Duke Riley

Riley entered the Falcons organization as a third-round draft choice in 2017, with hopes that he would one day develop into a reliable starter at outside linebacker. Things have not panned out to this point for the former LSU Tiger, as inconsistent tackling has plagued him through his first two years in the league. He started his rookie campaign as a starter but was phased out of the lineup as the year progressed -- initially due to a meniscus tear, but he was unable to recapture the starting job upon his return to the field. Last year he was thrust back into the lineup for a 10-game audition as result of Deion Jones's foot injury, but Riley has since reverted to a backup role upon his healthy return, and currently sits behind Foyesade Oluokun at the right outside linebacker spot.

Riley's rookie campaign out of LSU was largely disappointing as he missed a quarter of the season with a knee injury, and even when healthy, proved to be one of the greater liabilities on the Falcons defense due to an exorbitant amount of whiffed tackles (missed on eight of 32 tackle attempts last year, per Pro Football Focus). Those struggles continued into Atlanta's first live action of the season, as he surrendered a team-high five receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown against the Jets. The lowlight of the night came on a 16-yard touchdown catch from Isaiah Crowell in which the linebacker appeared to be well-positioned to make a play, but took a horrendous angle and allowed the ball carrier to sneak across the pylon for the first points of the ballgame. The 24-year-old Riley possesses excellent speed for the position and still has the capability to be a starter in the league if he can become a more reliable tackler. But based on his lackluster results to this point, rookies Foye Oluokun and Jonathan Celestin cannot yet be counted out for the Week 1 starting gig.

Riley will be one to watch during the preseason, as he’s earning praise from veterans and coaches during training camp. He’s currently listed as a backup on the depth chart, but a strong preseason or injuries could lead to him starting at linebacker depending on how the team wants to handle their defensive ends and linebackers. If he wins the job, he should have plenty of tackle opportunities on a speedy defense.