Falcons Coach Arthur Smith Reveals Which Young Players Are 'Stepping Up'

The Atlanta Falcons have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, but have managed to hold their own through three games. Apart from some of the big names, Falcons coach Arthur Smith singled out six young players who've elevated their game.

The Atlanta Falcons have experienced a significant amount of roster turnover since general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith took over following the 2020 season.

Of the 53 players on Atlanta's active roster, only 11 were members of the franchise under the previous regime.

Working with minimal cap space, Fontenot and Smith have largely built from the ground-up, compiling the second-youngest roster in the NFL.

While the Falcons are off to the same 1-2 start as last year, they've reached this point in a different way, with a point differential of -1 after being -46 a season ago.

One key reason for the Falcons' increased game-to-game competitiveness? The young players on the roster have stepped up and played key roles.

Among them is rookie first-round pick Drake London, who's the team's leading receiver in several categories. However, while Smith acknowledged he's been "very" pleased with London's play, he went out of his way to single out several of his counterparts.

"I've been pleased with a lot of those young guys," Smith shared. "Tyler (Allgeier), Bernie (Jared Bernhardt), Frank Darby. Frank's done a good job with the plan and I'm happy to see him out there contributing; Feleipe (Franks) a little bit. We've got so many young guys that are stepping up."

Allgeier was inactive in Week 1 but has been Atlanta's go-to complimentary running back to Cordarrelle Patterson in the two games since, recording 16 carries for 55 yards and drawing praise from Smith for his ability in pass protection.

Bernhardt, a former lacrosse star turned undrafted rookie receiver who starred in the preseason, has been active in each of the first three weeks. Like Allgeier, Bernhardt made his professional debut in Week 2, playing two snaps, but saw his role grow to seven snaps against Seattle. He's still looking for his first reception but has impressed Smith nonetheless.

Darby, a 2021 sixth-round pick. played in 10 games during his rookie season but was waived in the final round of cuts following this preseason. He signed on to Atlanta's practice squad and made his season debut against Seattle, playing seven snaps but not recording any statistics.

Franks, who went undrafted as a quarterback out of Arkansas, has made the transition to tight end. He played one snap on offense and two on special teams against the Seahawks, but his progress behind the scenes is a noteworthy storyline to follow moving forward.

However, Smith didn't just stop at four names.

"I think TQ Graham is playing really well," Smith said. "(He's been doing a) lot of subtle things. I think some of his pressures late affected the quarterback and he kind of grinded out some rush."

Graham, a second-year defensive lineman, is still searching for his first career sack, but already has five hits on the quarterback after posting just two across 13 games last year.

The final player that Smith heaped praise on is second-year safety Richie Grant, who's had a breakout first three games after largely serving as a rotational player in his rookie season.

"Everybody wanted instant gratification; Richie Grant's playing pretty damn good football right now, he really is," Smith said. "Sometimes if you rush guys too early, it can be a detriment to their career. You've just got to evaluate it case-by-case, and there's been a plan. It's good to see it pay off for guys like Richie."

The players Smith mentioned are largely just the tip of the iceberg. There's Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Pitts, linebacker Mykal Walker, All-Pro corner A.J. Terrell and safety Jaylinn Hawkins, among several others.

Smith has high expectations for his team, as one would expect, and holding the same record through three games won't sit well. But for a team as young as this one, the growth seen from so many rookies and second-year players is an extremely encouraging sign for the future of the organization.

As the Falcons aim to continue to build towards contention, they'll do so heavily reliant on the foundation that's currently being formed. If the early returns are any indication, the organization will be "stepping up" to the top on the backs of its young stars.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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