Falcons add TE Austin Hooper to passing attack

The Atlanta Falcons selected tight end Austin Hooper out of Stanford in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft on Friday, No. 81 overall.

Atlanta has been searching for a replacement at tight end ever since Tony Gonzalez retired. Jacob Tamme exceeded expectations with 59 catches last season, but at 31 years of age, the Falcons can't expect that to continue. Hooper gives them another option for quarterback Matt Ryan to work with.

With Roddy White gone, Ryan will be looking for a security blanket when Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu are covered.

Austin Hooper Bio

Position: TE
School: Stanford
College Experience: Junior
Height: 6-4
Weight: 254 lbs.

Strengths

• Can line up inside or be flexed out as a receiver.
• Good hands - attacks the ball at its highest point and wins jump balls against defenders.
• Runs hard after the catch. Doesn't go down easy and knows how to break tackles.
• Good athlete for his size. Too big for most defensive backs to handle.
• Strong blocker in the run game. Regularly controls his man at the line of scrimmage and maintains his block throughout the entire play.

Weaknesses

• Must improve footwork at the line of scrimmage. Gets re-routed too easily off the snap.
• Struggles to gain separation on intermediate routes. Lacks acceleration out of his breaks.
• Drifts into coverage at times when facing zone schemes.
• Lacks ideal speed and doesn't offer much on seam routes.

Combine Results