Could any young player eventually replace Julio Jones as the best player on the Atlanta Falcons’ roster?
Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson thinks safety Keanu Neal is the most likely contender to surpass Jones.
In his piece published on Monday, Monson listed the best player on all 32 NFL teams and which young player has potential to surpass him.
It’s no surprise Monson selected the All-Pro receiver as the Falcons’ best player. Jones recorded 1,409 yards and six touchdowns last season and played a crucial role pushing the Falcons through the postseason.
“Julio Jones is the closest thing the current NFL has to Randy Moss or Calvin Johnson – a physically freakish receiver that defenses just can’t match up with athletically,” Monson wrote. “Jones earned a PFF grade of 96.4 last season, and made some of the most spectacular catches of the season. Jones gained 3.12 yards per route run, the most in the league.”
After being drafted in the first round by the Falcons in 2016, Neal improved dramatically from his college days in his first season as a Falcon and showed promise for future seasons. Neal recorded 106 tackles, eight deflected passes and five forced fumbles as a rookie.
“(Neal) missed just six (tackles) as a rookie in the NFL after having missed 16 in his final college season,” Monson wrote. “Neal flashed game-changing ability in year one, and if he can improve on his consistency going forward he could be the most likely challenger for the Falcons.
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