Spencer Adkins Has Major Upside

Spencer Adkins’ of the Atlanta Falcons stats won’t overwhelm you, but he did show some flashes in the very few appearances he made with injuries to Nicholas and Mike Peterson late in the season and in the playoffs. He may have not stood out as a playmaker, but he didn’t do outright terrible either. He’s always been reported to have major talent and upside, but that he was a major project.

As a 6th round draft pick back in 2009, he’s made the outright active roster every year since and has been excellent on special teams. With the Falcons usually keeping 6 linebackers, it’s hard to believe Adkins won’t make the roster after starting in the playoffs, only being 24, and showing some of that long talked about upside.

Robert James is a story of “had potential, but never realized” if there ever was. It’s a wonder he’s still on the team in some form or fashion, but he is. James was drafted in the same class as Matt Ryan and Harry Douglas, but has not seen the field in live game action since. He has bounced around between the practice squad and off for several years now.

He went through injury issues and then he was suspended for violating the league’s drug policy and (to known knowledge) has never officially made the active roster. The fact is that James hasn’t even made the 53-man roster in 4 years of possibilities. It’s hard to imagine 2012 finally being James breakthrough when he’s 28 years old with tons of younger talent abound.


(blogs.ajc.com)