Richie Grant

Very good build to him, like a prototype cornerback. He plays bigger than his listed weight; won't be stonewalled on a blitz. He's typically within 5-10 yards of the LOS. Not someone I saw making tons of plays, though. Did see a few bad plays versus Cincinnati (blown coverage and missed tackle that led to TD). Has the play speed to hang with tight ends and likely running backs. Had a great week at the Senior Bowl. There's potential here.

Richie Grant selected No. 40 by Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have selected S Richie Grant with the No. 40 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Fantasy Impact

Atlanta gave up tons of yardage through the air in 2020, forcing the offense to have to dig their way out of two or three-score deficits. Richie Grant will help shore up the top of a young defense that has a couple of promising cornerbacks in Kendall Sheffield and AJ Terrell. Perhaps his presence and ability to shift across different positions in the secondary provides a unique advantage for head coach Arthur Smith to use Grant as a joker, lining up closer to the line of scrimmage as a linebacker or nickel corner. Either way, this rangy ball-hawk is a valuable asset to rebuilding the Falcons' defensive unit for 2021.