FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – In 2016, the Falcons became the first team in NFL history to start four rookies on defense in the Super Bowl. In 2017, they were much less reliant on their first-year players.
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According to Pro Football Focus, the Falcons’ rookies played the fewest number of combined offensive and defensive snaps of any team in the league last season.
A look at how many snaps rookies played for every team in the NFL! pic.twitter.com/QPRVgcZ4vM
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) February 20, 2018
Defensive end Takkarist McKinley led all Falcons rookies with 464 snaps in 2017, and he made the most of those snaps by registering six sacks to finish one shy of tying the team’s rookie sack record.