Talking about the Falcons’ past and Deion Sanders cannot be forgotten. Between 1989 and 1993, he had a legendary run. He held the dazzling record of 10 touchdowns on five returns, three interceptions, and two receptions with the franchise. Now, the Falcons are turning the page as a unique undrafted player has stirred hope to shake things up. Can he be a sleeper hit of the season? Well, underwhelming defense has been an issue for the Falcons for a long time. Last season wasn’t an exception! The unit struggled heavily, finishing 23rd in both points and yards allowed. It ranked 19th in takeaways, 26th in first downs allowed, and a disappointing 31st in sacks. To be fair, the team didn’t need to announce that this year’s focus will be on the defense.

However, during the Annual League Meeting, the Falcons’ owner, Arthur Blank, made it clear that the defensive line will have some exciting additions and changes. “The emphasis on the draft will certainly be on the defensive side of the ball. I think that’s pretty obvious to everybody,” Blank said. The franchise has even sent only defensive staff members to the NFL Scouting Combine. Now that speaks volumes about head coach Raheem Morris’ move going ahead.

Safety S Malik Verdon was one of the undrafted players who went on to join the Falcons. And in the experts’ words, the team has landed another star who can make a big difference. In the Atlanta Falcons Fandemic, the host explained the team’s struggles on both offense and defense. He argued that the team lacked a true ball Hawk, a defensive playmaker who can shift the momentum. He feels that the team will find new hope as their new undrafted signee, Cobee Bryant, has that in him. He even explained that Bryant resembles Deion Sanders.

“I’m talking about this guy in the same light as Deion. Now, take away Dion’s abilities to run back the ball, handle kickoffs, and all that and that type of stuff and you have this young man. You talk about coverage. You talk about tackling and I think this guy was a better tackler than Deion…Dion is in a category of his own. But when you talk about coverage, being around the ball, anticipation on the field, football speed, football smarts, this is the guy. Cobee is that guy,” the host explained.

Bryant was a projected mid-round selection and ranked 118th on the Pro Football Focus big board. He had recorded four interceptions for the Kansas Jayhawks last season and has totaled 11 over the past three years. It seems that the Falcons might benefit from having Bryant on the roster, and that might give relief to Coach Morris, who has high hopes. Bryant is already drawing big expectations.

Cobee Bryant has commendable confidence

The team signed a three-year contract with the star, which is worth $3-million with only $274,000 guaranteed. But what’s impressive about the young defender is his unshakable confidence.

“Cobee is the most famous undrafted player I’ve ever been around. I mean, my kids know him. It’s unbelievable, all the stuff that he has and the accolades. But, when you go back and watch the tape, you’re not shocked that he’s well known. The amount of players that he’s played against and the guys that he’s able to compete against when you watch his tape is exciting,” Morris said.

He is confident that he will earn every bit of his $3 million deal, so splurging $100,000 of his signing bonus into a custom “HawkMamba” chain shows his faith in himself. While his contract may not raise eyebrows across the league, his swagger certainly does. And this is the kind of mindset that will help in the league.

During his appearance on a recent podcast, the rookie cornerback was asked which NFL receiver he’s most excited to face. He didn’t hesitate to name Cincinnati Bengals superstar Ja’Marr Chase, who is one of the toughest players in football. Calling out a top-tier star or being confident in his game, this is the fire that the star player will need in defense.