FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Marvin Hall has been a name to know around the Falcons' team facility through the first two weeks of training camp.
Whether it's quarterback Matt Ryan or head coach Dan Quinn, there's been plenty of praise for the speedy receiver's performance thus far. Hall is taking advantage of every rep he gets for the Falcons, and it's paying off.
"I treat every rep like a game situation," Hall said. "I'm going to take it one day at a time, one play at a time. I'm just going to continue to take advantage of my opportunities."
After spending time with the Oakland Raiders and the Arizona Cardinals, Hall signed with Atlanta in early June.
Not only has Hall grasped the Falcons' offensive system quickly, he has familiarity with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian's coaching style. Hall played for Sarkisian at the University of Washington in 2012 and 2013 when Sarkisian was the head coach there. During his time with the Huskies, Hall caught 25 passes for 409 yards.
Hall credits the other Falcons receivers for helping him get acclimated so fast, saying they have "treated him like family" since Day 1. Between his comfort in the offense and with his position group, Hall has been able to make an impression on the coaching staff.
At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, Hall believes his biggest strength is his speed and his ability to open up a defense. Even though the Falcons have Julio Jones and Taylor Gabriel returning – two of the fastest players on the team – Quinn is always looking for more speed on his roster, and that's what Hall believes he can add to the unit.
"[Taylor] Gabriel has speed," Hall said. "[Mohamed] Sanu is the possession receiver and then we have Julio [Jones] who can do it all. I feel like I can fit in there and be a Gabriel-type receiver and help out."
The Falcons saw great success when they put Gabriel in situations where he was able to make plays with his feet, which is why there's reason to believe Hall could be used in a similar fashion moving forward. Time will tell what kind of impact he'll make. The Falcons play their first preseason game Thursday.
Gabriel's average catch came at 8.6 yards beyond the line of scrimmage and he averaged a team-leading 7.94 yards after the catch, showing his ability to turn a small gain into a big one.
Hall also sees himself being a valuable contributor on the Falcons' special teams – the way Quinn says players can separate themselves from one another.
The Falcons will try Hall at returner some. And much like Hall has done since he arrived in Flowery Branch, he's ready to take on any role and make the most of his opportunity.
