Half of the league is undrafted. Not everyone can hear their name called in the seven rounds making up any particular NFL Draft of note. While where you land matters, football is a gladiator sport built on competitiveness, tenacity and the will to win. The Atlanta Falcons have enough talent to win close games, but often come up short. I have a feeling their fortunes are about to change this NFL season.
While much was made about their 2025 NFL Draft class, one that featured a pair of pass rushers coming off the board in the first 26 picks in Jalon Walker out of Georgia and James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee, they might have found a diamond in the rough on offense in the form of an undrafted free agent. Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic raved about former San Jose State wide receiver Nick Nash.
He mentioned that Nash is a former quarterback who transitioned to wide receiver three years ago and found immediate success. Keep in mind that for as good as San Jose State has been at times, it is not the most well-resourced program in the Mountain West. Nash also thrived playing for two head coaches I have a lot of respect for in Brent Brennan, now at Arizona, and Ken Niumatalolo last season.
At 6-foot-3, Nash left San Jose State with 150 catches for 2,000 yards in his final two years in school.
Nick Nash could be the perfect piece in Atlanta Falcons receiving corps
If this sounds a lot like what Drake London brings to the table, then you are not alone. Atlanta needs to be both adventurous and physical in the possession receiving game. London was projected to be the next Mike Evans coming out of USC in 2022. If Nash can be a lite version of London, then that is only good news for Michael Penix Jr. and the rest of the Atlanta offense. Getting him more help helps.
If Atlanta wants to achieve all it can this fall in Zac Robinson's offense, then it has to get the most out of its receiving corps, which includes perpetually frustrating tight end Kyle Pitts. Traditionally, I am not a fan of trying to 11 personnel an opposing defense to death, like Robinson learned under Sean McVay on his Los Angeles Rams staff, but it just might work for this era of the Falcons, or I hope so...
The rushing attack of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier left many opposing defenses' heads spinning with their unique combination of lightning, thunder, and more lightning and thunder. Where Atlanta could improve, outside of Penix being better than what Kirk Cousins was last year, is having the wide receivers and tight ends play off each other a bit more. I often felt that the team was missing a piece.
I think it was a combination of Pitts not being an ideal in this offense, Darnell Mooney being new to the team, Ray-Ray McCloud also being new to the team and playing above his weight, since the Falcons got not production out of Desmond Ridder trade piece Rondale Moore. Nash may not be on any of their levels, but his ability to make plays at a place like San Jose State certainly intrigues me.
Overall, to change positions at a lower-level Mountain West school, to thrive for a head coach on the way out in Brennan, and then to keep on doing ones thing playing for a new head coach who used to run the triple-option at Navy, that speaks volumes. It shows that Nash is both adaptable and highly productive. He may not have gotten drafted, but I think Robinson will find a use for him with Atlanta.
Do not be surprised if Nash makes a play or two during his rookie season to help elevate Penix a bit.