The Falcons have continued to add to their roster since the draft in the form of a number of undrafted free agents. Most of these guys will never see an NFL field, but this is a league littered with major contributors that fell through the cracks during the NFL Draft. The Falcons have a couple of starters of their own that went undrafted and were huge pieces of their defense last year in Nate Landman and Dee Alford.
None of these guys are going to catch your eye on paper, but if the Falcons want to compete in the immediate, they need a couple of UDFAs to come out of nowhere and make an impact. Here are the ones so far that have the best chance at the 53-man roster.
Anthony Sao, Cornerback, MidAmerica Nazarene
If you know what MidAmerica Nazarene is give yourself a pat on the back, because I had never heard of it prior to writing this piece. Sao possesses great size and length for a cornerback at 6-foot, 196 pounds, but he leaves a lot to be desired in the speed department, running a 4.58 40-yard dash. That doesn’t typically cut it at this level for a cornerback, but when talking about undrafted free agents making the roster, opportunity is sometimes even more important than physical attributes. The Falcons cornerback room needs a lot of help, and if Sao impresses, he’s going to be considered for one of the final roster spots.
Jayden Price, Cornerback, North Dakota State University
North Dakota State has produced a bevy of impactful NFL players in recent years, and Price can contribute in two areas that will give him a legitimate shot at making the 53-man roster. I’ve already mentioned the Falcons need for more corners, but Price was also a special teams ace for the Bison, finishing his collegiate career third all-time in punt returns, punt return yards, and yards per return. Any undrafted free agent that impresses in the third phase of the game will have the best chance of making the final roster.
Nolan Porter, Offensive Tackle, Northern Illinois
Porter is probably the best all-around football player among the undrafted free agents. He started 43 of his final 45 games for the Huskies and was a first-team All-Mac selection in 2022 and 2023. The Falcons offensive line is returning all five starters, but there is room for an undrafted free agent to compete and win a reserve spot.
Austin Stogner, Tight End, Oklahoma
The Falcons aren’t going to use nearly as many two tight-end sets now that Arthur Smith is gone, but there should be an open competition behind Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner for the TE3 spot. Stogner’s a big-bodied tight end that stands 6-6, 260. He was a coveted recruit out of high school, but injuries plagued him early in his career. However, he’s healthy now and showed some chops as a receiver later on in his career at Oklahoma.
Ryan Coll, Offensive Tackle, Richmond
The battle between Ryan Coll and Nolan Porter could be one to watch in the preseason. Both went undrafted but were very solid college players, with Coll being named a third-team All-American last season. At 6-5, 330 pounds, he tested excellent athletically and could certainly do enough to make the 53-man roster.
Ryan Coll is a OT prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 8.27 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 239 out of 1377 OT from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/7tTHyChgy1 pic.twitter.com/Z0JNOQCUHk
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 19, 2024
Isaiah Wooden, Wide Receiver, Southern Utah
At 5-7, 175 pounds, Wooden might not look like an NFL player, but speed will always have a place in this league, and he’s one of the fastest receivers in the entire class, running a 4.36 40-yard dash. Wooden is a versatile weapon that hurt defenses through the air, on the ground, and on special teams. That speed and versatility may just be enough for him to make the 53-man roster.
—
Photographer: Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.