MayorWest13 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Quinn-Excited-About-Undrafted-Rookie-Crop/3df95d1e-8e6b-45e9-bbc4-f1274d2f1216 Over the last few years, the Falcons have been able to fill some crucial roster spots by dipping into the undrafted free agent pool.Paul Worrilow for example, won the starting middle linebacker job as a rookie and has led the team in tackles in each of his two professional campaigns. Fellow 2013 signeeJoplo Bartu’s earned time at outside linebacker and has played in every regular season game since coming to Atlanta. In 2014, Ryan Schraeder and James Stone proved to be solid options when injuries ravaged the Falcons’ offensive line.The latest crop of undrafted rookies includes several noteworthy prospects, as well. Among them could be a number of valuable assets for new head coach Dan Quinn."As a coach, you have this great satisfaction of taking a (college free agent) to where you think he can go and do the things on your team,” Quinn said Friday. “It happens all around the league."There will be some people that will surprise us. I don’t know who they are yet, way too early in the program to tell. But I imagine there will be some people that are here at the camp today who have an excellent chance of being on a team just by the way that they play — the style, the attitude.”One player who could surprise is New Mexico State’s Valerian Ume-Ezeoke. As mentioned on Friday, Ume-Ezeoke had a great senior year with the Aggies. He allowed just three quarterback disruptions all season, according to Pro Football Focus, and graded as the third best FBS center.Although New Mexico State isn’t in a particularly difficult conference, head coach Doug Martin said Ume-Ezeoke held his own against bigger programs such as Texas and UCLA. But, despite his recent success and a pro day that was described as “awesome”, the 6-foot-2, 305-pound lineman went undrafted.This could be a blessing for the Falcons, whom Ume-Ezeoke said were “probably the most interested team throughout this entire process.”Joey Mbu, projected to go as high as the fourth round, is an intriguing option at defensive tackle. The University of Houston product earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors by recording 32 tackles (4.5 for loss) and 2.5 sacks as a senior.Viewed as a prototypical NT capable of playing in the 3-4 or 4-3 formation, Mbu could eventually aid the Falcons’ run defense. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 313 pounds, he certainly has the build coaches like from interior D-linemen. His 35-inch arms are the longest among DLs who attended the Combine. Shane Wynn, one of Tevin Coleman’s teammates at Indiana, is a fast, undersized wide receiver who ran a scorching 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the Hoosiers’ pro day—faster than all but one player at the Combine (J.J. Nelson, UAB). According to the Indianapolis Star, he reportedly turned in a 4.25-second 40 on his first attempt. If true, that would put him one-one hundredth of a second behind the best Combine run since 1999, when electric timing was first used. Wynn caught 56 passes during his senior season, three of which were touchdowns, for 708 yards. The 5-foot-6 wideout also notched two rushing scores and 138 yards on the ground.Consider Wynn’s production on special teams—last year he returned 11 kickoffs for 244 yards and 13 punts for 69 yards—and it’s easy to see why the Falcons are interested in his services. If he can overcome his diminutive frame, Wynn could be of use in a limited capacity. This weekend, he should see a lot of cornerback Kevin White (not to be confused with the wide receiver with the same name) out of TCU. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock liked what he saw from White’s pro day and compared the young DB to Jason Verrett, a first round pick last spring.At 5-foot-10, White doesn’t have ideal size, but he does excel in man-to-man coverage—a skill Quinn greatly appreciates. Damian Parms is another defensive back who fits Quinn’s mold. Aggressive, tall and reportedly comfortable in man coverage underneath, he could be a nice fit in Atlanta’s new defense. The Florida Atlantic safety finished 2014 with 84 tackles, good for second on his team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayOzOne Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I'm excited to see which of these guys is hungry enough to make the last cut or - God forbid - the team. And if they make the team, I'm excited to see who gets replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTBF54 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Valerian Ume-Ezeoke may make the roster and I'm glad the PS can hold 10 player this year as we have some promising developmental players... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuggle'2 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I thought the Valerian were long extinct? One guy is 5'6" ... good luck young man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monolith2001 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 I thought the Valerian were long extinct? One guy is 5'6" ... good luck young man.I really hope they see past his frame. His tape is something to behold...definitely plays bigger. He runs past guys like they are standing still, uses elusiveness to get leverage on would-be tacklers and seems to have pretty good hands. Sadly we have so many WRs that practice squad is probably his best bet this year but we need a Hester backup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoprime II Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 So Worrilow, Bartu, Stone and Schroeder have become players? Then it looks like Smitty and Nolan can develop players, after all...those that want to be developed, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lornoth Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 So Worrilow, Bartu, Stone and Schroeder have become players? Then it looks like Smitty and Nolan can develop players, after all...those that want to be developed, that is.None of them got any better since they first got here. In fact they all got worse from their rookie to their 2'nd year, with how we were playing them.As for the topic, I always love when we can find a contributor from the UDFA's. I hope we do find the next Worr or Stone in there somewhere. Don't know much about them, besides Kevin White. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Doktor Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 valerian and stone could make things very interesting on our line. Nice. Exciting to see competition from all levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnrealfalcoN Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 J adams needs to do a video on Top 10 things that does not excite Dan Quinn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dem Birds Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 None of them got any better since they first got here. In fact they all got worse from their rookie to their 2'nd year, with how we were playing them.As for the topic, I always love when we can find a contributor from the UDFA's. I hope we do find the next Worr or Stone in there somewhere. Don't know much about them, besides Kevin White.That's absolutely not true. Worrilow didn't get worse. Bartu regressed maybe a little. Schrader definitely improved and you haven't even seen Stone's second year. That's just bashing the former staff for the sake of bashing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lornoth Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 That's absolutely not true. Worrilow didn't get worse. Bartu regressed maybe a little. Schrader definitely improved and you haven't even seen Stone's second year. That's just bashing the former staff for the sake of bashing them.No Worr and Bartu both regressed because we insisted on them playing in a 4-2-5 90% of the time. I'm sure they improved somewhat just from experience because everyone does but as far as on-field results went they declined. Worr got all the aggression coached out of him too. Schraed definitely got worse, he wasn't as good last year as people seem to think. Or maybe I just couldn't blame his issues on the RG anymore.And yeah obviously Stone wasn't included in that particular statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavvyFalcon89 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 J adams needs to do a video on Top 10 things that does not excite Dan QuinnIs there anything that doesn't fire Quinn up?....Well besides the obvious losing part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dem Birds Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 No Worr and Bartu both regressed because we insisted on them playing in a 4-2-5 90% of the time. I'm sure they improved somewhat just from experience because everyone does but as far as on-field results went they declined. Worr got all the aggression coached out of him too. Schraed definitely got worse, he wasn't as good last year as people seem to think. Or maybe I just couldn't blame his issues on the RG anymore.And yeah obviously Stone wasn't included in that particular statement.I think Schraeder is being over rated by certain sites but outside of the second Carolina game, I thought he played really well. People may be a little too high on him (calling him one of our top five players, ESPN!) but they are doing it for a reason, he was pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOR Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Is there anything that doesn't fire Quinn up?....Well besides the obvious losing partColonoscopies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lornoth Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 I think Schraeder is being over rated by certain sites but outside of the second Carolina game, I thought he played really well. People may be a little too high on him (calling him one of our top five players, ESPN!) but they are doing it for a reason, he was pretty good.Just because he wasn't giving up sacks in he other games doesn't mean he was doing well. I thought he did better his rookie year honestly. I mean, he was better than Gabe or anyone else we had but Holmes outplayed him at RT last year imo. He got torched around the edge a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazbykr Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 I really hope they see past his frame. His tape is something to behold...definitely plays bigger. He runs past guys like they are standing still, uses elusiveness to get leverage on would-be tacklers and seems to have pretty good hands. Sadly we have so many WRs that practice squad is probably his best bet this year but we need a Hester backup. You are so right. He don't look small, or fragile just dangerous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autigerfan Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Schraeder solidified RT which was a turnstile once Gabe got inserted. Not saying he is All-Pro but he definitely held his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheldon Cooper Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Ume-Ezeoke, Lefeld, Mbu, Wynn, Akunne, White, Therezie, Mincy, and Lee all have a good shot at roster or else practice squad. Huffer and Gardner look like good PS'ers with less chance of roster spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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