Locked On Falcons - Daily Podcast On The Atlanta Falcons · Locked On Podcast Network, Aaron Freeman

VALUE: Athletic Linebackers SHINE at Combine | Will Atlanta Falcons Seek a Kaden Elliss Replacement?

·27 min·2 clips

Aaron Freeman breaks down the exact athletic profile Jeff Ulbrich covets in linebackers, based on a decade of data.

This episode of Locked On Falcons analyzes potential linebacker and cornerback draft targets for the Atlanta Falcons following the NFL Scouting Combine. Host Aaron Freeman, a longtime Falcons analyst, examines prospects through the lens of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's historical preferences. Freeman identifies four day-two linebacker prospects who tested well and fit Ulbrich's athletic profile: Anthony Hill Jr. of Texas, Jake Golday of Cincinnati, Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech, and Kyle Lewis of Pittsburgh. He details the average athletic metrics for linebackers drafted by Ulbrich's past teams, including a 4.58-second 40-yard dash and a 35-inch vertical jump. Freeman notes that Kyle Lewis, considered a safety-linebacker hybrid, could be a conversion project similar to the Jets' Jamien Sherwood. He also mentions Michigan's JaySean Barham as a day-three option with pass-rushing potential. The discussion connects to the uncertain free agency of current Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss, with Freeman suggesting the team may need multiple players to replace his role. A surprising insight is the host's critique of top cornerback prospects who opted out of combine drills, jokingly calling them "too scared to compete." Freeman highlights several lesser-known cornerbacks who impressed with their size and explosiveness, such as Georgia's Daylen Everette and Washington's Ephesians Prysock. He emphasizes the Falcons' long-standing need for bigger cornerbacks, noting that most of their current room lacks ideal size. The episode also covers the Falcons' firing of newly hired assistant defensive line coach LaTroy Lewis following sexual assault allegations from his time at Michigan. The tone is conversational and deeply analytical, blending specific athletic testing data with team-specific historical drafting trends. Freeman's style is opinionated and includes running jokes about prospects who skip events, while maintaining a focus on how the Falcons' front office might operate. This episode is ideal for Atlanta Falcons fans who follow the NFL draft closely and want a data-driven breakdown of potential fits for their team's defensive scheme. Listeners seeking broader NFL news or entertainment-focused content might find the detailed prospect analysis too niche.

As heard by us

A benchmark driven Falcons draft discussion that stays practical about linebacker fit.

The Falcons' offseason linebacker question carries the episode: who can cover the ground Caden Ellis does, and what do the testing numbers actually say about that search?

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Why you'd press play

You want to know which day-two linebacker options actually fit Atlanta.

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