The first week of Falcons training camp has already started to separate the rookies who are flashing from the ones still trying to find their footing. And after a draft class that looked like a real win for Atlanta despite only six picks, the early returns have been strong enough to keep the buzz going.
That said, camp changes fast once the pads come on. Shorts-and-shells success is one thing; handling real NFL contact is another. With that in mind, here’s where Atlanta’s rookies stand after the opening week of summer work, with Anterio Thompson left out because he remains on the active/NFI list and has not yet taken part in offseason activities.
Zachariah Branch has been the headliner so far. The third-round receiver has looked like a player operating above his draft slot, stacking highlight after highlight and making a case that he belongs in the conversation for a bigger role than anyone may have expected this soon.
His deep-ball work has stood out, and he’s been nearly impossible to handle in 1-on-1s. Atlanta clearly has plans for him beyond the gadget usage he saw at Georgia, and his 4.35 speed has shown up every day in a way that’s brought life to the offense.
The Falcons haven’t had a receiver with this kind of burst in years, and the early signs suggest he could push Olamide Zaccheus for a starting job.
Verdict: Trending to the moon
Avieon Terrell, meanwhile, is starting to settle in after an uneven beginning. The second-round corner, who comes with the added spotlight of being A.J.
Terrell’s younger brother, had a rough Saturday before turning things around. Monday brought his best practice of the summer, with strong coverage work and several good 1-on-1 moments.
Then Wednesday delivered the biggest play yet: an interception of Tua Tagovailoa in 11-on-11s, his first pick of camp. He’s begun to earn more first-team reps and is moving toward a real role in the secondary.
Verdict: Trending up
Harold Perkins Jr. is already looking like one of the draft’s biggest steals. Atlanta landed him outside the top 200 after he was once viewed as a first-round talent, and he’s wasted no time making that look like a major bargain.
He’s been working more and more with the first-team defense next to Divine Deablo, and the coaching staff appears to be trusting him in bigger spots as camp goes on. With Jalon Walker out for the season, Perkins is one of the few players on the roster with the versatility to help replace that kind of impact.
If he keeps this up, his skill set could eventually make him the kind of do-everything piece Kaden Elliss left behind.
Verdict: Stock up
Kendal Daniels has had a steadier, more complicated summer. The safety-turned-linebacker missed all of OTAs because of the calf injury that has followed him since college, but he’s been back on the field as a full participant in camp.
At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, he’s an obvious athlete, and he’s been in the mix for the second starting linebacker job alongside Christian Harris and Harold Perkins Jr. Still, the injury concern never really disappears because the calf tendonitis is something he’ll continue dealing with.
He’s shown enough to stay in the race, but there have been some rough spots too.
Verdict: Stock neutral
Ethan Onianwa rounds out the group as the most difficult evaluation. Atlanta took the 6-foot-6, 333-pound offensive lineman in the seventh round with the idea that Bill Callahan could mold him into a useful piece thanks to his ability to line up across the front.
So far, though, the Falcons have mostly used him at right tackle, where he has split first-team reps with Michael Jerrell and Brandon Walton while Jawaan Taylor is sidelined on active/PUP. It’s tough to bury a seventh-round pick in a stock-down category, especially with a roster spot still in play, but his path to making the team does not look especially clear right now.
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