5 breakout stars to watch for Atlanta Falcons in 2020

Tight end Hayden Hurst‘s two-year run with the Baltimore Ravens was filled with a lot of team success, but not so much personal success. Baltimore won the AFC North both years he was in the Charm City, but Hurst quickly became the team’s second-most important first-rounder of the 2018 NFL Draft and the second-most important tight end the Ravens took that year.

Fellow first-rounder Lamar Jackson became an NFL MVP in year two, while Mark Andrews was able to tap into why he took home the John Mackey Award in college in 2017 and why Hurst did not. In short, Hurst became expendable for the Ravens. However, for the Falcons, he is exactly what this offense need, and no wonder why they gave up a second-round pick for him.

Matt Ryan loves throwing the football to the tight end position. He had great success early in his career with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and most recently with Austin Hooper. With Hooper now a member of the Cleveland Browns, that leaves Ryan in need of a reliable safety valve at tight end. Hurst will have a field day catching balls in Dirk Koetter’s offense from Ryan.

It may take some time for Hurst to develop a rapport with Ryan, but he eventually will. The future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback makes just about every receiving target around him better. He’s been doing this for over a decade in a dome in Atlanta. With potentially three years to work with in Atlanta before he hits free agency, Ryan will end up turning Hurst into a Pro Bowler.