After not bringing back veteran tight end Jacob Tamme for the 2017 NFL Season, it seems apparent that the Atlanta Falcons will expect second-year tight end Austin Hooper to become their top receiving option at the position. As a rookie he surely showed flashes of his potential as he recorded 19 receptions for 271 and three touchdowns.
Hooper is still learning the NFL game as he enters year two, but he’s also still relatively raw as the third-round pick played in just two seasons for the Stanford Cardinals while in the NCAA. His final season he had just 34 receptions, but did cross the goal line six times as he proved to be a reliable target in the red zone.