Falcons Early Training Camp Player Stock Up/Down

The Falcons are seven practices in, two of which were padded, and there hasn’t been much separation in terms of solidifying starters at positions up for grabs. Still, there is enough to determine whose stock is up and whose stock is down through the first week of camp.

Stock up

Olamide Zaccheus, Ade Ogundeji, A.J. Terrell, Drew Dalman, Parker Hesse

It seems every single practice thus far, pads or not, A.J. Terrell is making some sort of impact. Saturday, he had a notable pass breakup on Russell Gage; the following practice, he had an interception on A.J. McCarron, and yesterday, he had an impressive one-on-one rep against Kyle Pitts — as well as a bevy of compliments from Arthur Smith. Zaccheus is similarly making plays what seems like every practice, padded or not. Ogundeji has had multiple impressive one-on-one wins, including one against starter Jake Matthews. Hesse had an incredible “You got Mossed!” moment yesterday against Jaylinn Hawkins, and with Jaeden Graham out for the season, there is a tight end spot up for grabs. Today, after practice, Smith said that he was pleasantly surprised with Dalman’s ability at left guard, even though they originally drafted him as a center.

Stock down

Dante Fowler, Kendall Sheffield, Kaleb McGary, 

Two of these, Fowler and McGary, stocks are going down because of their absence from camp. Neither is at fault and will likely start at their respective positions, but it isn’t great that two important pieces of the offensive and defensive lines haven’t practiced at all. This team needs every practice, every rep of their best guys’ stuff. Sheffield, on the other hand, hasn’t sparked any optimism in me. He had one pass break up on Kyle Pitts, but the offense’s lapse more so caused it; in fact, the entire offense had to run a lap after that play. On the most recent episode of Talkin’ Birdy, Scott Bair noted Darren Hall had been all over the field making plays. If this is true, Sheffields’ days in Atlanta could be numbered.

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Overall, Fowler and McGary will hopefully be back soon and continue in their personal developments. Fowler needs a bounceback year, and McGary needs to continue to improve in pass sets. There is still plenty of training camp left for Sheffield to improve his play, and without seeing every single rep, we really don’t know how the coaches are feeling about him. The physical ability seems to be there; he just needs to put it all together.