Falcons Trade Up to Get Clemson’s Grady Jarrett
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Falcons traded up to the first pick of the fifth round to select defensive tackle Grady Jarrett out of Clemson University. Coach Quinn continues to build his defense as this is the third time the Falcons have gone defense in this year’s NFL Draft.
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Jarrett had a great career for the Tigers as he was a third-team All-American and an All-ACC selection in his senior year. This was a personal pick as well for the Atlanta Falcons as Jarrett’s father is none other than Falcons Legend LB Jessie Tuggle.
While Grady may lack the prototypical size of an interior defensive lineman, he does have the quickness to be effective both in pass and run defense. Aaron Donald was considered small coming out of Pitt and he went on to be the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year as an interior defensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams. With his pedigree and getting play once again with Vic Beasley, expect Grady Jarrett to find his way into the Falcons defensive line rotation this fall.
How Jarrett projects as a disruptive interior pass rusher should make Falcons fans very happy that Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn moved up to get him at the top of the fifth round. Once again, it seems that Quinn is all about speed when it comes to building his new Falcons defense. I expect Grady Jarrett play angry as he fell all the way to the fifth round when he was graded as a second round talent.
This Atlanta Falcons draft continues to blow me away with how much talent is still being selected this late into this year’s draft. I’m loving how well Dimitroff and Quinn are working together to make this the best Atlanta Falcons draft since 2008, possibly ever. Grady Jarrett, ATL All Day welcomes you to Atlanta and we hope to see you play angry in the red and black of the Atlanta Falcons.