to replace Curtis Lofton, the team's top tackler last season with 159. Lofton signed with the New Orleans Saints in free agency.
"We feel like he's ready to go; that's why we drafted him," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "We drafted him to be our [middle] linebacker."
In 2011, Dent made 19 tackles on special teams, two short of the team-record of 21 set by Artie Ulmer in 2002. Dent recorded only one tackle from scrimmage while seeing limited action.
"The biggest key is just to get him as many snaps as we possibly can," Smith said. "[The team must] expose him to the different situations that are going to come up in a game. Today, we were working on our base defense and third-down and mediums."
At Georgia, Dent started 29 of 47 games. He started 16 at strongside linebacker and 13 at middle linebacker and made 240 tackles.
"For a young guy, he's played a lot of football in his career, but not in the NFL," Smith said.
Dent tried to learn from Tatupu, a former All-Pro player, over the offseason. Tatupu stressed to Dent the need to get louder and be confident when calling the defensive signals.
"I'm just basically making sure that I'm at full speed all of the time and just trying to be consistent," Dent said.
To replace Tatupu, the Falcons re-signed 13-year veteran Mike Peterson on Monday. He knows all three linebacker positions and mentored Lofton and Sean Weatherspoon.
"I can definitely tell him how to play the game and then lead him in the right direction," Peterson said. "My job is to get Dent ready."
Peterson, who is well-liked and deeply respected in the locker room, will start off as Dent's backup.
Lofton was a key cog in the defense. While the Falcons struggled against the pass, the run defense was stout. Lofton led the charge as the Falcons gave up 97 yards rushing a game in 2011, which ranked sixth in the league.
So, Dent has some big cleats to squeeze into.
"Last year, he had a chance to see how we go in there and break down tape," Peterson said. "See how we prepare for the game. See how we get our bodies ready. It's a lot of stuff that people take for granted. If he takes that in, then coming out here on the playing field will be easy."
The Bulldogs' staff knew what they were doing with their strongside backers back in 2008. On the same day Dent was moved, Justin Houston, also a strongside linebacker, was moved to defensive end. (He later moved back to outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.)
Houston and Dent were taken in the third round of the 2011 draft. Houston went to Kansas City 70th overall and Dent to the Falcons 21 picks later. Houston started 10 games and had 5.5 sacks last season.
Dent likely will handle the run downs at the start and eventually must prove to the coaches that he can handle passing downs.
"I've got to approach it the same way that I always have," Dent said. "I still have a whole lot of work to do. Lofa was here and he was helping me out. He was leading me. Bringing in Mike Peterson, it's the same deal. I still have a lot of work to do."
If Houston and Dent can hold on to their spots, they both could be starting when the Falcons play the Chiefs in the season opener on Sept. 9.
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