We’re in the depths of the offseason here at The Falcoholic, and there has been little to nothing in the way of interesting news in ages. So, we’ll have to make some content of our own in the meantime. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be bringing you a new Player Profile series where we’ll take a look at each of the players on Atlanta’s roster. I’ll break down their measurables, past production, and try to project their 2020 season with the Falcons.
After taking a look at the projected starters, we now turn our attention to the depth on the Falcons’ roster. Today, I’ll be discussing DT John Cominsky—a 2019 fourth-round pick with incredible athleticism and inside/outside versatility on the defensive line.
DT John Cominsky
Age: 24 (25 during 2020 season)
Contract: $797K cap hit in 2020, rookie contract through 2022 ($868K APY)
Career Production: 10 games played | 11 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 total pressures, 0% missed tackle rate | 2 PD | 82.1 overall PFF grade
2019 Production: Same as above
Previous Teams: Drafted in the 4th round (#135 overall) by the Atlanta Falcons (2019-present)
Measurables:
The Falcons have fallen in love with several player archetypes throughout Dan Quinn’s tenure with the team. Big, long CBs. Athletic, undersized LBs. Speed rushers on the outside. Perhaps the most frequent target of all has been the EDGE/DT hybrid, with Atlanta constantly bringing in players to fill the role: Tyson Jackson, Derrick Shelby, Jack Crawford, Allen Bailey, to name a few prominent examples. In 2019, the Falcons added another candidate to the mix: the hyper-athletic John Cominsky.
Cominsky—a small-school prospect out of Division II Charleston—generated a ton of buzz with an electric junior season where he produced 23.0 TFL and 6.5 sacks, and followed it up with a Mountain East Defensive Player of the Year selection during his senior year (16.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles). That was enough to earn Cominsky an NFL Combine invite, where he put on an absolute show: a 4.69s 40-yard dash and 7.03s 3-cone at 6’5, 286 pounds, not to mention explosive jumps. The Falcons were interested in him almost immediately, and wound up selecting him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Cominsky impressed in the preseason at EDGE, but didn’t get many opportunities during the regular season. In about 10% of the defensive snaps, Cominsky producd 11 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 pressures, and 2 (!) pass deflections. He also received an extremely impressive 82.1 overall grade from PFF for his limited work, showing off his potential to grow into a starting role. In 2020, the Falcons plan to have Cominsky take over the Jack Crawford role as a primary pass rusher on third down. I’d also expect him to continue getting reps at strongside EDGE, as he’s athletic enough to push the pocket from the outside.
Projection: After an impressive showing in limited work during his rookie season, John Cominsky appears to be slated for a significant rotational role in 2020. Cominsky should be one of the primary interior pass rushers in passing situations, where he will rotate with players like Grady Jarrett and Marlon Davidson. He should continue getting reps on the outside at 5T EDGE too, as he has shown he can contribute there as a run defender and pass rusher.