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Falcons rookie linebacker Marquis Spruill suffered a torn ACL yesterday in practice. He will miss the entire 2014 season, per Jay Adams.
Spruill's spot on the roster was still up in the air. He would have likely been a special teams contributor as a rookie, but he was in the competition for a backup role.
The Falcons traded two draft picks to move up to select Spruill in Round 5 of the 2014 NFL Draft. Spruill was a four-year starter at Syracuse. He didn't miss a single game in college, so an early injury in his pro career is a major blow.
His absence opens the door for other young linebackers to potentially make the final roster. Who do you think steps up now? Which linebackers have stood out to you so far?