Falcon Report

Falcons Rookie Demarcco Hellams 'Shows Up When Lights Are On,' Says Arthur Smith

Demarcco Hellams has flashed potential during the Atlanta Falcons preseason so far.

Jeremy Brener

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Among the biggest surprises in Atlanta Falcons training camp has been seventh-round pick Demarcco Hellams.

Hellams recorded an interception on the opening drive in the team's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins and responded afterwards with a five-tackle performance (one shy of team high) against the Cincinnati Bengals in Friday's 13-13 tie.

On top of the five tackles, Hellams had two passes defensed during the game.

"He shows up when the lights are on just like he did at Alabama," coach Arthur Smith said. "Continues to find the football. He's a good football player. We're going to continue to work on some other things, but it's a good pattern to have two weeks in a row, going and getting the ball.” 

For most seventh-round picks, it's a matter of whether or not he will make the team, but with Hellams, the question appears to be how much will he play.

Preseason can be deceiving, because once the regular season opens, players like Jessie Bates III and Richie Grant will start, while Jaylinn Hawkins will also be ahead in the depth chart. However, Hellams is making the case to be the next man up, and that could result in more playing time for the former Crimson Tide defensive back.

Hellams will have one last chance to make a statement in Thursday's preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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