Falcons’ rookies put to the first-team test

With the exception of wide receiver Devin Fuller, the Falcons’ rookie class is receiving a crash course in the NFL.

Safety Keanu Neal, who the Falcons tabbed with the 17th overall pick of the 2016 draft, appears comfortable playing with the first-team defense.

Linebacker Deion Jones (second-round) and De’Vondre Campbell (fourth-round) are also working with the first-team defense.

Tight end Austin Hooper (third-round) is receiving extended reps in the minicamp after missing OTAs, per league academic rules.

Guard Wes Schweitzer (sixth-round) worked with the first-team offense at right guard. Fuller (seventh-round) has been slowed by a hamstring injury, but is expected to be ready for training camp.

“That’s part of my design,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “For all the young players, at some point in time, they’re going to be up with the first group whether at linebacker or receiver or offensive line. We want to find out what a guy can do and (this is) our time to find that out.”

Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen has taken rookie Neal under his wing.

“He’s interacted a lot,” Neal said. “As soon as I got here, he was the guy who pulled me aside.”

Veterans on both sides of the football have been impressed with Jones and Campbell.

“Jones and Campbell have done a really good job,” Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. “Both of them are super athletic. That’s the number one thing going against them every day, they are fast. I think as they get more comfortable in the scheme, they are going to continue to get better and better.”

The Falcons wanted to improve the speed of the linebacker group this offseason.

“That’s exciting for us,” Ryan said. “We’re really impressed with those guys. They’ve made some good plays in the passing game. Their recovery skills and length of both of them. Both of those guys are long. They’ve done a really good job.”

Defensive tackle Tyson Jackson is proud of Jones. Both played at LSU over different periods.

“Deion has been really, really impressive,” Jackson said. “He’s explosive. I’m impressed that a guy could come in on his rookie year, learn the defense that quick, adapt to it and be able to communicate it to all levels of the defense. He’s doing a really good job with it so far.”

Hooper finished up his academic work at Stanford last week.

With his academic year over, Hooper was permitted to take part in the team’s mandatory minicamp.

Hooper thinks he finished strong and did well on his final exams. He left school after his junior season and is about a year away from earning his degree.

“It was good to play some football again after a few weeks of finishing up classes and finals and what not,” said Hooper, who was the second-rated tight end in the draft.

The Falcons sent information to Hooper’s iPad and coaches were allowed to called to make sure that he was keeping up with the information.

“The information was great, but nothing can really substitute for actual reps here in the humidity and heat against some of the best players in the world,” Hooper said. “It’s a little different doing it in real life as opposed to studying it on the iPad.

Ryan was happy to see Hooper, who impressed the Falcons with his pass-catching ability. He caught a touchdown pass in Wednesday’s practice.

“He’s a big, athletic guy,” Ryan said. “He’s physical. He did a couple of nice things.”