Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks: Zaccharie Risacher’s Case for Rookie of the Year
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Zaccharie Risacher’s journey to being the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft was filled with tons of twists, turns and changes in stock. And his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks is sure to hold the same elements.
Still, he was drafted No. 1 for a reason, and should be slated to have some of the best odds at taking home the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Award. But how realistic is that for the league’s newest No. 1 pick?
Already having played basketball professionally, Risacher has a clear leg up on his draft counterparts.
The 6-foot-9 forward has played in the EuroLeague and LNB Pro A leagues — widely regarded as two of the best basketball leagues on the planet — since the 2021-22 season. He played with Asvel and JL Bourg.
He most recently put together a campaign of 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 steals while shooting 44% overall and 35% from beyond the arc, impressing the Atlanta front office.
With a game comprised of mostly off-ball scoring and defense, Risacher will need to impress statistically to take home hardware in his debut season. But that could be possible with the team’s roster configuration.
After the offloading of point guard Dejounte Murray, the Hawks are now solely headlined by star Trae Young, one of the best passers in the league at nearly 11 per game last season. Despite the team being forward-heavy, Risacher should still have a large role shooting threes and getting out in transition alongside Young.
Most simply, Risacher will need to be efficient in year one. His odds hinge directly on his ability to score alongside the rest of the Hawks in their pursuit of the Playoffs in a tough Eastern Conference.
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Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Falcons 2024 end of preseason awards
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The Falcons wrapped up their final preseason game last Friday with a 31-0 shutout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the capper to an already substandard three week stretch of games that saw the Falcons finish the pre season 0-3.
The Falcons aren’t strangers to losing all of their pr season games, however, as they’ve done so three times in the last decade in 2017, 2018, and 2021. While this could be cause for concern, there are several factors that could have contributed to the Falcons not competing at a high level in these exhibition games, such as them (questionably) not allowing many of their starters to get reps before the season begins, other teams playing their starters or higher caliber players (like Jacksonville playing Lawrence, Jones, and Etienne), and the Falcons implementing a very condensed version of the playbook and likely not wanting to show everything before the season kicks off.
While the preseason definitely caused contention among fans and media on the performance of the team and decisions like resting of Michael Penix Jr. after one game, there were a few players that stepped up when their name was called and delivered when it was time to do so. Those players helped make the preseason a little bit less of a slog.
Here, I’ll analyze my best offensive player, defensive player, surprise player and MVP from the Falcons 2024 preseason.
Offensive Player Award: RB Spencer Brown
Spencer Brown was a rather late addition to the Falcons’ preseason squad, signing with the team on August 11th, just two days after the first preseason game. Brown immediately made an impact in the rushing attack in his first game, and while he didn’t get much volume compared to Jase McClellan and Carlos Washington Jr., he still produced a solid 26 yards on just 4 carries, finishing with 6.5 yards per carry. He earned a heavier workload in Week 3 against the Jaguars, rushing for 52 yards on 11 carries. He finished the preseason with a total of 78 yards on a very efficient 5.1 yards per carry.
While his runs weren’t anything flashy, he showed great vision. His ability to recognize holes and and hit them was on full display, especially against Jacksonville. He also consistently showed a burst of speed after hitting the holes, quickly getting to the second level before lineman could react. He made a very strong case to earn a spot on the roster, or at the very least the practice squad, however he was a casualty of the final roster cuts, with Jase McClellan and Carlos Washington Jr. both making the final roster over him.
After going undrafted and having a three year stint with the Panthers, Brown still searches for some roster stability heading into his fourth year.
Defensive Player Award: CB Natrone Brooks
After a stellar senior season at Southern Mississippi that saw him rack up 145 tackles, six interceptions, and 14 tackles for loss, Natrone Brooks signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent on May 14th, 2023. Brooks spent the majority of the 2023 campaign on the practice squad before being elevated to the game day roster in the season finale against the New Orleans Saints.
Going into 2024, it’s safe to say that he was hoping for more roster stability as a sophomore in the league. He did his part in preseason to prove his worth, racking up 20 total tackles through the three games, and 1 forced fumble against the Ravens that came on a big hit to jar the ball out of Qadir Ismail’s hands.
This, along with a second down screen play he blew up for negative yards, showed just how hungry Brooks was for a spot on the 53-man roster. Just like in college, he proved how good of a form tackler he is, which is especially noteworthy given his 5’11”, 176 pound frame. He seemed to have a keen sense for play recognition as he was reacting to plays quickly and, aside from a couple poor angles, largely contained the run on his side. While he allowed some catches in coverage, like the touchdown he gave up in Week 3’s game against the Jags, he seemed to always be in the immediate vicinity of his receiver matchup. Brooks really only needs to improve his hand, head, and body placement to get in position to disrupt passes, and he’s an intriguing player.
It may have come as a shock that he didn’t make the initial 53-man roster last year with his impressive offseason performance. This time around, it comes as even more of a surprise that he suffered the same outcome after watching his dominate preseason.
While it’s definitely one of the more eyebrow-raising roster decision, the Falcons did sign him to the practice squad the next day. He could be a nice piece to have in the team’s back pocket in case of injuriesm or even poor play from one of Atlanta’s corners in the regular season.
Surprise Player Award: CB Kevin King
Like many Falcons’ fans out there, I had my reservations when the team signed Kevin King over the offseason. It wasn’t just because he hadn’t played in an NFL game in two years, but when he was an active starting cornerback, he often wasn’t a great one, to say the least. In the Packers NFC Championship game in 2020, King struggled heavily, allowing two passing touchdowns against Scotty Miller and Mike Evans, and was involved in a pass interference call on Tyler Johnson that would allow Tampa Bay to run out the clock en route to a Super Bowl appearance and eventual win. After taking a year off in 2022 and suffering a torn Achilles while preparing for training camp in 2023, he signed with the Falcons on April 8th of 2024.
Entering preseason, King didn’t have to play very well to exceed expectations, as they weren’t too high to begin with. However, he surprised me with his level of play as he put his veteran cornerback skills on full display. His first game against Miami was particularly impressive, as he jumped a crossing route midway through the first quarter hauling in the interception, returning it for 29 yards. He also played very well in one-on-one coverage, finishing the game with two passes defended, and forced a fumble after a completed pass that would end up going out of bounds.
While his effort wouldn’t yield him a spot on the final 53-man roster, he was signed to the practice squad, which is still a huge accomplishment for a player who has been removed from professional football as long as he has. The Falcons may need his veteran experience and leadership at the position as the season rolls along.
Preseason MVP Award
After going undrafted out of Alcorn State in 2020, Chris Blair had to fight for his spot on an NFL roster. After a previous stint on the Green Bay Packers practice squad, Blair had a brief run with the DC Defenders of the XFL. After putting together a solid film reel from his 594 yard year in the XFL, he tried out for the Titans before eventually signing with the Falcons on June 18th, 2023.
Blair saw his first NFL action in Week 12 against the New Orleans Saints but recorded no stats. Fast forward a year later and Blair is now hoping to not only be a fringe roster player, but to make an impact in what on the surface looks like a pretty bare bones receiver room.
Blair finished the pre season with 154 yards on just 8 receptions, averaging an impressive 19.3 yards per catch. He proved to be a reliable target all throughout preseason for Taylor Heinicke in particular, catching passes in traffic, and showing versatility within the first, second, and third levels. His best game came in Week 2 when he caught four receptions for 91 yards in a 12-13 loss to the Ravens.
During this game, he routinely exploited holes in coverages and showed ability to grind out a decent amount of yards after catch. While the bulk of his workload came against second and third team defenses, and these holes wouldn’t be nearly as large against first team units, I think there is still much to build off of from his performances, especially considering he was operating within a skeleton offensive scheme. Unfortunately for Blair, he was released in the Falcons final round of roster cuts; however, he was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. If the Falcons are unable to snag a quality free agent receiver to bolster the pass catcher core before the season starts, Blair may be an enticing option to elevate to the active roster early on in the year.
All four of these players played well enough to be recognized on this list, but none of them will be suiting up in the near future for the Falcons on game day. With the preseason officially over, it’ll be interesting to see if Kevin King, Natrone Brooks, and Chris Blair will continue to stay on the practice squad for the whole season or be elevated at some point to the active roster. Even then, of course, we have to ask: when will it happen and what will their role look like on the team?
Aside from Kevin King, all of the players mentioned are relatively young, and having already solid film early in their careers could yield success sooner than later.
Atlanta, GA
Labor Day events bringing big crowds to downtown Atlanta
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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Big crowds are expected in downtown Atlanta for Labor Day weekend with several events happening in the area, including Dragon Con, Atlanta Black Pride Weekend and the Georgia vs. Clemson game.
The events are attracting people from all over and are incredibly helpful for the city’s tourism.
Ken Stockdell, the director of project and program management at the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, said they finished updating their visitor center at Centennial Olympic Park right in time for weekends like this.
Everything to know about Dragon Con 2024
“With the Dragon Con event that’s in another part of downtown, in another facility,” Stockdell said. “And tomorrow we’ll be inundated with Clemson and Georgia fans for the noon game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, this will be the place where everybody kind of mixes before the game starts.”
Savannah Lay-Fawks and her husband came from Texas to Atlanta for Dragon Con.
“I’m here for Dragon Con, we are first timers, very excited,” she said.
This one event alone had over 65,000 people last year and will surely attract the same big numbers this year.
It’s also Atlanta Black Pride Weekend with a festival, parties and more.
Atlanta Police remind drivers that there will be several road closures throughout the weekend, starting Saturday morning with the Dragon Con parade.
Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
Former Ohio State 3rd-Round Pick is Candidate for Atlanta Falcons’ Breakout Player
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With the influx of offseason additions, Atlanta Falcons defensive end Zach Harrison looks poised to enjoy a breakout season in 2024. After serving as an apprentice, the second-year pass rusher will start at defensive end, a spot vacated by the departure of Calais Campbell.
Now, the former Ohio State product will enjoy hundreds of reps and opportunities to make a splash. Hidden among larger names, Harrison can play without the constraints of expectation.
342
The above-mentioned number represents the total number of defensive snaps that Zach Harrison played during the 2023 season. Also, 342 figures out to thirty-two percent of the Atlanta defensive snaps. Basically, as a rookie, he toiled in a rotation that saw more sitting than actual rotation.
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As a result, even though he stood there will a full gas tank due to the rotation, Harrison waited his turn behind veterans and needed to bide his time. Meanwhile, he made the most of the limited carries, tallying three sacks and four tackles for loss – all in his final three games.
Approach
Standing six-foot-five and weighing 275 pounds, Harrison blends length, quickness and power to make plays. For example, with his arm length, he keeps clean, allowing for a quicker disengage. Against the run, this helps with setting the edge to the outside and knifing inside.
At the same time, those arms facilitate rather effective rip and swim moves when trying to get to the quarterback. Most importantly, Harrison’s motor should definitely excite Falcons fans. You will rarely see defensive ends either backside pursue or funnel down the line to make plays in the boundary, like this.
The Combination
Grady Jarrett, a Falcons constant for nine seasons, enters his tenth with an understudy. Now, in all honesty, Harrison’s game greatly differs from the Falcons legend. Jarrett uses leverage due to his lack of height. Furthermore, he uses burst and footwork to separate from the blocker.
Despite physiological differences, the veteran will mentor Harrison. Football contains intangibles that will not show up on the scoresheet. For instance, setting up rush moves that will keep blockers guessing. Unless you possess the spin move of Dwight Freeney or Derrick Thomas’s ability to bend the corner, the need for a wide moveset exists.
If you watch this season, notice the differences in Harrison’s game due to Jarrett’s influence. Now, on the field, the presence of a disruptive defensive tackle makes anyone on the edge immediately better. If Harrison plays the entire season with a healthy Jarrett, look for him to not only double his 2023 sack totals but triple the number of his tackles for loss.
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