With Falcons safety Keanu Neal coming off of injury, the team had a need for an aggressive safety who loves to destroy offensive players. The team selected safety Jaylinn Hawkins in the fourth round, which feels like a bit of a reach. However, his fit in Atlanta’s defense is becoming more apparent the more we learn about him. Hawkins is a 6-foot-1, 208-pound defender who has decent speed.
Overall, this looks more and more like a special teams and long-term depth pick. Hawkins doesn’t have the kind of instincts that will get him a ton of playing time right away, but as the team’s fourth or fifth safety, he’ll be more likely to play on special teams than start in 2020.
Coverage is an issue early for Hawkins, but he wasn’t selected to have an impact as a rookie. We have to wonder if Hawkins long-term potential isn’t more at linebacker than safety. He doesn’t seem to have the athletic profile the Falcons would really look for at safety.
Why Jaylinn Hawkins instead of TE Hunter Bryant or CB Bryce Hall?
The Falcons felt they needed more safety depth behind Keanu Neal with how often he’s been injured. A second tight end wasn’t too much of a need since the Atlanta likes Hayden Hurst, and the team must feel that Bryce Hall isn’t worth the trouble at this point. The Falcons needed to get that depth that Jamal Carter wasn’t providing behind Neal.
