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The Atlanta Falcons seem to have a keeper in rookie defensive tackle Deadrin Senat, as Pro Football Focus continues to remind us.
He’s, right now, the fourth-best rookie interior defensive lineman in the NFL.
Da'Shawn Hand continues to outperform his draft slot in an impressive rookie season in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/J4tGBPSxVy
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 31, 2018
The ranking puts Senat in great company. Detroit Lions DT Da’Shawn Hand slipped through the draft process to become an early steal, as did Bears DT Bilil Nichols.
Raiders DT Maurice Hurst would’ve been a top pick if not for health concerns, but he’s, of course, been strong for the Raiders. Senat is right behind Hurst, though, which is really exciting considering that Atlanta picked him a bit later in the third round.
What’s most interesting is looking at the names behind Senat — Washington DT Daron Payne and Giants DT B.J. Hill. Payne and Hill were popular Falcons targets and went through the process extensively with the team before they both got picked before Senat.
So it’s kind of cool to see the team boasting the guy who is a few points ahead of them in the analytics community. It’s also a nice reminder that this organization knows how to scout talent; half the list just about sees Falcons draft targets.
Senat has a half-season to continue to improve and climb up these rankings. In a bummer year, it’s been fun to watch him grow. Here’s hoping he continues up the slope in 2018.