'Best is Still Ahead': Falcons DT Grady Jarrett Striving for More

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett posted six sacks, 61 tackles and 12 tackles for loss in 2022.

Since being selected in the fifth-round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett has been an absolute steal on the trenches. 

And while other defensive lineman may have a better resume than Jarrett over the past eight years, there's no denying the impact he's had in Atlanta. 

A two-time Pro Bowler, the Clemson product has racked up 32.5 sacks over his career - including a career-high 7.5 in 2019 en route to a second-team All-Pro nod.

But the 30-year-old believes he hasn't scratched the surface of his potential entering his ninth season.

"Everything, everything," Jarrett said. "The best is still ahead. I'm feeling great, my drive to be the best I can be is higher than ever. I'm excited to see this team have success, and as long as I've been here, I want to be apart of it. So, I can't let this opportunity slip.

"At the end of the day, I've got to make sure I've got myself right and continue to be better, because it's a lot of stuff for me to get better at and I just can't wait to put it on the field."

For the majority of Jarrett's tenure, he's often been the focal point of Atlanta's defensive line - even starting in Super Bowl LI - and earned a well-deserved raise for it in May of 2022.

However, this season could be the deepest surrounding core of his career, with the Falcons signing David Onyemata and future Hall-of-Famer Calais Campbell in free agency to go along with a much-improved defense. 

As the second-longest tenured player on the Falcons, Jarrett is undeniably the defensive leader this season that has the pieces to improve a fledgling pass rush.

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Follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.

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