The Atlanta Falcons hosted 88 local players for a pro day in Flowery Branch. If you went to a school in Georgia or were born and raised in Georgia, you got an invitation. From Bulldogs to Panthers and more, the state of Georgia shone.
Falcons’ Pro Day Shines Light on Georgia Prospects
Georgia Bulldogs
If you have a pro day with Georgia natives only, expect a big turnout of Bulldogs. The University of Georgia had the highest turnout of any school attended, with 16 players. First-round hopefuls Malaki Starks and Jalon Walker received the most attention, and several mock drafts have the Falcons entertaining choosing these players with the 15th pick. Dan Jackson also received lots of recognition.
Jackson was not invited to the NFL Combine, but several NFL scouts believed he should have been. The former walk-on at UGA ran a 4.46 at Georgia’s pro day in March. To work up the ranks in Kirby Smart’s defense from walk-on to team captain deserves recognition, and the Falcons’ pro day did just that. The Falcons could potentially find gems in the 6th-7th round with guys like Jackson or Nazir Stackhouse showing off their potential.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Even if the majority of Falcon fans are Bulldogs, you cannot forget Georgia Tech being right down the road. The yellow jackets had 3 defensive players attend the pro day. Offensive lineman Jordan Williams and the punter from Ireland, David Shanahan, also attended from Tech.
With the Falcons taking recent interest in potential offensive linemen additions, maybe Williams could see himself get picked up in a later round. The center position is still vacant for Atlanta. Though Williams would be the best fit to play tackle, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t shift the lineup to make room for the new addition. Corner Warren Burrell also made the trip to Flowery Branch. With 4 new additions already added to this position over the offseason, Burrell could potentially see himself capping off this list.
Georgia State Panthers and Georgia Southern Eagles
Georgia State and Georgia Southern got the love that they deserve in this pro day. Smaller schools do not normally get noticed, but this pro day was able to showcase local talent here that should not go unrecognized. Kevin Swint from Georgia State is an interesting one to look out for. The Panthers’ linebacker last season racked up 4.5 sacks and showed great athletic ability for his 6’3”, 240-pound build. With Swint under the radar, the Carrollton native could be an absolute steal.
For Georgia Southern, watch out for Derwin Burgess Jr., one of the most underrated receivers in this draft. The Riverdale native pulled in over 650 yards this past season. In 2023, he had 813. The young receiver made highlight reels consistently, including a one-handed catch in the Myrtle Beach Bowl in 2023 that led to a 65-yard touchdown. He’s quick and shifty, something that could be of great value to Atlanta. In a potential mid-round steal, Burgess would fit in perfectly in a KhaDarel Hodge-like role.
Teams not from Georgia
Georgia natives who went to a university outside of Georgia were also invited. If you were born and raised in the Peach State, you got an invitation. Two of these prospects were Mike Green from Marshall and Barrett Carter from Clemson. With such a glaring need at the edge position, these two had eyes on them throughout the day. Phil Mafah, Jordan Hancock, and Doneiko Slaughter were also some big names in attendance.
Main Photo: Joshua L. Jones-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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