Vinny Anthony II has done more than just make a case in Falcons camp. He’s making it hard to ignore him.
The undrafted former Wisconsin receiver has climbed into a tie for second on Atlanta’s roster in catches through 11 training camp practices, sitting with 15 receptions alongside Jahan Dotson. Only Drake London has more, with 19. Zachariah Branch is right behind with 14, followed by Kyle Pitts at 13 and Olamide Zaccheaus at 12.
That kind of production is turning heads, especially for a player who came in without draft-day buzz. Anthony has shown up as a polished, prepared receiver after playing in 47 college games, and his numbers at Wisconsin point to a player who can do damage once the ball is in his hands. He led the Badgers in 2025, piled up more than 1,200 offensive yards in his career and posted 17.2 yards per catch in 2024, the best mark at the school in nearly 20 years.
He also brought a unique stat line to the table last season. Anthony was the first FBS player in 2025 to catch a touchdown, rush for a touchdown and return a kickoff for a touchdown, and he became the first Badger to do that in a single season since 1984.
Atlanta didn’t land him by accident, either. Anthony stood out at the Senior Bowl as Wisconsin’s only representative, and he offered a look at a receiver built for the short and intermediate game at 6-foot and 183 pounds. The speed is real, but it’s the stop-start quickness, the route detail and the ability to separate on timing routes that have helped him pop in one-on-ones and in camp.
The athletic testing backed that up too. His vertical was 34.5, he ran a 4.54 in the 40, posted a 1.52 10-yard split, and logged a 4.07 shuttle, with the next best at 4.28.
Anthony has also had value as a gunner, which only strengthens his case. He’s now pushing to stick as a Z receiver before Week 1 against the Steelers, and the path is there if he keeps doing what he’s done so far.
The Falcons used 10 different receivers in 2025, including special teams pieces like Jamal Agnew and KhaDarel Hodge, who are no longer with the team. Of that group, only Drake London, Dylan Drummond and Chris Blair remain.
That matters because Anthony has already outperformed Drummond and Blair, who combined for seven catches and 42 yards last season, all of it by Drummond. He added to that resume in the preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, returning three kicks for 90 yards and catching one of his three targets for five yards.
If he keeps stacking camp wins and keeps making noise on special teams, Anthony is giving Atlanta every reason to carry him on the 53-man roster.
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Sean Payton Just Handed Falcons Fans A New Reason To Be Furious
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It was the kind of comment that lands hard in Atlanta because it comes from a division rival coach, and it arrived in a game the Falcons lost 27-7. Denver also had a highlight to go with the barb, with rookie Jahdae Barron turning an interception into a 97-yard return, giving Broncos fans plenty to celebrate while Falcons fans were left hearing Payton's words as clearly as the final score. [Read more 🡒]