Raheem Morris evaluates Atlanta Falcons rookies during OTAs

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Raheem Morris is the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, not a politician — but he gave a diplomatic response when discussing the top players in his team’s rookie class after OTAs and minicamp.

“It’s going to be hard to say that somebody didn’t stand out,” Morris said. “When you’re around that group and you get a chance to play those guys and see them execute, we’ve been able to do things on two fields to get them on different fields to see guys do things that we like.”

The Falcons placed first- and second-team players on one field and third- and fourth-team players on another, though some, like sixth-round rookie receiver Casey Washington, worked their way to the first field during the early phase of summer workouts.

Much of the attention on Atlanta’s rookie class has focused on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., whom Morris praised for his willingness to learn from veteran passer Kirk Cousins.

But of the Falcons’ eight draft picks, five were taken on defense, four on the line of scrimmage and the last one — linebacker J.D. Bertrand — is still a high-contact player. So the conclusions about their departures are incomplete, because pads won’t arrive until training camp in late July.

Still, from undrafted free agents and late signings like receiver O.J. Hiliare to highly touted prospects like Penix, Morris’ initial optimism about the new group of rookies isn’t limited.

“We’ve seen some good things from them,” Morris said. “We’ve seen some things we need to improve on. We’ve seen some corrections across the board. It’s been a lot of fun with all these guys, and these guys have come out and shown us who they are and what they’ve been.”

“And taking that almost to another level when they get the chance to take advantage of their opportunities, whether it’s on the one-man or two-man, it’s fun to watch.”

Many of the Falcons’ rookies arrived in Flowery Branch on May 9, the day before rookie minicamp, which ran from May 10-12. Over the next month, they participated in OTAs and a veteran minicamp.

During this phase of the summer, rookies spend more time in meeting rooms with their position coaches. Long hours are spent trying to reduce the learning curve created by the month-long head start given to veterans in April.

Meanwhile, rookies are adjusting to life in their new city and without school to occupy their time. Morris said that creates a natural transition period for first-year players.

“The game becomes a shooting game over the neck,” Morris said. “Knowing the situations, how you play, when you play that way, what calls get you free, what calls get you reckless, what calls get you disciplined, what it takes and what it takes to win a football game.”

The six-week gap between the end of minicamp on June 12 and the start of training camp on July 24 marks the first period of extended downtime for rookies since last summer — before their final college season, the pre-draft process and the first month and a half of their professional careers.

When the pads are installed, a separation occurs. It is not a matter of if someone puts a capital letter, but WHO – and the answer is getting closer every day.