Atlanta Falcons BREAKING: Arnold Ebiketie Signs Rookie Contract; What's Next?
The Atlanta Falcons have signed their second-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, pass-rusher Arnold Ebiketie. And now comes the next step: How quickly can he threaten to be the team's best pass-rusher?
Ebiketie was a standout at the Senior Bowl and made a massive fan out of Director Jim Nagy.
"[He's an] athletic every-down OLB who could start right away," Nagy tweeted. "Immediately adds much-needed pass rush."
Indeed, we've suggested that he might end up being Atlanta's top guy in that category.
The Falcons had to pay to acquire Ebiketie, trading up five spots with the New York Giants from 43 to 38 while also throwing in No. 114 to select the Penn State defensive end.
Ebiketie, 23, stands 6-2 and weighs 250 pounds hailing from Yaounde, Cameroon. He started his collegiate career playing three seasons with the Temple Owls before transferring to Penn State ahead of the 2021 season.
In 2021, he had his best season to date with the Nittany Lions. Ebiketie recorded 62 tackles, 18 for loss and 9.5 sacks.
Those sacks will come in handy for the Falcons, considering the team placed dead last in the league last year in sacks with just 18 in 17 games. The next-worst team recorded 29 sacks, 11 more than the Falcons.
Ebiketie's rookie deal figures to have a total value of $9.69 million. And if this works out? He can be a bargain - right now.
