Desmond Trufant was a first round pick, one of the most highly-regarded cornerbacks in the 2013 draft class and a member of the Footballin' Trufant clan. All of that is known. What is unknown is whether or not Trufant will be good right off the bat.
I tend to believe the rookie is going to be fine in most games this season. Sure, great passing offenses will challenge him, and he'll make some mistakes. He'll hear from the fans when he does, because Falcons fans in 2013 are about as patient as a dog in a bacon factory. On balance, though, I think he'll be an upgrade over Dunta Robinson opposite Asante Samuel.
This is going to be one hell of a challenge, however. Drew Brees is easily one of the best five quarterbacks in the league, and the Saints have Marques Colston, Lance Moore and speedy rookie Kenny Stills to challenge the defense with. Brees is going to test Trufant, and if Trufant can't discourage him from doing so, he'll go back to that well all day long.
Let's not sugarcoat this: A great performance from Trufant here will go a long way toward changing fans' perspectives, while a poor one would affirm them. That's not really fair, given that it's one game against an elite passing offense, but it's what will happen. More importantly, it could have a significant impact on the outcome of this game.
So watch Trufant closely. I know I will be.