Arnold

Ebiketie

Ebiketie came back to the sideline with a large wrap around his forearm. Asked if he’d be ready for Week 13, Ebiketie responded “That’s the goal.” This injury doesn’t appear to be a season-ender, but it’s possible that Ebiketie could miss some time.

Ebiketie’s deal will be worth roughly $8.8 million over four years. Atlanta traded up five picks to nab Ebiketie, who broke out in his fifth collegiate season after transferring to Penn State. He tallied 62 tackles, 17.0 TFLs, 9.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in his one year with Penn State. A speedy pass-rusher with an array of moves, Ebiketie will likely be thrust into a starting role for Week 1. The Falcons’ defense ranked dead last in sacks per game last year, so any impact from Ebiketie will go a long way.

The Falcons surrendered picks No. 43 and 114 for the right to move up five spots. Somewhat surprisingly, it was not for a quarterback. Born in Yaounde’, Cameroon, Ebiketie (6’2/250) grew up playing soccer before emigrating at 12 years old. He played his first four seasons at Temple, not starting until his fourth year where he racked up 42 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, and three forced fumbles in just six games. Ebiketie then transferred to PSU, leading all Big Ten edge defenders with 62 tackles in addition to 17.0 TFL, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pair of field-goal blocks. The second-team All-American also performed well across the board in his athletic testing, with a 4.66 40, 4.24 shuttle, and a scorching 6.95s three-cone drill that would have been the third-highest mark in this year’s wide receiver class. Though he doesn’t possess prototypical height, his long 34-inch arms, speed, and get-off allow him to get an immediate advantage on tackles, causing them to overset. That is when Ebiketie digs into his array of moves, utilizing a club/chop and hand swipe to keep his pads clean before dipping his shoulder, leading to an exceptional 90.5 PFF pass-rush grade last year. He is tireless in pursuit of ball carriers, flowing to the ball and using his speed to track them down. He can sometimes let linemen latch on and overpower him in the run game, but he has the tools to be a starting-caliber pass rusher in the NFL.