The Atlanta Falcons today announced that they have signed cornerback Desmond Trufant. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Trufant, 6-0, 190 pounds, was selected by the Falcons in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. Atlanta traded its third round (92nd overall) and sixth round (198th overall) picks to St. Louis in exchange for the 22nd overall selection to move up and select Trufant.
Trufant started 47 of 50 career games at the University of Washington posting 195 tackles (151 solo) with a school-record 39 passes defensed, 8.5 tackles for loss, and six interceptions. He also recovered five fumbles, including one which he returned 17 yards for a touchdown and added three forced fumbles. As a team captain in 2012, Trufant earned second-team All-American honors from The NFL Draft Report and Fox Sports as well as first-team All-Pac 12 honors after recording 36 tackles (27 solo) with nine passes defensed and one interception.
In 2011, Trufant was named All-Pac 12 Conference honorable mention and won the team's Don James Perseverance Award after starting all 13 games and posting a career-high 64 tackles (46 solo), a team-leading 16 passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
He earned All-Pac 10 Conference honorable mention as a sophomore in 2010 starting all 13 games and logging 48 tackles (34 solo) with four passes defensed, one interception, and one fumble recovery. Trufant made an instant impact as a freshman as he was named to the Sporting News Freshman All-Pac 10 team and earn All-Pac 10 Conference honorable mention in 2009. He spent three games as a reserve cornerback before taking over the starting role for the final nine games posting 47 tackles (44 solo), six passes defensed, and two interceptions.
A Tacoma, Washington native, Trufant attended Wilson High School where he was named a first-team all-state selection by the Seattle Times after recording 67 tackles on defense and 12 total touchdowns during his senior season.
Trufant joins his two older brothers Marcus and Isaiah who also played in the NFL. He and Marcus were each first round draft choices as Marcus was selected 11th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2003 NFL Draft. Marcus played 10 years in Seattle, earning All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection in 2007. Isaiah spent time with the Spokane Shock, Kansas City Brigade, and the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League as well as the Los Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League before breaking into the NFL as a practice squad player with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
