NFL’s Gil Brandt views Damontae Kazee as a ‘breakout’ defensive back

Recently, NFL Media senior analyst and 2019 Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt posted an article identifying nine defensive backs he thinks will show up big in 2019. At the beginning of his article, Brandt uses Atlanta Falcons safety Damontae Kazee as an example of a ‘breakout’ defensive back.

Entering last season, Falcons safety Damontae Kazee had one start, 23 tackles and zero interceptions to his name. Sixteen games later, he’d picked off seven passes, tied for the most in the NFL in 2018, and logged 82 more tackles, third-most on the team.

Kazee’s rookie contract is set to run through 2020, and his breakout season should help set him up nicely when it comes time to negotiate a second NFL deal. Which NFL defensive backs could follow in Kazee’s footsteps this season, putting their stamp on the league and boosting their future financial prospects?

Kazee was a ballhawk in college, finishing his final season at San Diego State tied for second in the NCAA with seven picks. Last season, Kazee was pushed into a new role for the Falcons after Ricardo Allen went down with a torn Achilles, but the switch didn’t slow him down.

You can read Gil Brandt’s full article by clicking here.