Falcons player profile: RB Tyler Allgeier

Now that free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft draft are (mostly) behind us, it’s time to take a closer look at the Atlanta Falcons’ roster heading in to the summer. Outside of a few additions and subtractions here and there in the course of training camp and the preseason, this is the roster Atlanta will be working with during the 2022 season.

We’ll kick things off with a look at the projected starters and players competing for those spots. Next up is running back. The top player returns in Cordarrelle Patterson, but the rest of the depth chart has been shaken up this offseason.

Next up is fifth-round rookie Tyler Allgeier.

RB Tyler Allgeier

Age: 22

Contract: $803K cap hit in 2022, rookie contract through 2025

Career Production (College): 39 games played | 452 carries for 2,899 yards (6.4 YPC), 36 TD | 46 receptions for 437 yards (9.5 YPR), 1 TD

2021 Production: 13 games played | 276 carries for 1,601 yards (5.8 YPC), 23 TD | 28 receptions for 199 yards (7.1 YPR)

Previous Teams: Drafted in the 5th round (151st overall) by the Atlanta Falcons (2022).

RAS: 7.44

It was expected that the Falcons would address the running back position back in the 2021 NFL Draft, and then the team just...didn’t. That was a surprise, given the dearth of long-term options on Atlanta’s roster and Arthur Smith’s preference for a balanced attack. Fast forward to the 2022 NFL Draft, and the expectation was the same—only this time, Atlanta actually did select an RB: BYU’s Tyler Allgeier. A former walk-on who also spent a season at linebacker, Allgeier enters a favorable situation with the Falcons.

Allgeier was a favorite to end up in Atlanta due to his size profile (5’11, 224) and running style: physical, nasty, and excellent in the zone blocking scheme. While Allgeier isn’t exceptionally elusive or fast, he’s got good vision and explosiveness. His ability to shrug off contact and find daylight—particularly in the red zone, where Allgeier put up 23 TDs in 2021—is what makes him special. He’s also a reliable pass-catcher who has shown some potential as a blocker, too.

BYU’s offensive line was one of the best run blocking units in college football, and that helped Allgeier truly excel. If the blocking is there, Allgeier is extremely dangerous. It’s unlikely he’ll have that level of blocking in Atlanta, and he’ll need to prove that he can find success behind a more porous front. Still, the hope with this pick is that the Falcons do eventually improve their OL—whether that will occur in 2022 is still an open question.

Projection: Tyler Allgeier should get a chance to earn a significant backfield role in 2022, particularly as an early-down grinder. His receiving ability isn’t on the level of Patterson or Williams, but he has shown flashes of pass protection ability that give Allgeier the ability to play in passing situations. Expect Allgeier to operate as an early-down and short-yardage specialist with the opportunity to grow into a larger role in time. He’s also likely to factor in on special teams due to his experience at LB.