Brian Poole joined the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2016. With many offers from other NFL teams, Poole chose to reunite himself with his former defensive coordinator at the University of Florida, Dan Quinn. During Poole's first season at Florida in 2012, Quinn was the Gators' defensive coordinator.
Earning a spot on the Falcons' 53-man roster would be a tall task considering the talent Atlanta had at his position. But Poole didn't shy away from the competition. He embraced it. He then went on to make the 53-man roster and played in all 16 games with nine starts.
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Poole recorded his first career interception in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers when he picked off Cam Newton.
In his second year with the Falcons, Poole became a defensive asset and someone the team could rely on. Poole played in 15 games with three starts. By the end of the season, he had a total of 64 tackles (49 solo), two tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and three passes defensed.
Fast-forward to 2018, now with two seasons under his belt, Poole has "established himself as a leader amongst the defense," Quinn said of Poole's growth. Poole's been an important player for the Falcons on special teams as well.
Atlanta's defense has now emerged into one of the top defenses in the league. Poole credits the players on the defense for helping him grow into the player he is today. Poole says the Falcons have "a team with great leadership and that made [his] transition smooth."
With a young, fast, and physical defense, Poole believes they will only continue to grow together and he's excited about taking it to "the next level this year."
With all of the weapons the Falcons now have at cornerback and their want to "win," there's no reason to believe this unit won't put their best foot forward come Sept. 6 in Philadelphia.
